Identity theft can ruin anyone financially, but seniors often suffer the most adverse and long-lasting effects. As a cybersecurity expert with over 15 years of experience, I‘ve seen firsthand how devastating identity theft can be for retirees.
The good news? There are several excellent identity theft protection services tailored specifically for the needs of seniors. By leveraging the right monitoring and restoration services, you can detect fraud early and minimize the damage.
In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll explain:
- The top three services I recommend for seniors
- Key features to look for when choosing a protection service
- Useful tips to avoid identity theft as a senior
- Whether ID theft protection is worth it for retirees
- And much more
Let‘s dive in to help you select the best identity theft protection and stay cybersecure in your golden years.
Contents
The 3 Best Identity Theft Protection Services for Seniors
While there are well over a dozen identity theft protection companies to choose from, I recommend these three as the best for seniors:
| Service | Starting Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| LifeLock | $8.99/month first year | Low Cost, High Protection |
| Aura | $9.00/month with discount | Device Security Extras |
| ID Watchdog | $14.95/month | Full Identity Restoration |
Below I‘ll explain why I selected each of these services and what makes them stand out for seniors‘ needs.
LifeLock – Best Low Cost Identity Theft Protection
LifeLock consistently ranks as one of the top identity theft protection services for good reason – they offer high-end protection at budget-friendly pricing. LifeLock provides complete identity theft monitoring and restoration, including:
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$1 million in identity theft insurance – Covers costs related to restoring your identity and credit.
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Dark web monitoring – Scans black market sites for your personal information.
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Alerts for suspicious activity – Notifies you of cash withdrawals, loans, credit checks and more.
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Lost wallet protection – Cancels and replaces missing credit cards and IDs.
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Identity restoration support – Licensed agents handle calls and paperwork to restore your identity.
LifeLock really shines with its affordable pricing, which is especially important for seniors on fixed incomes. For your first year, you can get complete protection starting at just $8.99 a month. They also offer Advantage and Ultimate Plus plans with additional features like bank account alerts and reports from all three credit bureaus.
While LifeLock doesn’t offer a senior discount, the standard pricing is already budget-friendly compared to competitors. LifeLock also has excellent reviews from users and consistently high customer satisfaction ratings.
If you want reliable, full-featured identity theft protection on a budget from an industry leader, LifeLock is a top choice.
Key Advantages:
- Starts at just $8.99/month first year
- Up to $1 million insurance
- Lost wallet protection
- U.S. based customer support
Aura – Best With Device Security Extras
What I really like about Aura is how they bundle robust identity theft protection together with security software for all your devices. For one reasonable monthly fee, you get protection beyond just identity theft monitoring, including:
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Antivirus software – Prevents malware, viruses, and cyber threats on your Windows and Mac computers.
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VPN – Encrypts your internet connection to keep browsing private and secure.
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Password manager – Securely stores passwords and auto-fills them across devices.
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Dark web monitoring – Scans for compromised personal information on your behalf.
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Credit reports from all 3 bureaus – Helps detect fraud and maintains your credit health.
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$1 million identity insurance – Covers costs in case of identity theft.
On top of all this, Aura provides excellent identity restoration services if you do become a victim of fraud. They have U.S. based customer support available 24/7 to help dispute charges, freeze credit, and take necessary steps to restore your identity.
Unique to Aura is a 25% discount for seniors 65 and older. This makes the pricing affordable at just $9 a month for individuals when you pay annually. If you want complete protection for both your identity and all your devices, Aura is a great choice.
Key Advantages:
- Antivirus, VPN, password manager
- 25% senior discount
- Alerts for suspicious activity
- U.S. based customer support
- $1 million insurance
ID Watchdog – Best Full Identity Restoration
While ID Watchdog may not be as much of a household name, they‘re a leading identity theft protection provider with over 15 years of experience. ID Watchdog really excels at helping completely restore your identity in the event you do suffer identity theft or fraud.
With every plan, you get access to ID Watchdog‘s full-service identity restoration team. This U.S. based team handles everything required to fully restore your identity on your behalf:
- Making calls and completing paperwork to dispute fraud
- Contacting creditors and credit bureaus
- Ensuring inaccurate information gets removed
- Ceasing collection activity on accounts opened fraudulently
- Removing fraudulent criminal records
And these aren‘t just basic assistance services. ID Watchdog‘s fraud resolution experts manage the full identity restoration process from start to finish until your identity and credit are fully cleared.
On top of the restoration team, ID Watchdog provides continuous monitoring across your credit reports, bank accounts, 401(k), and investment accounts. You can also customize alerts to be notified your preferred way.
While pricing is a bit higher than Aura and LifeLock, you‘re paying for premium-level monitoring paired with expert-led identity restoration services. For seniors who want the most robust protection and recovery available, ID Watchdog is an excellent choice.
Key Advantages
- U.S. restoration team works directly on your behalf
- Restores your identity completely
- Customizable alert settings
- 401(k) and investment account monitoring
What Makes the Best Identity Theft Protection Service for Seniors
Obviously there are several factors that go into choosing the right identity theft protection service. Based on my professional experience, here are the most important criteria to consider as a senior:
Comprehensive Credit Monitoring
At minimum, the service should provide real-time monitoring of your credit reports from all three major bureaus – TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax. Many also offer monthly credit score tracking so you can catch any suspicious dings or drops.
Credit monitoring is like an early warning system for identity theft. It lets you spot fraudulent new accounts or loans opened in your name before major financial damage occurs.
Dark Web Monitoring
Dark web monitoring scans black market sites and forums to check if your personal information is being sold. Unfortunately, odds are your emails, passwords, or even medical IDs are already for sale on dark web marketplaces frequented by cybercriminals.
Dark web monitoring acts like neighborhood watch for the internet‘s shadiest networks. By searching for compromised information, it can detect early if you‘re at heightened risk of identity theft.
Suspicious Activity Alerts
The top services don‘t just monitor your credit and the dark web – they also alert you to suspicious activity in the real world. You‘ll get notifications for things like:
- Large credit card charges or cash withdrawals
- New accounts or loans opened in your name
- Changes of address on your accounts
- Court summons or criminal records showing up
- Suspicious activity on your investment accounts
These real-time alerts allow you to confirm or deny suspicious activity. You can stop identity thieves in their tracks before major damage is done.
Insurance Coverage
If you do suffer identity theft, insurance helps cover associated costs like hiring lawyers, recovering lost wages, and other expenses. Look for plans that offer up to $1 million in identity theft insurance for complete peace of mind.
Extensive Restoration Services
Identity restoration assistance is extremely important for seniors. A full-service team that can make calls, file paperwork, and communicate on your behalf makes recovery much easier.
Look for U.S. based teams that provide expert guidance and handle communications with banks, creditors, the IRS, and other entities until your identity is fully restored.
Additional Device Security
Antivirus software, VPNs, password managers, and other utilities provide important protection against viruses, hackers, and malware. Plans that bundle these extras offer complete protection beyond just identity theft.
Customer Service & Support
You‘ll have sensitive questions and restoration needs if you suffer identity theft. Look for U.S. based customer support by phone and email. 24/7 availability is also useful for times when banks or creditors need immediate verification it wasn‘t you.
Top Tips to Avoid Identity Theft
Identity theft protection services provide helpful monitoring and restoration. However, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, as they say. Here are tips I give my senior clients to avoid becoming a victim:
Use Unique, Complex Passwords
Don‘t use easy passwords like "123456" or your birthday. Cybercriminals can guess these in seconds. Create different, complex passwords for each of your online accounts. Consider using a password manager app to store them securely.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication
Add an extra layer of security like requiring a code sent to your phone when you log into accounts. Even if a criminal guesses your password, they still can‘t access the account.
Watch Out for Phishing Scams
Don‘t click links or attachments in unsolicited emails claiming to be from the IRS, Social Security, or other agencies. Call the real organization if unsure.
Set Up Account Alerts
Ask your bank to notify you for large withdrawals, address changes, or password resets. Alerts let you respond quickly to unauthorized changes.
Freeze Your Credit Reports
Stop thieves from opening new credit cards or loans by freezing your credit reports when not needed. It‘s free and you can temporarily lift the freeze when applying for credit.
Shred Sensitive Documents
Always shred old tax returns, bank statements, medical forms, or other paperwork containing your personal information rather than just recycling it.
Review Your Credit Reports
Check your credit reports from all three bureaus once a year to catch any fraudulent accounts or activity early on. It‘s free at annualcreditreport.com.
Limit Personal Info Sharing
Only share your Social Security Number, birthdate, and other sensitive information when absolutely required. Provide the minimum needed.
Change Passwords Yearly
Update your passwords regularly even if not compromised. This limits the chances stolen passwords are still valid.
Vary Security Question Answers
Don‘t use the same answers like your mother‘s maiden name or city you were born for all sites. Use unique answers per site.
Do Seniors Really Need Identity Theft Protection?
It‘s understandable to be hesitant about paying for another subscription service in retirement. Let me be clear – seniors absolutely need identity protection. Here‘s why it‘s even more important for retirees:
Excellent Credit History
After decades of using credit, seniors have pristine credit histories and FICO scores. Identity thieves love stealing information from people with high credit scores they can use to take out lucrative loans or credit lines.
More Assets at Risk
Retirees have money saved in retirement accounts, investments, and assets built up over a lifetime. This makes them prime targets for financially motivated identity thieves.
Increased Scam Targets
Unfortunately, scammers know seniors tend to be less internet and tech savvy. Criminals often focus phishing and impersonation scams against older generations.
Difficulty Recovering
Restoring your identity requires making endless calls and sending stacks of affidavits. This can be extremely difficult for seniors with limited mobility, computer access, or tech skills.
Lasting Financial Damage
Because seniors are often on fixed incomes, draining their savings via identity theft can do long-term financial damage. It takes years to recover money essential for retirement.
Here‘s some sobering statistics that demonstrate why seniors absolutely need identity theft protection:
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Over 3 million seniors become identity theft victims annually according to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics.
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Senior victims lose an average of $17,000 each according to an AgeLab study – 12X higher than other age groups.
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Almost 60% of all identity theft complaints made to the FTC are from citizens over 60 years old.
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It takes an average of 6 months to over 1 year for seniors to restore their identity, while depleted savings are extremely difficult to recover.
The potentially devastating financial impact makes identity theft protection a vital service for seniors, not a luxury. For just $10-$15 a month, you can gain invaluable monitoring, alerts, and recovery assistance well worth the minor expense.
Choosing the Right Plan for Your Needs
While I recommend LifeLock, Aura, and ID Watchdog for most seniors, you may have unique needs I can help assess:
Looking for U.S. Based Customer Service?
If speaking with knowledgeable U.S. specialists for your questions or restoration needs is important, ID Watchdog and Aura both offer excellent 24/7 U.S. teams.
Want Antivirus & VPN Protection Too?
Aura is the best option if you‘d like to also secure your devices using integrated antivirus software, a VPN, and password manager without extra fees.
Have Limited Income?
If you need an affordable plan on a tight budget, LifeLock starts at a rock-bottom $8.99 a month for comprehensive protection.
Priority Restoration Support?
For seniors who want identity restoration handled quickly and fully by professionals, ID Watchdog has experts solely dedicated to restoring victim‘s identities completely.
Looking for Mobile Apps?
If you want to monitor your identity protection plan on your smartphone or tablet, LifeLock and Aura both offer intuitive mobile apps for iPhone and Android.
As you can see, the right identity theft protection depends on your unique needs and priorities. I‘m always happy to offer my expert guidance to seniors looking for cybersecurity recommendations tailored specifically for them.
Closing Thoughts
Identity theft can unfortunately happen to seniors at higher rates if the proper precautions aren‘t taken. The good news is modern protection services provide affordable monitoring and identity recovery assistance to minimize the damage.
I hope this guide provided you helpful insights into choosing the best identity theft protection plan for your retirement needs. Please feel free to reach out if you have any other questions I can answer! Stay cybersecure out there.
