TrustedID Reviews: Is It Still Among the Best?

TrustedID Reviews: In-Depth

Having many years of experience in the market, this brand has gone through it all. It has a very good reputation because of the quality of its packages and its team. But it has had its problems in the past, like a data breach in 2017. Still, many people choose it to keep their info and their home safe, as they claim in their TrustedID reviews. Why is that? Find out in this section.

Key Features

• Complete credit score record
• Dark web monitoring
• Family-friendly plans
• Instant financial notifications
• $1M in identity theft insurance
• Lost wallet assistance

Background Information

This company was created in 2004 by Scott Mitic and Omar Ahmad. These two people had had problems with identity theft. That is why they decided they should create an ID protection service.

They based the headquarters of the company in Palo Alto, California. But they also have offices in Santa Maria and Berkeley, California. The brand sells its privacy services through many different channels. Some examples are partnerships with other companies and online through its website.

In 2013, Equifax, one of the three bureaus in the US, bought TrustedID Premier. Now they sell their services through them too.

One of the most important moments in the company’s history was in 2017. That year, they suffered from a data breach that damaged its reputation. Hackers could access client information. Still, the company took measures to compensate them. They made sure that something like this would never happen again.

Features: A Complete Array of Functions

This company has one of the complete identity protection services in the market. It focuses on the most part, on credit scores and reports. But it also has a complete array of ID features.

Social Security Number Monitoring: See Its Every Movement

TrustedID identity theft protection keeps track of every time that the social security number is used. In this way, clients can get notifications every time it is used for anything, like employment offers or utilities.

Black Market Surveillance: Keeps an Eye on Criminals

There is a huge space on the internet called the dark web. There, there are lots of criminal activities. Some of them involve trafficking other people’s data. This service is always reviewing these spaces to check if someone is selling its clients’ info.

Credit Score Reporting: Complete and Informative

TrustedID identity theft protection includes a one-time credit statement from Equifax for free once the client signs up for the service. In this way, one can know what score he has to apply for financial services.

Three Bureau Monitoring: The Most Thorough in the Market

Not only does this provider keep an eye on the reports of its own agency. It also reviews the info that TransUnion and Experian have. Sometimes, some info does reach all companies. In this way, the service creates a more thorough statement.

Address Change Verification: No More Subversion

This function always monitors the home address of its clients and lets them know if there is any change. By doing so, TrustedID identity theft protection prevents criminals from using this info for threats.

Equifax Credit Lock: Freeze the System

With Equifax TrustedID, users can see if there has been any attempt of identity theft. If so, they can lock down the statement through a one-touch system. They use a secure procedure to ensure that only the real client can do this.

$1 Million Identity Theft Insurance: A Nice Backup Plan

If there is a case of identity theft, the client can rest assured. He is covered for losses and costs of up to one million dollars.

Identity Restoration: Experts at Your Fingers

TrustedID identity theft protection includes the aid of a team of pros in identity restoration. In this way, if one is affected by these criminal tactics, he can get it back with little inconvenience.

Lost Wallet Assistance: Tips and Advice

The team cannot get the cards back if one is robbed. But they can advise their clients on the best procedures and tips to bear in mind when this happens, like how to recover one’s cards.

Equifax Credit Score: Know the Situation in Detail

If the client wants to get a new loan, apply for a credit card, or negotiate a new lease, he can see how he stands by checking out his credit score thanks to Equifax TrustedID.

Internet Scanning: Keeps Track of the Web

This brand’s algorithm reviews all the Internet to see if one’s personal info is there.

It looks for:

• Home addresses,
• bank account data,
• ID or passport scan,
• social security number,
• credit card, etc.

Financial Alerts: The Money Stays Where It Belongs

If there is anything wrong with one’s bank account or credit card, the client and the bank will get an alert so that they can review the situation.

This includes:

• uncommon large transactions or purchases,
• or movements in unusual places.

Email and SMS Alerts: In the Know, on the Spot

To make sure that all the clients receive the alerts as soon as possible, TrustedID identity theft protection lets them know through email and SMS when there is anything suspicious.

This happens in many cases, such as: 

• new accounts opened under the client’s name,
• changes in bank info,
• credit inquiries, and more.

Spyware Protection: Protects up to Your PC

To keep viruses away from one’s devices, clients can choose to install anti-spyware software on their PCs. In this way, no criminal can insert malicious software there to steal their data without them knowing.

How It Works

This brand’s main aim is to help people prevent fraud at all levels. For example, it is not uncommon to find criminals who file a fake tax return. They do so to get the money that somebody else is due.

To prevent this type of practice, the system works as follows.

1. It reviews and analyzes all the movements done with the client’s data. This includes social security number, ID, address, bank account, etc.
2. If it detects something fishy, it notifies the client by SMS or email. If he confirms he did not do the action, the team will work to find the culprit.
3. In case it is necessary, they have a team of lawyers who will solve the issue. And they can also give financial insurance.

To be able to meet the needs of its clients, this brand has a team of specialists. They know everything about how to recover one’s data and identity with the least damage possible to the client.

TrustedID Pricing

Since the brand was absorbed by Equifax, there have been many changes in its pricing system. Now, it has three plans. The first is quite similar, but there are some differences in terms of how complete its features are. And the third one has all the premium functions, but it also covers more members of the family.

Current Deals

In 2017, Equifax TrustedID had some problems with a data breach concerning its users’ info. As this brought about their clients’ mistrust, the brand decided to launch an offer to entice new customers. They gave their TrustedID Premier service for free during a year.

Since then, the provider has not released more deals, but they have kept their premier service because of how popular it became among the new clients.

Table of Comparison: An In-Depth Comparison

Since the plans were restructured, there has not been much info going around about how TrustedID Premier differs from all the other plans, for example. So, here is a complete list of all the features that they have in common and the ones that make them different.

ID Patrol

This plan has almost everything that the brand offers. For starters, it checks on all three bureaus to see if somebody is asking for a loan on one’s behalf. It also creates credit reports to keep users posted about their financial status. This plan includes virtual security on one’s computer too. They also keep track of one’s medical record and monitor the black market to see if somebody is selling the client’s info.

Complete Premier

To get all that TrustedID premier has, this is the best option. It checks on all three bureaus to create its reports and also to get an accurate credit score for its clients on an annual basis. Those who want info every day will also get it but using just Equifax’s platform. This plan also includes a financial alert feature. If there is any suspicious activity in one’s accounts, the system will make sure to let the client know.

Complete Family Plan

This plan includes all the same functions as the previous plan does. But the main difference is that it also covers all the other members of the family. It offers a credit scan for up to 4 children. And one of the features that make it stand out is that it can also cover another adult.

Ease of Use

The system is very simple, as there is not much for clients to do.

• Once one has chosen a plan and paid for it, the team will take care of the rest.
• They will start checking how and when one’s info, like the social security number, is used.
• If there is something wrong, they will notify the client.
• In this way, the client just has to act when something suspicious happens.

Customer Experience

One of the most important things to bear in mind when hiring an identity protection service is what its previous users have to say about it. Here is a complete analysis of people’s opinions on their policies, support, and more.

Terms and Guarantees

Regarding its cancellation policy, the process is very simple, and regardless one is a TrustedID Premier user or a basic one. The client just has to tell his decision to the team by calling 1-866-807-7461 from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m. EST, any day of the week.

They are also quite flexible when it comes to giving refunds. This is not possible for those who have a plan per month. The brand will not give a partial refund of a month. But those who paid for an annual plan can get the money of the months they did not use back.

Customer Support

The team is available to answer queries and solve problems from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm (EST), Monday through Friday. They use phone calls. They even have a specific line just to clear people’s doubts about the 2017 cybersecurity incident.

Reviews

Almost every TrustedID review on the web made some kind of reference to the 2017 incident. Yet, many of them did so in a good way. Many previous clients praised the way in which the company handled the situation. They made up for this and took measures to prevent this from happening again.

There were also those who expressed their discontent in their TrustedID identity theft protection review. Yet, they were not many since many new clients now are happy with the current state of affairs.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is Equifax TrustedID?

  It is a system that keeps track of what happens with one’s data, such as social security numbers, bank accounts, passport, and ID, etc. The ID protection service consists of making sure that no one is using this info to impersonate another person. They could request loans or tax returns, for example, that do not belong to them. Since Equifax bought the company, they also have credit score reports.

• Why Was My TrustedID Cancelled?

  This company suffered a data breach in 2017. As a response, to maintain their users’ trust, they released TrustedID Premier. Yet, as time passed, this program was discontinued. Still, the company kept its heart and soul and relaunched it with a similar name when Equifax took charge of everything and changed the pricing system.

• Is IDnotify Part of TrustedID?

  No, the first one is part of Experian, while the second one is part of Equifax. Still, both of them have similar services, since they focus just on credit reports and scores. Yet, they both have a complete catalog of features with ID protection service in mind.

• Can Equifax Be Trusted?

  Sure. This company is one of the three bureaus in the US. This means that it is one of the most reputed brands in the country. Their business is in lending people money and helping them have a healthy financial situation. This is to say that people should not be afraid of giving them their info since they are not in the business of selling it.

• Is IDnotify Safe?

  Yes, this ID protection service is also safe. They are part of one of the largest brands in the US. This means that they have a very important backup in terms of reputation. They are liable to suffer from different types of incidents, like any other company. But they have the resources to solve these issues fast.

• Is Equifax Offering Free Credit Monitoring Through IDnotify?

  Not anymore. They run a promotion like this during the past year. But it is not available anymore in 2021. This was offered just to those who had a TrustedID Premier annual subscription, though. So, not everyone could apply for it.

  They did this with the help of one of their main competitors, Experian. For this to happen, there were some details, not everyone liked. One of them is that the companies were going to share their users’ data unless they requested that this did not happen.

TrustedID Pros & Cons

Trusting a brand to handle one’s personal data and care requires much trust. This is why knowing in detail which their strong and weak points are is important. In the case of this brand, these are its strengths and weaknesses.

Can I Trust Them?

This company has had its bad moments. Yet, the team has known how to handle them well. And, in the meanwhile, they kept their clients happy. The service has gone through many reforms in most aspects, including pricing to the number of features. And most of them have always been for good. Those people looking for identity protection and recovery solution will find a good option in this company in 2021.