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With an intuitive app and retirement/investment monitoring, Aura is the best choice to protect families from identity theft.
Updated December 18, 2024
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It’s normal to think of yourself when shopping around for identity theft protection services. After all, you and your partner are the ones with bank accounts, credit cards, and 401(k). Plus, wouldn’t it be better to save some money by not including your kids or other family members in your identity theft protection plan?
Sadly, no one is immune to the threat of identity theft. Hackers don’t think twice about scraping a child’s social media account or pretending to be a grandchild to scam a grandparent. The good news is that there are identity theft protection services with features designed exclusively for the whole family.
Aura’s plans stood out to us with parental control features and online usage reports. However, Identity Guard, LifeLock, Experian IdentityWorks, Allstate Identity Protection, IdentityForce, and Zander also have an extensive range of family features worth considering. Let’s take you through each one to see which is the best option to protect everyone under your roof.
Aura understands one thing better than most of its competitors in the identity theft protection business. When your whole family is using a digital service — from preteens all the way up to grandmas — it’s got to be completely headache-free. It doesn’t hurt that, in addition to having an intuitive app built for the 21st century, Aura is stacked with all the premium ID theft protections you need to keep a family off the radars of thieves and hackers at home and on-the-go.
Aura launched in 2019 after founder Hari Ravichandran fell victim to identity fraud. So Aura is new in town, yes, but in our book that’s a plus. Aura was never a brick-and-mortar business that had to feel its way into the digital arena. Aura was born digital. The advantages of that approach for consumers are many, especially if you’ve got a household full of dependents (who are at higher risk than adults for undetected identity theft, by the way.)
Aura is more than an identity theft protection service.
Aura plans start with nuts and bolts protections for the family. You get a harmful website (a.k.a. malware) blocker and virtual private network (VPN) for up to 10 members of the fam. Right out the gate, this cuts off the major avenues of identity theft attacks for cybercrooks. Your family’s internet connections and browsing will be safe inside the house and wherever you go.
Pro Tip: VPNs are the cornerstone of family digital hygiene. They protect your devices from all sorts of things, like dangerous websites, ransomware attacks, and even your own internet service providers snooping on you as you browse.
But that’s not all you’re paying for with — we’ll say this up front — Aura’s somewhat hefty $30-plus monthly price tag. You also get a full battery of identity theft protection weaponry, including triple-bureau monitoring, credit locks, spending alerts, and up to $1 million in identity theft restoration for up to five family members.
But the reason it sits atop our list is the security tools that protect the whole family, including the kids. When we tested Aura, we set time limits for how long our kids spent on YouTube and Roblox. We also organized monitoring alerts for their Social Security Numbers and credit files. It was even great to get usage reports to see how long the little rascals spend on their devices.
| Identity monitoring | Yes |
|---|---|
| Credit monitoring | 3-bureau |
| Insurance | Up to $1 million per adult |
| Free trial | 14 days |
| Money-back guarantee | 60 days (long-term plans) |
Identity Guard is one of the best-rated identity theft protection services for families on the market today. And for good reason. Their proactive approach, extensive list of services, and affordable pricing make Identity Guard an attractive option from all angles.
It’s no secret that we love Identity Guard. They’ve been around for more than two decades and they’ve spent that time refining their approach to identity protection. And their recent partnership with IBM has only made their offerings more powerful. Leveraging the power of Watson Artificial Intelligence, Identity Guard is able to stay one step ahead of fraudsters and protect your family against the ever-evolving threats of identity theft.
Did You Know? Artificial Intelligence is helping protect families by making identity theft services smarter. By analyzing billions of data points, patterns emerge, and protections can be built to respond to threats as they evolve.
One of the best things about Identity Guard’s family plans is that they cover everyone living in your household. Just have a new baby? They’re covered. Do Mom and Dad live in the mother-in-law suite out back? Yep, they’re covered, too.
And this coverage is extensive. When we reviewed Identity Guard, we found they offered triple-bureau credit monitoring, financial account alerts from all angles, change of address monitoring, and home title watches. We even did a risk assessment for every family member to learn about their behaviors and habits. It can help address issues that hackers will exploit.
The results of our risk assessment.
Identity Guard has three plans for the family, but we recommend the Ultra subscription. It includes the most thorough monitoring features and credit monitoring services. The Ultra plan also comes with White Glove Fraud Resolution, which comes in handy if anyone falls victim to identity theft.
| Identity monitoring | Yes |
|---|---|
| Credit monitoring | 1-bureau or 3-bureau (except Value plan) |
| Insurance | Up to $1 million |
| Free trial | No |
| Money-back guarantee | 60 days (long-term plans) |
A leader in the identity theft protection industry, LifeLock offers more than 15 features to protect your identity and help you recover from identity theft. Their three main areas of focus are your credit files, your social security number, and other personal information. For those who simply do not have time to monitor their own credit and accounts, LifeLock provides excellent protection and will alert you of any suspicious activity.
When we tested the service for our NortonLifeLock review, we found one of the most extensive lists of features on the market today. Their cybersecurity protections alone are worth the price of admission, and their comprehensive suite of financial protections and identity monitoring only sweeten the deal.
One of our favorite things about NortonLifeLock is their prioritization of cybersecurity. They’re one of the few identity theft protection services on the market today to offer a full suite of protections, including password vaults, antivirus software, and even access to a virtual private network. This is great news for parents with children who are active online — you can better protect your kids by deploying these features.
Did You Know? A Virtual Private Network spoofs the location of your internet-connected advice by routing traffic through encrypted channels. This means your web traffic and IP addresses can’t be tracked.
NortonLifeLock also has a tool to help parents with kids who are learning virtually. Called “School Time,” this parental control feature helps kids stay focused on their work by only allowing access to an approved list of websites during school hours. We used it to check in throughout the day and make sure our kids stayed focused on the task at hand.
It can also help prevent your kids from getting into trouble online. Screen time has skyrocketed now that school work and socialization has moved almost exclusively online, increasing the likelihood of exposure to all sorts of nefarious characters.
LifeLock has the capability to monitor a lot of our personal information.
NortonLifeLock offers a tremendous amount of services through nearly as many different plans. Unfortunately, it doesn’t make it easy to compare them all side by side. We had to navigate multiple pages to find the best subscription for us. Don’t worry, you won’t have to suffer through the same ordeal. We’ve gathered all the information and put it in one place so you can find the best LifeLock plan for your family.
| Identity monitoring | Yes |
|---|---|
| Credit monitoring | 1-bureau or 3-bureau |
| Insurance | Up to $1 million |
| Free trial |
30 days (standalone LifeLock plans) 7 days (LifeLock-Norton 360 bundles) |
| Money-back guarantee |
60 days (long-term plans) 14 days (monthly plans) |
Experian IdentityWorks comes from one of the major credit monitoring bureaus, which means the financial monitoring is second to none. It’s also a great option for larger families. Experian IdentityWorks’ family plan covers up to 10 children and includes identity monitoring for everyone. There are also a bunch of other unique services like court records alerts, dark web surveillance, and dedicated fraud resolution support, to name a few.
While testing IdentityWorks, we found not only solid core protections but we also had access to an extremely robust set of financial monitoring and planning tools. Experian IdentityWorks really runs the gamut in this regard — from payday loan monitoring to large balance change alerts to dormant accounts scanning to new credit inquiry notifications, the app really has your finances covered. These are all great protections for families with complicated financial histories or those who might be recovering from hardships.
IdentityWorks offers advice on how to improve your FICO scores and credit history.
IdentityWorks is also a great option for single-parent families — especially those with lots of children. Experion breaks their services up in such a way that one adult can purchase a plan for themselves and their kids, or include a partner as well. This flexibility is important, and something we commend Experian IdentityWorks for offering.
Did You Know? It’s important to review your credit reports every year. The Federal Trade Commission estimates that one in five adults has an error on one or more reports that may be negatively impacting their score.
IdentityWorks also offers quite a few protections like social media monitoring and resources like credit score tracking and financial planning to help families stay safe and on the right track. To learn more about these offerings, you can read our guide to Experian IdentityWorks costs.
| Identity Monitoring | Yes |
|---|---|
| Credit Monitoring | 3-bureau |
| Insurance | $1 million |
| Free Trial | 7 Days |
| Money-back guarantee | None |
Allstate has been protecting families for 90 years. Its identity theft monitoring service can go head to head with the best in the business for all around fraud protections. But we found that Allstate really gets family identity monitoring right with powerful cybercrime-squashing features designed to keep whole households safe, such as advanced dark web and social media monitoring, student loan monitoring, and a Digital Footprint tool that helps you visualize your family’s web activity so you can spot potential threats before it’s too late.
Besides offering standard protections like Social Security number monitoring and credit monitoring, Allstate has stepped up to the cybercrime challenge with smart protections and digital tools to keep families out of the clutches of fraudsters. At the top of that list is Allstate’s unique Digital Footprint tool, which charts your family’s online activity visually and provides data breach alerts and tips for keeping sensitive information safe.
FYI: If your 10-year-old’s brand-new Gmail address starts showing up in places it doesn’t belong, Allstate’s Digital Footprint tool will alert you.
While this may feel a bit like snooping, it’s actually a very good thing. Your child’s personally identifiable information is an extremely valuable commodity on the dark web, as this type of theft may go unnoticed and thus unreported for years, giving thieves carte blanche to ruin their credit. So when your child is old enough to purchase their first car and they have clean credit thanks to Allstate, they’ll have you to thank for it.
Speaking of kids, Allstate’s idea of family is generous, covering up to 10 family members, including college-aged children and seniors. This extended coverage is a big perk in our book because, as with every other nasty species of fraud, senior fraud and college ransomware attacks are overlooked by many identity theft protection providers.
| Dark Web Monitoring | Yes |
|---|---|
| Credit Protection | Yes |
| Family Plans | Yes |
| Insurance Coverage | $1 million |
| Free Trial | 30-Day |
| Guarantee | None |
IdentityForce boasts a solid list of features with some surprises to boot, like access to a virtual private network, a credit score simulator, and credit freeze functionality. While there are only two plans to choose from, it’s clear what’s in and what’s out. But the good news is that the core features like personalized action plans after a theft and fraud monitoring are available in both packages.
Right off the bat, IdentityForce does an excellent job with what we consider to be the primary functions of any identity theft protection service — financial account monitoring, multiple-bureau credit reporting, dark web scanning, it’s all there, and it all works really well. For more information on that, check out our in-depth IdentityForce analysis. For the purposes of this guide, though, we’re going to be looking at why they’re a great choice for families.
First of all, they offer identity monitoring for an unlimited number of children making it a great option for bigger families that aren’t trying to break the bank. The child credit activity monitoring is only limited to ten children, but this should suit most families.
Did You Know? The Federal Trade Commission found that identity theft for children is a growing problem. Three-percent of all identity theft reports for the first half of 2024 were for children under the age of 19. This is up from two-percent in previous years.1
IdentityForce’s plans also does a great job of monitoring the social media accounts of everyone included in the family plan — this is great news for the parents of socially-active teens who don’t want to pry, but who also want to protect their kids online. We used IdentityForce to keep an eye out for inappropriate or dangerous activities just in case something untoward should pop up.
| Identity monitoring | Yes |
|---|---|
| Credit monitoring | 3-Bureau |
| Insurance | Up to $2 million |
| Free Trial | 30-Day |
| Money-back guarantee | Yes (prorated) |
Zander is our wild card. During our testing, we found that it took a unique approach to identity theft protection in that it doesn’t include any credit monitoring. Zander focuses on proactive privacy protection and robust identity monitoring. We still think you need credit monitoring, but we can’t argue with Zander’s reporting of a 100-percent restoration success rate.
Like we said above, Zander doesn’t offer credit protections. If that’s important to you, they might not be a good fit. That said, though, Zander has some pretty powerful protections on the privacy side of things. Financial fraud, medical ID theft, tax fraud, social security fraud, employment fraud… the list goes on and on.
Did You Know? One of the ways medical ID theft occurs is when a fraudster gains access to your medical identity to file phony insurance claims in your name. This can lead to your insurance premiums skyrocketing, or losing medical coverage altogether.
Zander’s next big selling point is two-fold. Not only does Zander offer coverage for an unlimited number of children, the coverage is extremely affordable, with its top plan costing just $22 per month. If you wanted to protect your family from identity theft but didn’t think you could afford the expense, now you might be able to reconsider.
Another thing we love about Zander is their focus on recovery. Not only will the company reimburse you up to $1 million in stolen funds, but Zander will also check in with you in three years to make sure you don’t become the victim of identity theft again.
To get a better understanding of what Zander brings to the table, you should peruse our breakdown of Zander’s services, plans, and pricing. It might be the best choice for you and your family.
| Dark Web Monitoring | Yes |
|---|---|
| Credit Protection | Yes |
| Family Plans | Yes |
| Insurance Coverage | $1 million |
| Free Trial | None |
| Guarantee | None |
Identity theft doesn’t occur in a vacuum. If a criminal can get their hands on the personal information of one family member, it’s likely they can and will use it to extract the information of others. Add to that the fact that children and the elderly are the primary targets of identity thieves, and you’ll start to understand why you should seek out protections for everyone, not just yourself.
That said, it can be difficult to pinpoint exactly what protections are best when you’re looking to keep the whole family safe. And with the multitude of identity theft protection services available on the market today, how can you decide which product is right for you? Well, for starters, you can read our in-depth identity theft protection guide to learn the ins and outs and what to look for in these products.
When you’re shopping around for identity theft protection services, there are a few core features you should be on the lookout for. We always recommend plans that offer triple-bureau credit monitoring, financial account alerts, and dark web scanning. Beyond that, though, it’s really a matter of deciding which features work best for your situation.
For example, do you have a teenager in the house that likes to spend a lot of time online? You might want to consider a service that offers social media monitoring. Does your family always have the latest and greatest new gadgets? Look for a service that offers cybersecurity protections and device security. Are you recovering from financial hardship or looking to rebuild your credit? There are plenty of services on the market that offer financial planning tools and resources.
Ultimately it’s about understanding the risk factors for your particular situation and finding a plan that works best for you. We recommend taking a look at our identity theft protection comparison tool as a starting point.
Pro Tip: If you’re a planner, you’ll like this strategy. Choose an identity theft protection plan that comes with full restoration features. This way, if you happen to fall victim to identity theft, you’ll have a dedicated service team who can help you restore your credit, recover stolen funds, navigate all the paperwork, and the list goes on.
In a word, they’re dire. If you choose not to protect your family from the threat of identity theft, you run the risk of not only your own financial ruin but the ruin of your children as well.
Some forms of identity theft are quick — someone steals your credit card information and uses it to make a few large purchases, maxing you out and stressing you out. But some are much slower burns, and these are the ones you really want to protect against.
For example, with kids, it’s possible for an identity thief to rack up hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of credit card debt, take out loans in the child’s name, even set up utilities using their identities. And this will only come to light much, much later once the child is old enough to start opening financial accounts of their own or apply for credit cards. The damage, which occurred years prior, is already done, and their family is left trying to untangle years worth of financial chaos. A true nightmare scenario.
With that in mind, it’s important to take family protection seriously. Identity theft is a growing problem, and it’s unwise to think it can’t happen to you or your loved ones. Protect yourself and your family today. Consider one of our best identity theft protection plans for children.
As the growing threat of identity theft becomes more apparent to more consumers, many people (and families!) are wondering how they can best protect themselves. The bad news is that identity theft can happen to anyone, but the good news is that with a little extra vigilance and an identity theft protection service offering monitoring support, you can dramatically decrease the likelihood you’ll become a victim.
We recommend subscribing to Aura, which can protect everyone in your household, whether they’re a teen or a senior. Identity Guard is another excellent option thanks to its state-of-the-art AI. You can also count on LifeLock, IdentityWorks, Allstate, IdentityForce, and Zander to monitor everything from dark web leaks to social media scams. No matter which one you choose, you can rest assured that everyone in the family is in safe hands.
Once thieves have access to your personal information they can open accounts, drain your bank account, open and charge credit cards, and a multitude of other acts that destroy your credit and take an emotional toll as you experience financial stress, anxiety, and emotional volatility. With identity theft service providers constantly changing and trying to stay ahead of fraudulent activities, it’s important to find a provider that best fits your needs. Here are features and extras to consider:
These nine digits can be used in nefarious ways — ways that can take a toll on your family. Fortunately, most identity theft protection services for families now offer SSN Monitoring. This feature scours the internet to ensure your family’s digits don’t fall into the wrong hands. If a criminal does get a hold of your SSN, you’ll be immediately alerted.
The bad news is that the ‘dark web’ is a hotbed of non-stop criminal activity. The good news is that many identity theft protection family plans include Dark Web Monitoring — a sophisticated feature that searches for your family’s sensitive information on dark websites, chat rooms, databases, etc. Safeguarding your family is always a top priority.
How much sensitive information do children share online? It’s hard to know as they live, eat, and breathe in the digital age. And a first stop for fraudsters is straight to social media platforms to scrape this personal data. Look for a Social Monitoring feature, and get timely alerts when your family’s privacy is at risk.
Identity theft restoration is one road you do not want to travel alone. Even with the best identity theft service for families, fraud still happens. So the question becomes: now what? Identity Restoration, that’s what. This feature puts a team of dedicated experts in your corner to restore your family’s identity to pre-fraud status. You’ll hardly need to lift a finger.
Victims of identity theft pay a steep price. That is, if they don’t have Identity Theft Insurance. This feature could easily pay for itself a thousand times over if anyone in your family is targeted. You, your spouse, your children — even your elderly parents — can get up to $1 million in coverage. Talk about peace of mind.
Identity thieves have countless tricks up their sleeves, one of which is to divert your family’s mail in an attempt to pilfer your personal information. Stop them in their tracks with Address Change Verification. This feature monitors USPS address change requests linked to your identity. If suspicious activity occurs, rest assured you’ll be notified.
The idea of cyberbullying hits all-too-close to home for parents. That’s why certain identity theft protection services for families offer this helpful feature. These alerts go nationwide, so you can rest easy knowing that your child is safe no matter what state, city, or town you live in. Reduce the risk of your child becoming victimized by cyber-bullies online.
Cybercriminals don’t discriminate. If they get their hands on your personal information — or the sensitive info from anyone in your family — they can take out a loan in your name with relative ease. With Loan Application Monitoring, your protection service will monitor credit card and bank account applications, to loans and other financial inquiries and applications.
Low-life criminals often use file sharing networks to acquire personal information from individuals and families alike. Be proactive in safeguarding your family’s good name with this helpful feature. Identity protection services now leverage advanced tech to offer File Sharing Network Searches — an option that monitors popular networks to ensure your information doesn’t surface where it shouldn’t.
CNBC. (2024). Why parents may want to start locking a child’s credit at a very young age.
https://www.cnbc.com/2024/08/23/identity-theft-of-americas-youngest-generation-is-on-the-rise.html
