How to Use LifeLock

If you find yourself overwhelmed by terms such as "credit reports," "fraud alerts" and "identity theft," a third-party security service may be right for you. In how to use LifeLock, learn about how one company helps clients guard against the pitfalls of the Information Age.

1. Give your Social Security number only when absolutely necessary, and ask to use other types of identifiers.
2. Shred your charge receipts, checks and bank statements, expired charge cards that you're discarding and credit offers you get in the mail.
3. Place a "Fraud Alert" on your credit reports, and review those reports carefully.
4. Visit OnGuard Online, a partnership between the Federal Trade Commission, Department of Justice, Homeland Security and IRS, designed to inform consumers of how best to protect their personal information online.

This page's content is not a substitute for professional financial advice. Please contact your financial adviser before using the information presented here.

If you find yourself overwhelmed by terms such as "credit reports," "fraud alerts" and "identity theft," a third-party security service may be right for you. In how to use LifeLock, learn about how one company helps clients guard against the pitfalls of the Information Age.

1. Give your Social Security number only when absolutely necessary, and ask to use other types of identifiers.

2. Shred your charge receipts, checks and bank statements, expired charge cards that you're discarding and credit offers you get in the mail.

3. Place a "Fraud Alert" on your credit reports, and review those reports carefully.

4. Visit OnGuard Online, a partnership between the Federal Trade Commission, Department of Justice, Homeland Security and IRS, designed to inform consumers of how best to protect their personal information online.

This page's content is not a substitute for professional financial advice. Please contact your financial adviser before using the information presented here. </note>

• by Joy Alger

(Photo by Steve Woods)

• LifeLock is an identity theft protection agency with nearly one million subscribers.LifeLock.com: How LifeLock Works ConsumerAffairs.com: LifeLock Sales Surge Despite Critics (May 1, 2008) Though many of the services LifeLock offers its subscribers are things you can do yourself for free, like checking your credit report, setting fraud alerts or calling your credit card company if your wallet is stolen, you can pay LifeLock for the convenience of having these things handled by one company. LifeLock does offer other services that you would have to pay for elsewhere, like scouring databases for the illegal use of your name or having your personal information removed from pre-approved credit card mailers.

• If you do decide to sign up with LifeLock, you'll need to subscribe to the service via the company's secure online enrollment form.LifeLock.com: Enrollment Form You can sign up for either a monthly or annual plan:

1. The cost of a monthly membership is $10 per month for adults and $2.50 for children.LifeLock.com: Enrollment Form
2. The cost of an annual membership is $110 for adults and $25 for children.LifeLock.com: Enrollment Form

(Photo by sanja gjenero)

• The following section outlines those services which you can do for yourself, but which LifeLock consolidates and manages for subscribers. If you would like to learn how to activate fraud alerts, eliminate junk mail, procure credit reports and account for the contents of a stolen wallet or purse on your own, visit the Federal Trade Commission's Fighting Back Against Identity Theft site or Mahalo's pages on How to Get a Free Credit Report and How to Recover from Identity Theft.

• Many experts suggest shredding junk mail, including credit card applications, because thieves can use discarded mail to steal one's identity.About.com: What Mail to Shred LifeLock will have clients' names and addresses removed from junk mail and pre-approved credit card lists.Wired.com: LifeLock Helps Guard Your ID

(Photo by Steve Woods)

• The following section outlines those services and products which are unique to LifeLock and which are not easily replicated by consumers including the monitoring of criminal activity and a $1 million guarantee that you will not fall victim to an identity-related crime.

• Even the most cautious consumer can fall prey to identity theft. For situations such as this, LifeLock offers a $1 million guarantee.Lifelock.com: $1 Million Guarantee That means that if you, as a subscriber, are a victim of identity theft, the company says it will spend up to $1 million in your name—including investigator or attorney fees and reimbursement for any money lost as a result of the theft.Wired.com: LifeLock Helps Guard Your ID

• In a world where information can be transmitted thousands of miles at the touch of a button, caution is king when it comes to protecting one's identity. If you lack the time and discipline to build your own firewalls, or if you just appreciate added security, a service such as LifeLock may be your perfect fit.

• Introduction
• Enrolling in LifeLock
• Basic LifeLock Services
• Services Unique to LifeLock
• Conclusion
• References