Most ID theft protection providers offer monthly and annual monitoring plans. The monthly plans generally range from around $7.00/mo. for the lower tier plans to upwards of $30/mo.for the higher tier plans. These prices are usually for individual adults. Additional protection for a child or spouse typically incur an additional cost.

When your information exists out on the Internet, both the good and bad can get access to it. Cybercriminals look for confidential information that they can exploit on the dark web, and that’s why it’s essential to choose a company that offers this service.

Your social security number is a key piece of your identity. Once it’s stolen, new credit accounts and loans can be opened in your name. Your home address can even be changed. That’s why you should look for an ID theft protection service that offers SSN and personal records monitoring.

Do you have a spouse or children you want to protect? Many ID theft protection services offer spouse and child identity monitoring in higher tier plans or at an additional fee. Typically, you can expect to pay around $5 more per month per child for services like SSN monitoring, social media monitoring, ID theft insurance, and recovery services.

Having your credit score monitored for fraudulent activity can save you a lot of trouble down the road, and that’s why choosing a plan that includes single or tri-bureau credit report monitoring is important. Tri-bureau credit monitoring provides a greater advantage by alerting you of fraudulent activity across all three major credit unions: Transunion, Experian, and Equifax – providing you with a comprehensive view of your credit history.

Do you get alerts for suspicious activity with your bank accounts? If not, you can have an identity theft protection service monitor your accounts for you to detect criminal activity. While checking your balance and monthly statements are good practice, you may miss small transactions or changes if you’re not receiving notifications.

Most identity theft protection services provide insurance for expenses related to fraud loss and the recovery process. Typically, most providers have a $1 million cap, which is helpful especially during the recovery process with any attorney fees and additional costs.

In the unfortunate event of identity theft, having dedicated assistance throughout the recovery process can help you save time and money. Many providers feature this assistance with every plan so you’ll have access to a specialist who will step you through the process of getting your identity back on track.