What Should You Know About LifeLock?

LifeLock is a business entity that provides protection for identity theft. It is established in the United States in 2005 and has become the leader in the industry. Identity theft has grown to be a great threat to all Americans, hence, protection services have also boomed.

Identity theft has proliferated with the availability of modern technology. Stealing of personal information became easier with the use of the internet. Thieves use stolen personal information to apply for loans, credit cards and other non-credit related applications like utilities, check orders and reorders and wireless services. Based on reports, the crime committed has increased by 22% in 2008 affecting 4.32% of Americans or 10 million of them. Total loss amounted to $48 billion.

The company has features that not only monitor credit activity but also all service account applications through its Advanced LifeLock Identity Alert system. It advises its members through email, postal mail and sometime by phone anytime the system finds any identity information of its members being used. This system is proactive as it locks down information before thieves can get it.

It assures its members it would repair theft outcomes of up to $1,000,000 should they become victim of identity theft while under membership.

Registration costs $15 a month. The system also includes the following features:

* eRecon. It monitors the internet for any illegal selling of information. It watches over 10,000 criminal websites.

* WalletLock. If a wallet is lost or stolen, a representative would help the member contact each bank, credit card or document issuing company to cancel the accounts and replace lost documents.

* TrueAddress. The company contacts its member concerning request for change of address if the request submitted does not match with various address databases nationwide.

* Free Annual Credit Report. Free annual credit reports will be sent to customers as requested by LifeLock. It would allow its members to review and check their credit transactions.

* Reduced Pre-Approved Credit Offers. Pre-approved credit offers would be minimized due to the removal of the name of its members from various mailing lists.

* 24-Hour Customer Service. The company has 24-hour customer service daily to facilitate reporting by its members. The members could also access its myLifeLock website anytime.

For all its advance features, the company was accused by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and 35 state attorneys for false claims regarding its services. One of its marketing strategies backfired as it exposed to the public the social security number of Todd Davis, its founder and Chief Executive Officer, wherein somebody was able to use his identity to obtain a loan of $500. In 2008, a credit information company sued LifeLock for fraud and false advertising. The company claimed that LifeLock initiated false credit fraud alerts on its customers to impress them with the necessity of its services.

The company paid $12 million to settle all lawsuits. With the controversy, it is hard to rely only on the assistance of professionals. Awareness of what identity theft is all about and its repercussions may enable everyone to be more vigilant in safeguarding their personal information.

Everyone is familiar with identity theft. That is why they try to secure life lock just to protect them against these perpetrators. They want to feel safe and secure that these people do not touch their pertinent information like their SSS, credit cards and other vital documents. Try TrustedID

Simple Ways to be Protected against Identity Theft

The incidence of identity theft is increasing in number all over the world. As more ways to store information are devised, hackers also find new platforms to get into. Identity theft is the crime wherein one person assumes the identity of another for his or her own personal gain. By acquiring your private personal information, they can spend your money, commit crimes using your identity and use services which are meant for you. Others discover the offense when the damage is already too extensive and very difficult to repair.

The question now is how these perpetrators get your identity. By simply knowing their usual methods of stealing your information, you can build your first line of identity theft prevention. The simplest ways to avoid being a victim usually starts with you.

A simple way to obtain your information is by going through your trash. If you are careless, your billing statements that you throw in the trash can be used to get some of your information. You can either just keep your bills together in a single envelope or if you really do not want them anymore, you can shred or burn the paper before throwing it away. There will be no more information for them to use to impersonate you.

You should also be careful when doing transactions in public. Others can glance over your shoulder and see what you may write on a piece of paper or input into a computer. Always be aware of the others around you and be sure that you have privacy when providing your personal information.

A lot of identity thefts are made possible by hacking through your computer or by fooling you with fake ads, login pages and more. They can send you scams to your email telling you all sorts of things just to gain information. They can also attach Trojan horses and viruses into files that you download so that they can take control of your computer and acquire your files remotely. Besides updating your computer security with firewall, antivirus, antimalware and other security systems, you should also be aware of what looks like scam. Always be cautious when something asks for your private information.

Your login details can be acquired unbeknownst to you when you input them on fake login pages. You might not notice any difference since it will really log you in and redirect you to the correct page. However, if it is a fake you will notice that the website address is different. Always make sure to login only on the correct website. The moment the hackers get a hold of your username and password, they have total control of your account.

If you are also a member of a networking site, you should limit the personal information on your page as the public might see it. If you really want the information there, be sure to set privacy so that only the people you know can see the information.

Sometimes, the simple ways of identity theft protection are what you just need to avoid being a victim. You can stop these culprits from stealing your identity if you are careful.

Prevent identity theft has gone rampant these days and you never know who’s going to be the next victim. To prepare yourself from this unscrupulous crime, you should try identity theft insurance to keep your peace of mind. Or you may want to try trusted id protection.