Best Family Identity Theft Protection Services

Does your family need identity theft protection?

Cybercriminals can focus on any age group, but children and senior citizens are usually the most vulnerable. It is estimated that roughly two in every 100 minors in the U.S. have had their data breached, either through medical or school reports, or social media. The majority of reported identity theft cases involve victims over 60 years old, with phishing one of the most common methods. With both age groups, hackers take advantage of a naivety and lack of internet proficiency, so, naturally, you’ll want to keep an eye on your family’s safety.

Oversharing on social media – platforms that are filled with scammers – can be dangerous since practically everyone (including children) has a profile full of personal data and soft privacy settings. Even standard websites ask you to accept their cookies to collect your information, so remember to be selective. On a separate note, using the same password for all your accounts is a big no-no: once a hacker gets ahold of your credentials, they have access to almost everything you own.

Additionally, if you or your family members aren’t in the habit of regularly checking bank and credit transactions, you can often miss fraudulent activity. Although this won’t necessarily prevent identity theft, it can avoid considerable financial damage. Someone in your family being a victim means it could only be a matter of time before hackers get to you too, since you probably share the same last name and address.

What you can do to protect your family from identity theft

Thankfully, there is a lot you can do to protect yourself and your family from identity theft. For starters, make sure you trust the caregiver of any family member, as they have access to financial and medical records. In fact, be aware that caregiver scams are among the most common elder fraud schemes. Additionally, advising your older relatives on what type of scams to look out for can help since they may not otherwise spot spam emails and phone calls. When it comes to your children, try to limit their internet access and remind them not to overshare personal information on social media and other websites.

As for us adults, you can help by only shopping on trusted websites and using unique passwords that are hard to guess. Collecting your mail daily and checking your bank and credit reports frequently are also obvious ways to keep track of any suspicious activity. Furthermore, not leaving a paper trail is a very good practice: shred any sensitive documents before disposing of them to avoid dumpster diving. However, if you feel that you need further protection, identity theft protection services may be the solution, as they do all the scanning for you and can make your recovery journey much easier.

How identity theft protection services work

Identity theft protection services act like guardians of your personal information. Generally, these companies offer three primary services: monitoring, alerts, and recovery plans. Monitoring usually includes credit score checking and monthly or quarterly reports from the three credit bureaus (TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian). Some services also include dark web monitoring and a Social Security number tracker.

Alerts are a handy tool that notify customers if their personal information has been used, like when new accounts are opened in their name. Many people don’t realize they’re victims of identity theft until their credit is damaged, and that’s why having real-time notifications can be a lifesaver.

Finally, recovery plans are a must-have for customers that fall victim to hackers. Through the companies’ insurance policies, you can get reimbursed – generally up to $1 million – and undo your credit damage with the help of a designated specialist.

How to choose the best identity theft protection service for your family

When choosing which identity theft service to sign up for, there are many factors to consider. For starters, if you have a big family with lots of kids, you might want to think about a service plan with unlimited entries for children. If this is the case, IdentityForce will suit you best, and its excellent ChildWatch feature will also come in handy.

If you think your family members may often explore unprotected websites, maybe LifeLock is a good option, as the bonus of the Norton 360 subscription adds an extra layer of protection against malware. Last but not least, for those consumers who want the most top-notch account monitoring, Identity Guard could be a great choice. Its use of IBM Watson’s artificial intelligence can do wonders in going that extra mile to protect your family’s data. Whichever identity theft protection service you do choose, you can rest assured that you’re doing what’s necessary to protect your family.