Nowadays, the protection of personal data is a pressing issue. Identity theft, in the very best case, will result in financial losses.
In the worst-case scenario, you are risking to smear your good name and spend many hours on recovery. Unless you have nothing to lose, a good ID-theft protection tool is a must. An excellent example of such a tool is the LifeLock service.
Find more information in our in-depth LifeLock review.
What is LifeLock?
LifeLock is a US-based service of identity theft protection. The company has been around since 2005. Now, it is one of the best-known tools intended for sensitive data protection. It safeguards the user’s personal information, such as an SSN, banking details, credit cards, driver license, e-mail, phone number, and public records.
It continuously monitors the web, including the darknet, for the unauthorized use of your data. Once LifeLock detects a potentially non-sanctioned use of the information, it sends you an alert. In the case of data theft, LifeLock covers the losses of up to $1 million, depending on the plan.
LifeLock: Best for Comprehensive Protection
- Сomprehensive approach is the strongest point
- Send alerts once a threat is detected immediately
- Helps to mitigate the effects of ID threat and compensates for the losses
- Comes integrated with Norton antivirus
- Helps to prevent up to 100% of cyber threats
The List of Pros and Cons
Pros
- Comes with a premium antivirus software
- Sends timely alerts via multiple channels
- Has a simple user-friendly interface
- Offers plenty of useful features
- Monitors the Dark net
- Helps to restore the user identity
Cons
- It is expensive
- No family plan is available
- Credit reports are provided once a year
- The price increases after the first year of use
Highlights of LifeLock
- Credit & privacy monitoring
- Alerts on unauthorized uses of your SSN and identity
- Yearly credit reports
- Financial coverage up to $1 million
- Antivirus and VPN options
- Apps for iOS and Android
LifeLock Package Features
LifeLock offers 3 basic pricing plans plus one special plan known as Select. They vary in terms of their price and the features included. As expected, the more expensive the plan is, the more features you get. Let’s have a closer look at each package.
LifeLock Standard
LifeLock Standard is a basic pricing plan, which comes at $9.99 per month for the first year of use. It includes a minimal set of features for ID theft protection: one-bureau credit monitoring, SSN and credit alerts, dark web monitoring, USPS address change alerts, preventing attempts of tying fake information to your ID, and watching out for your personal data use in credit applications. The reimbursement can reach $25 000. The price after the first year is $11.99 per month.
LifeLock Select
LifeLock Select is a special plan, which is, essentially, a modified version of LifeLock Standard. It includes the same package of features plus antivirus and VPN protection for up to 5 devices. For the same price of $9.99 per month, you get top-notch malware protection by Norton AV and a secure VPN. The price after the first year of use is $14.99 per month.
LifeLock Advantage
The starting price of LifeLock Advantage is $19.99 per month. For an additional 10 dollars, you get some important benefits. The sum of reimbursement increases to $100 000. Besides, you get alerts of all suspicious actions associated with your credit card and bank accounts. If somebody is trying to withdraw cash or make a large purchase using your funds, you immediately get a notification. Additionally, you are notified of all types of crimes committed with the use of your personal information. The price after the first year is $24.99.
LifeLock Ultimate Plus
The premium plan LifeLock Ultimate Plus comes at $25.99 per month for the first year of use. It includes all the features mentioned above and offers some unique options for the utmost ID theft protection. The service detects all credit application containing your info and sends you alerts immediately. Also, it monitors investments made on your behalf and takeover of your savings/checking accounts. Finally, it reports on your personal data sharing via file-sharing services and makes you aware of your name being used on a sex offender registry. The maximum sum of reimbursement is $1 million. The price after the first year is $34.99 per month.
LifeLock Free and Trial Version
Currently, LifeLock doesn’t offer a trial version. It means you can’t test it before making a purchase. However, according to the company’s Refund Policy, you are eligible for a refund within 60 days from the purchase date. It is applicable for all pricing plans that include LifeLock + Norton AV. If you are not satisfied with the quality of the product, you can get your money back.
LifeLock Features and Services
LifeLock is a full-featured software product, which comes with an array of useful options. The set of features depends on the chosen pricing plan. We invite you to have a closer look at the most important features and decide for yourself whether you need them or not.
LifeLock Insurance
Identity theft can cause huge financial losses and leave you without a penny. LifeLock guarantees its clients a complete reimbursement within the limits of the selected plan. Its insurance service is provided in the framework of the Million Dollar Protection Package. There are 3 directions for user protection.
- Stolen funds reimbursement. The maximum amount varies from $25 000 to $ 1 000 000 depending on the plan.
- Personal expense compensation. If you incur losses due to ID theft, LifeLock will pay compensation within the plan limits.
- Coverage for experts and lawyers’ services. Sometimes, victims of ID thieves have to spend thousands of dollars on restoring their good names. So, this ID theft protection tool provides up to $1 million as coverage for lawyer services costs.
LifeLock Credit & Privacy Monitoring
LifeLock protects your privacy in several ways. Firstly, it monitors your credit files for all types of suspicious actions and forms reports with one credit bureau (Equifax) or with three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion). A three-bureau monitoring is available to the subscribers of the Ultimate Plus plan only. It watches out for new loan applications, changing bank accounts data, suspicious actions with credit cards, and so on. A full range of services provided varies from one plan to another.
Secondly, LifeLock monitors the web for unauthorized use of your data. Currently, it is one of the few providers searching on the dark web, on hard-to-detect black-market sites where web users’ personal data is sold. Also, it tracks the changes in your postal address and reduces the risk of the public exposure of personal data by monitoring people search sites, and court records. If your personal data is used/mentioned in an unfamiliar or suspicious situation, you will get an alert.
While all these services are arguably useful, their provision is not flawless. Thus, full credit reports are provided only once a year. Also, some alerts are sent not immediately. For example, you may get an alert of new loan applications with a delay of up to 30 days, which decreases its value.
Identity and Social Security Number Alerts
Social Security Number protection is one of the primary services provided by LifeLock. However, it is not the only one. LifeLock successfully detects unauthorized uses of your phone number and email, driver license, and banking details. Moreover, it can even detect suspicious uses of your medical insurance number and alert on somebody trying to get medical services using your insurance number.
Once LifeLock detected a threat, it sends an alert to the user. Alerts are sent by email, phone, or text, which adds convenience. In general, in terms of identity theft protection, LifeLock is one of the most comprehensive services around.
Alerts on Crimes in Your Name
Identity thieves often use their victims’ personal information with dubious and dark purposes. Subscribers of LifeLock Advantage and LifeLock Ultimate Plus can take advantage of the unique service of getting timely alerts on the cases of breaking the law with the use of your identity. For example, someone gets access to your driver’s license and commit a violation. LifeLock sends you an alert as soon as the violation is detected.
Of course, LifeLock can’t prevent any crime commitment. However, it will make you aware of the situation, thanks to which you’ll be able to take measures as soon as possible. Also, LifeLock will assist you in restoring your good name.
Annual Three-Bureau Credit Reports and Credit Scores
As we’ve already mentioned, LifeLock monitors its users’ credit files, and the subscribers of the two higher plans are provided with annual credit reports. Here is what exactly you get with each pricing plan:
- The Standard plan offers no credit reports and provides no information about your credit score. It just monitors your credit using the database of one bureau – Equifax.
- Subscribers of the Advantage plan can take advantage of getting annual credit reports and credit scores from the same single bureau – Equifax.
- The only plan that allows deriving information from three bureaus – Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion – is Ultimate Plus. Not only does it monitor credit files, but also forms annual reports and credit score. Once a month, it upgrades the information of your credit score from Equifax.
Keep in mind that you can get credit reports on your own for free once a year. LifeLock adds convenience and simplifies the procedure.
Investment Activity Alerts
Investment activity alerts are available to the subscribers of the Ultimate Plus plan. You get alerts in the case of any suspicious activity associated with your investment bank account and/or 401(k) account. Also, you are notified whenever someone is trying to open a new bank account using your identity. It is a useful and convenient feature that helps you feel quiet about your savings.
Reimbursement for Stolen Funds and Other Financial Coverage
LifeLock comes with its proprietary Million Dollar Protection Package, which includes financial coverage in three cases: stolen funds reimbursement, personal expense compensation, and coverage for the recovery (lawyers, experts, travel, etc.) The most common problems of ID theft victims are the need for document replacement, meeting lawyers, and visiting courts.
The associated expenses include the cost of children/pet/elderly care, and the losses occurred as a result of unpaid leave. The subscribers of the Ultimate Plus plan can even get a reimbursement for the stolen purse or wallet.
VPNs for Your Privacy
A good VPN service adds an extra layer of security, especially if you often use public Wi-Fi networks. All three LifeLock plans come with Norton 360 antivirus, which includes Secure VPN as a constituent part. It works on both laptops and mobile devices and protects you wherever you are.
On the one hand, having a VPN as part of a single security suite can be nice. On the other hand, many people prefer buying full-featured VPN software, which provides better flexibility. The fact that you can’t opt out antivirus and VPN when downloading LifeLock is a sort of annoying.
LifeLock and Norton Antivirus
Each of the three LifeLock plans currently offers to take advantage of Norton Security Online, which is a slightly cropped version of Norton Security Deluxe. For the first year of use, Norton antivirus will cost you nothing. Starting from the second year, you’ll have to pay for it $1 per month if your plan is Standard or $2 if your plan is Advantage. The subscribers of the Ultimate Plus can use Norton software for no money.
Again, on the one hand, the idea is not bad. However, we don’t like two facts: 1) you can’t choose the version of Norton (many users would prefer Norton Deluxe), and 2) you can’t opt-out of it at the stage of LifeLock purchasing.
LifeLock for Android and iPhone
LifeLock offers its proprietary mobile applications for both popular OSs – iOS and Android, which can be officially downloaded from AppStore and GooglePlay. We must confess that both applications are well-made, and they come in handy if you stay away from your PC often. All the notifications and alerts are sent directly to your mobile device in the form of push notifications, which is rather convenient. In case of problems, you may get to the Member Portal right from the app by messaging or voice calls.
Keep in mind that you can check your credit score via the app, but you can’t view a credit report in it. Also, beware mobile notifications are not protected with encryption; you need to care about your security on yourself.
Ease of Use
The design and usability of LifeLock are beyond the praise. The app has a user-friendly intuitive interface. To start using it, you need to sign up by entering basic information, such as name, address, email, phone number, SSN, and date of birth. After that, it is necessary to agree with the terms offered.
Once you’ve paid for the subscription, you may enter all the rest information, including credit card numbers, banking details, more phone numbers and emails you want to protect, your driver’s license, medical insurance number, and so on. All in all, the process of software installation and signing up doesn’t exceed 5-10 minutes.
LifeLock Support and Customer Service
The customer service of LifeLock is available by phone 24/7. However, many clients prefer to use its self-service known as Member Portal, which can be accessed directly from the app. Here, you will quickly find answers to all frequently asked questions. The Restoration Department deals with those who suffered from ID theft.
While customer support is always easy to access, we believe you won’t need to do it often. The service is easy to utilize, and its notifications and alerts, in most cases, contain all the necessary information. They can be delivered via different channels and in different forms: push notifications for mobile users, text, voice, or email notifications for all the rest users.
Our Verdict
Without any doubt, LifeLock is among the most comprehensive and reliable security services around. However, it is not completely flawless. Thus, we like the features it offers, its ease of use, and its comprehensive support. LifeLock is one of the few services, providing multi-level financial coverage up to $1 million to the victims of ID theft.
At the same time, we must confess that LifeLock is pricey. Moreover, the price increases after the first year of use. Its integration with Norton is nice, but we’d like to have a possibility to choose between plans with and without an antivirus. Finally, you need to keep in mind that no software in the world can guarantee a 100% ID theft protection.
