TrustedID, based in Redwood City, California, has offered comprehensive, proactive identity protection for both individuals and families since Scott Micit (formerly of Fair Isaac, and Co.), and Omar Ahmad (formerly of Napster) founded the company in 2005. Disgusted by what they considered the egregious practice of credit bureaus’ selling as opposed to protecting consumers’ personal data, Micit and Ahmad created TrustedID, which markets three identity theft protection products: IDEssentials, Data Breach Defense, and CreditLock (the first service to freeze a customer’s credit scores upon request).
TrustedID’s IDEssentials plans allow customers to safeguard themselves preemptively against credit problems and identity theft. In addition to providing other services, IDEssentials flags fraudulent activity, scans social security numbers, bank account numbers, and credit cards, and monitors medical benefits.
CreditLock provides extra protection. It freezes a customer’s credit card, preventing the three main credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — from releasing his or her credit score to third parties.
Used in concert, IDEssentials and CreditLock offer customers solid protection and the peace of mind that comes with it.
TrustedID Features
TrustedID bundles its feature services, which makes it perhaps the most economical of the many identity theft protection providers on the market. These feature services include:
- Annual Credit Reporting
- TrustedID provides its customers with annual three-in-one credit scores from the three major credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
- Internet Scanning
- IDEssentials scans the Internet for evidence of illicit use of a customer’s social security number, driver’s license, bank account numbers, credit cards, and other personal information.
- Fraud Alerts
- IDEssentials monitors and renews any fraud alerts sent to Experian, TransUnion, and Experian on a customer’s behalf. This action requires creditors to obtain authorization from the customer before extending him or her credit.
- Spyware Protection
- IDEssentials includes free anti-spyware that customers can use to protect their personal computers from hackers and other individuals of malign intent.
- Marketing List Removal
- IDEssentials removes customers’ names from junk mail and preapproved credit card lists, which identity thieves use to obtain personal information.
- Review of Medical Benefits
- IDEssentials monitors customers’ medical benefits for evidence of fraudulent misuse.
- Lost Wallet Protection
- IDEssentials stores a customer’s credit and debit card numbers, insurance information, and other important documents so that, should the customer lose his or her wallet or purse, he or she can readily obtain vital personal information simply by contacting TrustedID’s on-call protection specialists.
- $1 Million Service Warranty
- TrustedID’s $1 million service warranty goes to covering the costs associated with recovering a customer’s assets and repairing his or her credit should someone steal his or her identity. This warranty covers costs and fees for attorneys, accountants, private investigators, and the like.
- Identity Threat Score
- TrustedID offers customers a cogent risk assessment that they may use to gauge their own degree of an identity theft risk and to take the steps necessary to reduce this risk.
Additional Features
CreditLock
CreditLock, an optional add-on to IDEssentials, offers customers maximum identity security. It freezes customers’ credit scores, which prevents credit bureaus from providing this information to creditors. Freezing credit scores stops identity thieves in their tracks because creditors cannot extend credit to anyone whose credit score they cannot obtain.
Of course, CreditLock requires that customers plan ahead if they wish to apply for a loan or new credit card because they will be unable to do so until their credit is unlocked.
Data Breach Defense
Companies, government agencies, and organizations wishing to protect their employees, customers, or members should consider TrustedID’s Data Breach Defense services, which can reduce cost and risk in the event of a data breach.
IDAssure™, the Data Breach Defense’s core service, significantly reduces both the vulnerability of lost or stolen data as well as the possibility that thieves will use this data to commit fraud.
Pricing And Cancellation
(These specials are exclusive to IdentityTheftFacts.com. Click the TrustedID links below to obtain them.)
- IDEssentials Individual Protection Special: $10.42/month to $14.99/month
- The individual plan includes all of the features described above, but it cannot be extended to cover additional individuals. TrustedID currently offers a 14-day trial and a free credit score to any customer who signs up for 12 months. After the 14 day trial, the customer pays only $10.42/month, billed in a single installment of $125.04. TrustedID exclusive savings
Customers may also purchase monthly service, which includes a 14-day trial and a free credit score. After the 14 day trial, the customer pays $14.99/month, billed monthly. A three-month minimum commitment is required.
- IDEssentials Family Protection: As low as $20/month up to $27.99/month
- The family plan includes all of TrustedID’s key features. Customers may add up to four relatives to their plans. The 12-month family plan includes a 14-day trial and a free credit score. After 14 days, the price is $20/month, which is billed in a single installment of $240. TrustedID exclusive savings
The month-to-month family plan also includes a 14-day trial and a free credit score. After 14 days, the customer pays only $27.99/month, billed monthly. A three-month minimum commitment is required.
Customers may cancel their subscriptions any time via TrustedID’s toll-free customer service number (cancellations cannot be made by email).
Monthly subscribers cannot receive refunds for partial months. They will not, however, be charged for subsequent months.
Annual subscribers will receive a 50 percent refund, provided they cancel their service within 180 days of purchasing it. After such time, subscribers’ annual fees become non-refundable.
All CreditLock fees are non-refundable.
Customer Service
TrustedID protection specialists and ID theft specialists are available live 24-7 via email and a toll-free number. TrustedID’s website also features an extensive FAQ page, an ID theft blog, and a resource center that customers can consult at any time.
Customer Service Information:
- Customer Service Number: 1-888-548-7878
- Customer Service Email: help@trustedid.com
- FAQ URL: help.trustedid.com
TrustedID in a Nutshell
TrustedID’s many valuable services — IDEssentials and CreditLock, to name just two — come backed by a $1 million warranty and extensive customer service. Unfortunately, TrustedID cannot perform FICO scoring. It does, however, provide customers annual access to their credit score. TrustedID also charges a fee every time it locks or unlocks a customer’s credit file. These drawbacks aside, the fact remains that TrustedID offers some of the most iron-clad identity protection in the industry.