Choosing an Identity Theft Protection Service: Why Should You Try It Before You Buy?

Identity theft is a growing problem which may come in many forms: from credit-card fraud and stolen ATM cards or checks to fraudulent change of address, misuse of Social Security numbers, false civil and criminal judgments and full-on impersonation – to just name a few.
Also, identity thieves often utilize passports, diver licenses, payday loans, and medical IDs to conduct their illegal operations.

Cyber attacks, data breaches, and other mass information leaks may leave victims vulnerable, at the mercy of the perpetrators, who use this digital treasure trove to make unauthorized transactions.

This reality makes monitoring your financial accounts and personal information extremely important and several companies that operate in this industry offer prevention and recovery assistance services.

Essential features like credit monitoring, credit reports and scores, and text, email, and phone notifications are very common with many providers.
Additionally, many companies track personally identifiable information (PII) by scanning public records, online databases, social media, and the dark-web.

Advanced capabilities like a bank, credit card, investment, and retirement account monitoring, credit-score simulator, identity restoration, pre-existing identity theft recovery, two-factor authentication and special plans for children, elderly parents and families are also available with some companies.

So how can you determine which one is ideal for your ongoing identity protection demands?
Since there are so many alternative options available, the best thing you can do is try some out for yourself and obtain an independent insight on which product deserves your hard-earned money.

The no-obligation testing period gives you the chance to review all components of a certain program in a hands-on way, which gives you a real feel for how it works.
It also helps you to form an independent opinion about the service, discover its strengths and weaknesses, and reach a research-based conclusion, whether a long-term paid subscription is worth it or not.

How to Make the Most of an Identity Fraud Protection Service Trial Period?

An initial trial period allows you to try out a premium service for free before committing to a monthly or annual subscription and without spending a penny.

It’s a great way to verify that the service provider you consider delivers on everything you’re looking for before actually putting money down.
Research, reviews, and customer recommendations are extremely useful, but it’s not the same as actually taking a platform for a test drive.

Unlike a demo version or a freemium, free trial accounts come with significantly fewer limitations or restrictions, and in many cases, none at all.
In such cases, users get complete access to the entire system for a certain period and enjoy the same benefits and privileges of a paid subscriber.

This time window enables you to fully explore the credit and identity monitoring service’s features, evaluate its ease of use, assess its value for money, and experience the provider’s customer service and support departments.
You get all of this without paying anything and with no obligation to join the service as a paying customer.

After starting your free trial, play a little bit with the system: explore the dashboard, see if the service monitors credit data at all three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) and check what the credit report update frequency is: monthly, quarterly or yearly?

Read the fine print of their terms of service and recovery insurance and see what the coverage actually includes – and what it doesn’t, in terms of stolen fund reimbursement and other ID theft-related financial losses.

Check out the mobile app: is it a handy, feature-rich tool? Can you use it to retrieve all types of information, address pending issues and resolve any fraudulent activity, just like with the web interface?

Ask yourself: do you like using this service? Do you feel you get comprehensive protection?
If you’re happy with what you saw and experienced, then feel free to purchase a paid subscription.
However, if the service did not meet your expectations or needs, simply cancel the trial and look for better ID theft protection alternatives.

Frequently Asked Questions

Trying out and comparing a number of potential identity and credit monitoring service options is a vital step before choosing a provider and selecting a relevant plan.
Here’s a list of common questions (and answers) that often come up during this process.

• Why Should You Sign Up? Benefits of Using Free Trials before Choosing Any Paid Service
  
• “Credit Card Required”: Why Do Some Free Trial Offers Require Users to Enter-In Their Credit Card Information?
  
• Risk-Free Offer Models: What’s the Difference Between Free Trials, Freemium and Money-Back Guarantee?
  
• Common Free Trial Scams: How Do They Work and What Can You Do To Avoid Them?
  
• Tips: How Do You Cancel a Free Trial You Signed Up For?