Best Credit Monitoring Service Reviews and Comparison

Regularly reviewing your credit scores and credit reports is just the one piece of your credit management puzzle. If you do not want to do your own credit monitoring, there are full-service credit monitoring and identity protection programs that neatly package everything together, e.g., give you access to your 3-bureau credit scores and credit reports, actively scan your credit profile for changes and send you alerts so that you can react quickly, and provide you with up to $1 million in identity theft insurance to cover against any liability as a result of ID theft.

Product	TrustedID Individual Plan	IDENTITY GUARD® Total ProtectionSM	IdentityIQ Protect Max Protection	Credit Score CompleteSM	TrueCredit Monitoring
Price (monthly)	$10.42	$17.99	$14.99	$19.95	$14.95
Free trial period	14 days	14 days	7 days	7 days	7 days
Credit score included	All 3 credit scores	All 3 credit scores	All 3 credit scores	All 3 credit scores	TransUnion score only
Credit bureau data	All 3 bureau reports	All 3 bureau reports	All 3 bureau reports	All 3 bureau reports	TransUnion report only
ID theft insurance	$1 million	$1 million	$1 million	N/A	$25,000
Credit data updated		Quarterly	Quarterly	Monthly
Credit monitoring and alerts	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Security software for your PC	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Expert assistance	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Lost wallet protection	Yes	No	Yes	No	No
Other features	Identity Threat Score™ Junk Mail Reduction	Mobile account access CreditExpert	Do Not Call Enrollment Credit Score Simulator Credit Score Tracking Checking Account Report Junk Mail Reduction	Online Learning Center Social Security Report Access Credit History Analysis	Credit Score Tracking
Customer service	888-548-7878	800-223-7409	877-875-IDIQ	800-316-8750	800-493-2392

Additional Information

The following are additional details about each service based on information available as of June 2011.

TrustedID

• Credit monitoring and alerts
  • Help you spot fraud by monitoring daily activity on your credit reports with the three major credit bureaus and alerting you if there are any changes.
  • Monitors your credit card numbers, Social Security number, name and address, bank account numbers and medical benefit statements; and alert your if your information is compromised.
  • Gives you the option to place fraud alerts on your credit reports if your identity is at risk so lenders have to contact you before any new credit is issued in your name. The program also helps you ensure your fraud alerts are renewed with the credit bureaus every 90 days.
• Security software for your PC
  • Secure Scan Anti-Spyware Software – You receive anti-spyware software which you can install on up to three different computers. The anti-spyware program blocks and removes malicious programs that hackers use to track your passwords and compromise your online accounts.
  • Secure Browse Anti-Phishing Software – “Phishing” is a scam where thieves direct you to a misleading web site to steal your personal information. The program helps you avoid phishing scams.
• Expert assistance – If you have any questions or suspect someone is trying to steal your identity, the On-Call Protection Specialists are available to help you.
• Lost Wallet Protection – Store your important information with TrustedID (credit and debit card numbers, insurance information, etc.) and if you ever lose your wallet or need access to your information, just call and they will help you cancel your cards and replace them.
• Other features
  • Identity Threat Score™ — Gives you an easy-to-understand way to gauge your risk of identity theft and take the necessary steps to ensure your security. The technology searches millions of public and private database records and analyzes this information for patterns that could indicate if you are — or are about to become — a victim of identity theft.
  • Junk Mail Reduction – Removes your name from the most frequently used marketing databases. Stops pre-approved credit card offers — a frequent source of identity theft.

CreditScoreQuick.com (IDENTITY GUARD^®)

• Credit monitoring and alerts
  • Monitors of chat rooms and financial black markets for your credit cards, bank accounts and Social Security number.
  • Monitors for credit applications in your name, plus quarterly updates about your 3 credit scores.
  • Email alerts to notify you of certain changes to your credit bureau file and changes to your personal information found through Internet monitoring.
• Security software for your PC
  • ID Vault^® gives you one-click, secure, log-in access to your accounts, plus auto-form fill-in of your credit card information for extra protection when you shop and bank online.
  • ZoneAlarm^® anti-virus, anti-spyware and firewall software, free for the life of your IDENTITY GUARD^® enrollment.
  • PRIVACYPROTECT^® software to prevent keyloggers from stealing your information by encrypting every keystroke while you browse the Internet.
• Expert assistance
  • World-class ITAC victim assistance should you think you have become a victim of identity theft.
  • Unlimited toll free 800 number customer service with access to ITAC agents and credit education specialists.
• Other features
  • Secure access to your personal data and financial accounts from your web-enabled cell phone or PDA with MOBILE LOCKBOX^®.
  • CreditExpert – Access to a credit analyzer that let you try out different scenarios, such as paying off your credit card by a certain amount or opening up a new loan, to see how your credit score will be affected. If you are monitoring your credit, this analyzer can help you to make the best choices to raise your credit score

IdentityIQ

• Credit monitoring and alerts
  • Daily credit file monitoring, combined with prompt email alerts, lets you know about changes to information in your file(s) that could signal fraud.
  • Helps you determine if you need fraud alerts. Using fraud alerts requires creditors, lenders, and other users of your credit report to verify your identity before they can issue new credit, arrange loans or create new accounts for utilities and other financial institutions.
• Expert assistance
  • If you are a victim of identity theft, IdentityIQ provides an expert Fraud Restoration Specialist to ensure your financial security, privacy retention, and your rights under state and federal law.
• Lost Wallet Protection
  • The Lost Wallet Form logs your debit, credit, insurance and other important cards so you can quickly identify them in the event of loss or theft and take immediate action to cancel and replace them before they can be used. It can also aid in filing police reports and follow-up resolution calls if your wallet was stolen.
  • In the event your wallet or purse is lost or stolen, a Fraud Restoration Specialist will also assist you in obtaining new cards and documents to the extent allowed by state and other laws.
• Other features
  • Credit Score Simulator – Offers you insight into the various elements that affect your credit score and guide you in making responsible financial decisions.
  • Credit Score Tracking – Plots your Experian credit score on a graph each month so you can see trends over time. You can also set a personal credit score goal, access expert tips to achieve it, and monitor your progress.
  • Checking Account Report – An excellent complement to our suite of credit products, the Checking Account Report allows you to see if any of your checking accounts have been reported to the Chex System for unpaid fees, overdrawn accounts, suspected fraud, or any other reason. A flagged account can be a strong indication of fraudulent activity.
  • Opt-out IQ (Junk Mail/Do Not Call List) – These helpful tools enable you to restrict access to your personal information. Keep telemarketers and direct mailers away by using the “Do Not Mail” and “Do Not Call” lists.

GoFreeCredit.com

• Credit monitoring and alerts
  • Free credit monitoring from all 3 major credit bureaus
  • A detailed analysis of your credit history
  • Details on who has viewed your credit score
• Expert assistance
  • If your identity is stolen while you’re a member of CreditScoreComplete, a licensed investigator will work on your behalf to help restore your identity to pre-theft status as quickly and efficiently as possible.
  • Unlimited, toll-free access to Credit Customer Service.
• Other features
  • Online Learning Center – With articles on relevant topics like identity theft, credit disputes, and more, you can expand your credit knowledge at your own speed.
  • Social Security Report Access -  See your contributions, benefits, and more to ensure your Social Security records are correct and your retirement is protected.

TransUnion

• 24 hour notification of critical changes to your credit including fraudulent activity, new inquiries, new accounts, late payments, and more
• Graphical trending helps you manage your progress
• View colorful charts and graphs on changes in your debt, income, available credit, and more

Methodology

The information above is gathered from a combination of firsthand experience, reviewing service provider websites for relevant information, researching other information sources, and working directly with the comapanies or agents. Please note that we have not subscribed to all of the services listed above. The comparison is meant to help you quickly determine where to start but should not be used without further due diligence.