I’ve written a lot about what I think about LifeLock: That it’s not worth it and consumers shouldn’t waste their money. Even at only $10 per month, consumers are getting next to nothing. They certainly aren’t getting any meaningful protection above what is already available to them for free. Even the company’s CEO Todd Davis hasn’t been protected from identity theft with LifeLock.

And the “LifeLock Guarantee” is so worthless that I don’t expect the company will help any customer after they’ve been the victim of identity theft.

One of the ways that companies try to market their services is through the use of testimonials. People who are willing to say they love your product or service might induce others to buy too. LifeLock has testimonials on their site. They look impressive, until you analyze what they’re really saying. Take a look at the testimonials and my response:

Kim Barnes

“Thieves broke into my home and got everything – my passport, birth certificate, social security card, and several other priceless items. They could have ruined me financially. I had heard about how LifeLock guarantees identity protection. So I put them to the test. A few days later, I started getting phone calls that the thieves were trying to open new credit accounts using my identity. LifeLock’s system worked just like they said it would and stopped the thieves early.”

“I urge everyone to consider employing LifeLock to protect his or her Identity. I am grateful the thieves that tried to get to me were not able to succeed even though they have tried repeated times. LifeLock stopped them!”

LifeLock didn’t stop this thief. A simple “fraud alert” on the credit report caused the phone call, and those can be done… for free… without LifeLock. The truth is that LifeLock had nothing to do with the phone call. LifeLock even admits they’re not responsible for that phone call:

Who calls me to let me know that someone is attempting to obtain credit in my name?
If someone is trying to use your personal information, you will be contacted by the creditor that is issuing the line of credit. If you receive a call and you are not the one applying for credit, the transaction should be stopped immediately.

Earl Laurie

I had seen a news report about LifeLock. The CEO gave out his social security number on TV! The reporter tried to use it to open new accounts and couldn’t. That’s when I signed up. Later, I heard from the Navy and the VA that they had lost my private information. Then someone tried to open two credit card accounts under my name. They tried to steal my identity, but LifeLock worked exactly like they said it would.

Newsflash, Earl. The CEO had his identity stolen. And again, LifeLock didn’t do anything for you. The credit reporting agencies and the companies through which the thieves were applying for credit did it all. When you knew that your private information was stolen, you had a fraud alert or credit freeze put on your credit file, and that was responsible for protecting you. Not LifeLock.

Bobby Joe Harris
Retired Chandler (AZ) Police Chief

“I took all the precautions to fight ID Theft but never once thought about my son becoming a victim until he became one. Criminals don’t care if you’re 2 or 102, as long as they get what they want. I have now turned to LifeLock to protect my children and only wish I would’ve known about Lifelock before this happened to my son.”

LifeLock hasn’t stopped you from having a problem. My identity hasn’t been stolen, and I don’t even use LifeLock. There are an estimated 8 million victims of identity theft each year in the United States. That’s about 2.6% of the U.S. population. You’ve got over a 97% chance of not being a victim of identity theft this year, without LifeLock.

The fact is that LifeLock can’t prove that they’ve had any impact on the instance of identity theft.

Aaron Freeman
Scottsdale, Arizona

“I had seen a news report about LifeLock. The CEO gave out his social security number on TV! The reporter tried to use it to open new accounts and couldn’t. That when I signed up. Later, I heard from the Navy and the VA that they had lost my private information. Then someone tried to open two credit card accounts under my name. They tried to steal my identity, but LifeLock came through. LifeLock saved me at least $30,000 and years of frustration, along with my good credit.”

Just like the testimonials above, LifeLock had nothing to do with the phone calls you got.

It’s clear that consumers are confused about what they’re getting with LifeLock. They’re getting next to nothing, and they don’t even know it. LifeLock can’t even prove that their service has caused any reduction in the instance of identity theft for their members. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: LifeLock sucks.

3 Comments

  1. Barbara 07/29/2008 at 4:09 pm - Reply

    Tracey,

    About 10 years ago I found out someone was trying to open a few credit card accounts with my information. One of the companies sent me a letter to verify that it was me trying to open the account. With a little investigating and a call to all the credit agencies (experian and the other two) I received reports from all of them. Also received the address where the person trying to apply for the cards was having the stuff sent. The unfortunate thing was when I contacted the police they could do nothing. It was an apartment complex with no apartment number on the address. And no records of anyone with my name living at the apartment so they did not know who to go after.

    The nice thing was I was able to set up a pass code with the Credit agencies and they set up my information where if someone applied for credit they had to contact me before it was approved. No instant credit and I had to contact them and let them know if my information changed. This alone will halt a lot of the credit fraud we see today. I would never pay someone to protect me and my credit. It is my responsibility to make the calls to protect myself. If everyone did this and set up the same thing I did with a pass code the persons responsible would be the credit agences for not following directions when your account clearly stated to contact person and verify pass code before approving credit of any kind.

    This would be my advice to anyone wheather they had their identity stolen or not. I was lucky and nothing was ever aproved. I was also lucky that I received that first letter informing me that someone was applying for a card in my name. Don’t waste your money… spend a few moments of your time making a few phone calls and you will feel a lot safer with more money in your pockets.

  2. resident 07/30/2008 at 9:09 am - Reply

    Great suggestions about the code’s … I worry so much about someone snagging my information or my husband’s – we both are self-employed and it is scary with as much info as we have to give to clients.

  3. Rick 07/26/2009 at 4:09 pm - Reply

    The blog I have attached at the end of my comment totaly shows how exposed lifelock leaves their people who advertise for them including the CEO Todd Davis

    http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=388730644&blogId=502035461

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