The LifeLock Guarantee:

If your Identity is misused while you are a LifeLock client, you are covered by their “$1 million total service guarantee”. Now THAT is real peace of mind! For as little as $0.30 per day you can sleep soundly, knowing that your valuable good name is protected.

Do you have children? Believe it or not, kids and students are the segment of the population very vulnerable to identity theft. Thieves realize if they steal a child's identity, no one will know until the child turns 18 and is eligible to apply for credit. Students and other young people can be denied jobs, college loans, homes and apartments, even their freedom.

LifeLock is the only company in the world offering identity theft prevention for children. Children under age 16 are $25 per year with any adult enrollment. That's less than $0.07 per day!

What is Identity Theft?

Identity theft means someone is using personal information, such as your name, Social Security number, or credit card number, without your permission, to commit fraud or other crimes.

The US Government estimates up to 9 million Americans have their identities stolen each year. As a matter of fact, you, a family member, or friend may have experienced some form of identity theft.

Identity Theft takes many forms. Identity thieves may rent an apartment, obtain a credit card, or establish a telephone account in your name. You may not find out about the theft until you review your credit report or a credit card statement and notice charges you didn’t make—or until you’re contacted by a debt collector.

Identity theft is serious. While some identity theft victims can resolve their problems quickly, most spend thousands of dollars and, in some cases, years repairing damage to their good name and credit record.

Some who have been victimized by identity theft may lose out on job opportunities, denied loans for education, housing or cars because of negative information on their credit reports. In rare cases, they may even be arrested and put in jail for crimes they did not commit.

How can thieves steal my identity?

Identity theft starts with the misuse of your personally identifying information such as your name and Social Security number, credit card numbers, or other financial account information. For identity thieves, this information is as good as gold.

Skilled identity thieves use a variety of methods to steal your information, including:

1. Dumpster Diving: They rummage through trash looking for bills or other paper with your personal information on it.
2. Skimming: They steal credit/debit card numbers by using a special storage device when processing your card.
3. Phishing: They pretend to be financial institutions or companies and send spam or pop-up messages to get you to reveal your personal information.
4. Changing Your Address: They divert your billing statements to another location by completing a change of address form.
5. Old-Fashioned Stealing: They steal wallets and purses; mail, including bank and credit card statements; pre-approved credit offers; and new checks or tax information. They steal personnel records, or bribe employees who have access.
6. Pretexting: They use false pretenses to obtain your personal information from financial institutions, telephone companies, and other sources. 

What do thieves do with a stolen identity? Once they have your personal information, identity thieves use it in a variety of ways.

Credit card fraud:

• They may open new credit card accounts in your name. When they use the cards and don't pay the bills, the delinquent accounts appear on your credit report.
• They may change the billing address on your credit card so that you no longer receive bills, and then run up charges on your account. Because your bills are now sent to a different address, it may be some time before you realize there's a problem.

• They may open a new phone or wireless account in your name, or run up charges on your existing account.
• They may use your name to get utility services like electricity, heating, or cable TV.

• They may create counterfeit checks using your name or account number.
• They may open a bank account in your name and write bad checks.
• They may clone your ATM or debit card and make electronic withdrawals your name, draining your accounts.
• They may take out a loan in your name.

• They may get a driver's license or official ID card issued in your name but with their picture.
• They may use your name and Social Security number to get government benefits.They may file a fraudulent tax return using your information.

• They may get a job using your Social Security number.
• They may rent a house or get medical services using your name.
• They may give your personal information to police during an arrest. If they don't show up for their court date, a warrant for arrest is issued in your name.