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OVERALL RATING:
5/5
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Products & Services:
5/5
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Cost:
4/5
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Ease of Use:
5/5
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Customer Support & Reviews:
5/5
Our Review
Whether you’ve experienced identity theft in the past or worry about it for the future, it’s becoming a more prevalent problem in our internet-connected society. Identity Guards provides a host of solutions, quick alerts and notifications through IBM Watson artificial intelligence.
We were impressed that customers felt the service was easy to set up as a “set it and forget it” situation. The identity protection gives them the peace of mind required to get through their daily lives and feel more secure with Internet purchases.
We liked that the base package provided just enough value to customers. However, they’ll need to bump up to the Total package if they’re looking for the protection that people often need, such as credit change alerts.
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Products & Services
5/5
Identity Guard offers tiered package options on their website. Although they have three different plans, there are essentially six plans if you switch between the individual and family plans, which are slightly more expensive.
Identity protection can be a technical subject that’s confusing for regular consumers, so we liked that the plans are laid out on the website with a simple UI and lists that easily break up the features into alerts, additional tools for protection, and benefits that all plans enjoy.
Customers can also choose plans that are billed annually or monthly. If you want to pay annually, you’ll enjoy a 17% discount. All of the plans include the following:
- IBM Watson Artificial Intelligence
- $1 million insurance with stolen funds reimbursement
- U.S.-based case manager
- Risk management scoring
- Online identity dashboard
- Mobile application
IBM Watson artificial intelligence is beneficial for customers because it combs through vast amounts of data and uncovers insights. It’s why you’re able to receive alerts so quickly if anyone tries to steal your identity.
Value
Identity Guard Value is the most basic plan. Like all plans, you can purchase it as an individual or spend more to use it for the whole family. Along with all the benefits you can enjoy above, the plan also includes:
Features:
- Alerts for personal information on the dark web
- Alerts for high-risk transactions
- Personal threats detected by Watson Artificial Intelligence
- Anti-phishing mobile app
- Safe browsing extension
Total
The Total plan is the average or middle plan that Identity Guard offers. It introduces more alerts so that you can enjoy more excellent protection.
Features:
- Alerts for personal information on the dark web
- Alerts for high-risk transactions
- Monthly credit score alert
- Credit change alert from three credit bureaus
- Bank account takeover alert
- Request alerts to open checking or savings accounts with your information
- Personal threats detected by Watson Artificial Intelligence
- Anti-phishing mobile app
- Safe browsing extension
Ultra
The Ultra plan gives you the most protection with all of the alerts you need to keep your identity safe. The main difference between the Total and Ultra plan is the inclusion of a credit report and social insight report.
The social insight report analyzes your Facebook timeline and gives recommendations on how you can improve your online image.
Although online image management isn’t a service that most people need, it’s beneficial for different occupations. If you’re a business owner or looking for a new job, improving your online image can help win over customers or recruiters.
Features:
- Alerts for personal information on the dark web
- Alerts for high-risk transactions
- Monthly credit score alert
- Credit change alert from three credit bureaus
- Credit report from three credit bureaus
- Bank account takeover alert
- Request alerts to open checking or savings accounts with your information
- Personal threats detected by Watson Artificial Intelligence
- Social insight report
- Anti-phishing mobile app
- Safe browsing extension
Pros
- Variety of packages for both individuals and families
Cons
- Customers may need education on what plan is the most beneficial for them
Cost
4/5
The Value, Total, and Monthly plans can be paid monthly or annually for a 17% total discount. You’ll also pay more if you switch from an individual plan to a family plan; the family option is available for all three plans.
For the individual and family plans, here is what you’ll be paying monthly or annually:
| Package Name | Monthly Fees | Annual Fees |
|---|---|---|
| Value | $8.99/mo or $14.99/mo (family) | $7.50/mo or $12.50/mo (family) billed annually |
| Total | $19.99/mo or $29.99/mo (family) | $16.67/mo or $25.00/mo (family) billed annually |
| Ultra | $29.99/mo or $39.99/mo (family) | $25.00/mo or $33.33/mo (family) billed annually |
Savings Opportunities
You’ll be able to save 17% if you decide to pay annually. For the basic individual plan, this means you’ll be paying $90 a year versus $107.88. However, depending on a customer’s budget, the monthly plan may still make sense financially.
We couldn’t find any other discounts or savings opportunities on their website, but Identity Guard does offer an annual subscription refund if you request one within 30 days of being charged. Monthly subscriptions don’t include a refund unless your subscription has a Money-Back Guarantee.
Pros
- Annual plan discounts and 30-day refunds help protect consumers
Cons
- There are no other discounts listed on the website
Customer Support and Reviews
5/5
Identity Guard has overall positive reviews by most major review sites. Many customers noted how easy it is to set up and, even though they’re getting top-of-the-line identity guard protection, it doesn’t require a lot of input once it’s enabled. Customers receive notifications when there’s a breach of security or a warning, but they find that the plan mostly “runs itself.”
Some customers noted that they’re given alerts and educated about threats that they perceive as small; this speaks to the thoroughness of the service. Many customers had their own stories of previous identity theft in their reviews. Signing up for the service gave them greater peace of mind so that they weren’t constantly worrying about another instance of identity theft.
Somebody stole one of our cards or the card number. We reported it to Identity Guard 12 years ago, but we were fine. I like to just go over stuff, make sure we got the right plan, we’re doing what we’re supposed to do, that kind of stuff. We navigate and do everything ourselves. Right now, our plan runs itself so it’s just an automatic bill that comes out. It’s like one of those things that’s there like the mortgage. It comes out each month.
When Identity Guard’s reps approached us about signing up with them, they really had a lot of good technical knowledge on how information and data get compromised. Overall, it was a great process and it’s a good product. So far, I really don’t access it that much, but when I get alerts, I appreciate that. Still, I feel like there was a little too much information from them and I was getting something that was kind of an overkill. I’d rather have too much than not enough, but the little things that we were cautioned about were low-risk and weren’t that important to bring to my attention. Despite that, the fact that they were bringing that to my attention was reassuring because I felt that they were being thorough.
Pros
- Customers are impressed by how easy the service is to set up
Cons
- Some customers worried that service is billed inaccurately
Company Background
Identity Guard was founded in 1996 as Intersections Inc. Based in Herndon, Virginia, it was one of the first companies to establish itself in the identity theft industry. Today, it uses IBM’s Watson artificial intelligence to protect its 47 million customers. Watson enables Identity Guard to have the shortest response times for inquiries going to the three main credit bureaus.
The website is notable for its data security and privacy. It has been recognized for six years in a row in the Online Trust Audit and Honor Roll by the Online Trust Alliance. The company was also ranked as number one in identity theft protection in Kiplinger’s Personal Finances “The Best” List in 2016.
Pros
- Long history of protecting customers through artificial intelligence
Cons
- Major parent company rebranding to Aura in 2019 can be confusing to older customers
The Bottom Line
Identity Guard has over 20 years of protecting customers in the identity theft industry. If you’re looking for an identity theft company that can provide fast alerts and overall identity protection, their adoption of artificial intelligence technology places Identity Guard on the leading edge.
Many customers search for these companies after they experience identity theft in their own lives, and we were impressed by the number of reviews that stated how easy the service is to set up. Individuals and families with different budgets can also enjoy identity theft protection because of their tiered service plans that provide monthly and annual billing.
Disclaimer
The information featured on this page is based on our best estimates of pricing, package details, contract stipulations, and service available at the time of writing. This is not a guarantee. All information is subject to change. Pricing will vary based on various factors, including, but not limited to the customer’s location. For the most accurate information, please ask your customer service representative. Clarify all fees and contract details before signing a contract or finalizing your purchase.