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Identity Guard Review

Published: Oct 07, 2019 7 min read

Is Identity Guard the right security product for protecting your sensitive information in this age of rampant identity theft? This Identity Guard review will answer this question by telling you what security features this product offers, how much it'll cost you and more.

Table of contents:

  • What is Identity Guard?
  • How it works
  • Security features
  • Cost
  • How to register
  • Is it safe?

First, let's take a look at what exactly Identity Guard is.

What is Identity Guard?

Identity Guard is a specialized product for shielding individuals and families against the scourge of identity theft. It accomplishes this by monitoring and securing the use of your sensitive information online. It uses IBM's Watson, a powerful artificial intelligence (AI), to automatically scan the internet 24/7/365 for signs of any suspicious activity involving your data.

Identity Guard services

With Identity Guard, you can get:

  • Social insight reports
  • Personal risk management score
  • Identity theft insurance
  • Credit scores and reports
  • Notifications of high-risk transactions
  • Dark web monitoring
  • Additional services (depending on the product plan you opt for)

How does Identity Guard work?

IBM's Watson is a powerful tool that enables Identity Guard to quickly scan through large amounts of data to catch suspicious activity involving your details. You will receive alerts the moment Identity Guard spots red flags so that you can take effective, preventive measures to avoid damage.

The combination of Watson's robust scanning and traditional monitoring methods delivers comprehensive protection against the various tactics identity thieves now use. This process includes professionals scanning and monitoring the dark web to make sure that no one is trying to sell or use your personal information.

If you become a victim of identity theft, it can help you minimize the damage and quickly recover what you lost through its effective identity recovery services. The company will assign you a personal case manager to provide you with expert guidance on how to best restore your identity. It also provides a comprehensive $1 million insurance policy that compensates you for your stolen funds and finances your recovery.

Identity Guard security features

The level of protection Identity Guard offers depends on the plan you choose.

The following security features are common to all Identity Guard plans:

  • $1 million insurance that covers certain types of losses and fees due to identity theft
  • Dedicated case manager
  • Risk score calculation
  • Monitoring of high-risk transactions
  • Anti Phishing mobile app by Identity Guard
  • IBM Watson AI (which detects personal threats)
  • Mobile app for monitoring your protection

You can choose an individual or family package. With either package, you can select the Value plan (the least expensive), the Ultra plan (the most expensive) or the Total plan (for a mid-range price). The family package plans cost more than the individual package plans because they cover more people.

The Value plan

This is a suitable option for those who require extensive monitoring and identity theft protection. In addition to the features mentioned above, it also includes:

  • Safe browsing tools
  • Dark web monitoring and alerts for your own credit and your child's
  • High-risk transaction alerts
  • Risk management report
  • Potential social media cyberbullying alerts

The Ultra plan

This plan offers a higher degree of identity theft protection by offering the standard features, the Value pack features and more. It includes the following credit information safeguarding features:

  • Social insight report
  • Address monitoring
  • Monthly credit score
  • Credit monitoring by Equifax, TransUnion and Experian
  • Tax refund alerts
  • Credit score and report
  • Fraudulent bank account opening and takeover alerts

Aside from the individual and family packages, Identity Guard also offers protection for businesses and their employees. By providing its business clients with data breach readiness tools, it gives businesses the tools they need to recover from an incident involving its employees. Employees of a business that sign up for it also get identity theft prevention software.

How much does Identity Guard cost?

Identity Guard offers its identity theft protection services in a variety of plans, enabling customers to find one that matches their needs and budgets easily.

As of April 3, 2022, the prices per month are:

Individual plans

  • Value plan: $8.99
  • Total plan: $19.99
  • Ultra plan: $29.99

Family plans

  • Value plan: $14.99
  • Total plan: $29.99
  • Ultra plan: $39.99

You will save on any plan you choose if you pay annually instead of monthly.

How to register with Identity Guard

You can register for Identity Guard's services quickly and easily by following these five simple steps:

  1. Sign up by choosing a plan and providing your information.
  2. Set up your watch list, which involves specifying the personal data you want to be monitored and secured.
  3. Receive tips on how to better protect your information and manage risks.
  4. Receive immediate alerts via email or text regarding any suspicious activity involving your data.
  5. Restore your identity with the help of Identity Guard experts.

This product offers many fantastic security features, but a review reveals that it lacks certain features found in competing products. For example, criminal and sex offense monitoring only is available with the Ultra plan. It may lack certain aspects, but it performs the services it provides competently.

Is Identity Guard safe?

Identity Guard is a safe product to use and an effective tool to keep you safe in the face of an identity theft attack. You will receive alerts on your mobile device as soon as it catches anything suspicious involving your data, including the use of your personal information on the dark web or the unauthorized use of your information for credit or bank transactions. Identity Guard guarantees comprehensive monitoring and security thanks to IBM's state-of-the-art Watson AI.

Should you use Identity Guard?

A review of Identity Guard indicates it’s an excellent choice if you want to minimize your risk of falling victim to identity theft. It's easy to use, delivers reports quickly and allows you to pick a plan that suits your budget and needs. However, if what you want is an identity theft product that actively helps you restore your stolen identity, then this may not be the product for you.

Update: This article has been updated to reflect current information about Identity Guard.

Disclaimer: This story was originally published on October 7, 2019, on BetterCreditBlog.org. To find the most relevant information concerning Identity Guard, please visit their website: https://www.identityguard.com/