Identity protection services have become an essential line of defense in today’s digital world. With identity theft on the rise and older adults as common targets, monitoring features help catch suspicious activity early, sometimes even before any real damage occurs. While many people may assume these services only involve basic credit alerts, there is actually a wide range of monitoring features available that track different types of personal information. This article explores the most common types of monitoring you can expect to find when shopping for an identity protection service, along with why they matter and which companies offer them.
Credit monitoring
Credit monitoring is often the first feature people think of when considering identity protection services. This type of monitoring focuses on a person’s credit report activity, including new account openings, hard inquiries, changes to existing accounts, and shifts in credit scores.
The personal information involved in credit monitoring typically includes your name, Social Security number (SSN), and credit history tied to major bureaus like Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. Monitoring takes place by tracking changes in your credit report data, often providing near-real-time alerts if something unusual happens.
If credit activity isn’t monitored, criminals could open new lines of credit, take out loans, or rack up debt in your name, causing financial havoc that could take years to fix. For example, if a thief successfully opens a store credit card using your identity, you may not find out until overdue bills start arriving. Credit monitoring alerts can help you catch and address the issue quickly.
This feature is common even at the basic levels of identity protection plans, although the number of bureaus monitored and the speed of alerts can vary. LifeLock, for instance, offers credit monitoring in both its standard and premium packages.
Dark web monitoring
Dark web monitoring is another critical feature offered by many identity protection services. It involves scanning portions of the internet that aren’t indexed by traditional search engines, where criminals often buy and sell stolen personal information.
This type of monitoring involves sensitive details like your email addresses, passwords, credit card numbers, bank account numbers, and Social Security numbers. Services use specialized tools and partnerships with cybersecurity experts to detect whether any of your information has appeared in underground marketplaces, forums, or databases.
Without dark web monitoring, you could remain unaware that your personal information is available for sale, giving thieves ample time to exploit it. For example, if your email address and password are sold on the dark web, a criminal could hack into your financial accounts or impersonate you online.
Dark web monitoring is typically included even in base-level packages, although more advanced services may monitor a broader range of data points. Identity Guard, for example, includes dark web monitoring in many of its plans.
Social Security number (SSN) monitoring
Social Security number monitoring plays a pivotal role in protecting one of your most sensitive identifiers. This service keeps tabs on where and how your SSN is being used, often tracking its connection to new addresses, credit applications, or public records.
The monitoring covers your SSN, your name, addresses tied to your identity, and occasionally your employment history. It works by scanning databases and credit activities for any sign that your SSN is being misused, triggering an alert if unusual activity is detected.
Failing to monitor SSN activity can lead to devastating consequences like tax refund fraud, unemployment benefits theft, or even false criminal records. For instance, if someone uses your SSN to apply for government benefits, you may not know until you receive IRS notices about benefits you never requested.
SSN monitoring is sometimes reserved for higher-tier plans, although some services are beginning to offer it in more affordable packages. Aura is one company that provides SSN monitoring even in its base packages.
Bank account and credit card monitoring
Bank account and credit card monitoring helps protect your financial assets by keeping an eye on transactions tied to your registered accounts. It is one of the most active forms of monitoring because financial fraud often happens rapidly.
The personal details involved include your bank account numbers, debit cards, and credit cards. Monitoring usually occurs through secure partnerships with banks and financial institutions or by tracking the public appearance of your financial data in compromised databases.
Without monitoring, unauthorized withdrawals, purchases, or account takeovers could drain your accounts before you even realize something’s wrong. A real-world example could be an unfamiliar charge showing up on your checking account, something that monitoring services would flag and alert you about immediately.
This feature is often included in mid-tier to premium plans because of the complexity and sensitivity of the financial information involved. IdentityForce, for example, offers financial account monitoring as part of its packages.
Payday loan monitoring
Payday loan monitoring focuses on a particularly vulnerable area of personal finance. Payday loans are short-term, high-interest loans that often require minimal identity verification, making them a frequent target for identity thieves.
This type of monitoring involves personal information such as your name, Social Security number, and address. Services monitor databases that lenders use to verify applicants, looking for any attempts to open payday loans under your identity.
If payday loan activity goes unnoticed, criminals can take out loans in your name, saddling you with unexpected debt and damaging your credit score. For example, you might receive a collection notice for a payday loan you never applied for, something that would be flagged early with this type of monitoring.
Payday loan monitoring is typically part of premium service packages due to the specialized tracking involved. LifeLock, for instance, offers payday loan monitoring as part of its broader identity protection services.
Home title monitoring
Home title monitoring helps protect homeowners from one of the most serious and fast-growing forms of identity theft: property fraud. Criminals can forge documents to transfer your home’s title to themselves or others, potentially putting your ownership at risk.
The monitoring involves personal information such as property deeds, ownership records, and address details. Services scan public land records to detect any changes or new filings related to your property.
If you are not monitoring your home title, a fraudulent transfer could occur without your knowledge, leaving you to fight an expensive and time-consuming legal battle to reclaim your property. A typical example would be an unauthorized lien placed against your home, which could only be caught early through diligent title monitoring.
Home title monitoring is usually an add-on service or bundled into premium identity protection plans due to the complexity of real estate transactions. Zander Insurance offers home title monitoring in its more advanced packages.
Social media monitoring
Social media monitoring is an increasingly important feature as more people share personal information online. Identity thieves can use social media to gather data for scams, impersonate you, or even launch phishing attacks on your friends and family.
This type of monitoring involves information like social media profiles, posts, shared photos, and mentions of your personal data across various platforms. Services use software to track suspicious changes, impersonation attempts, and the exposure of sensitive information.
If left unchecked, social media-related fraud can result in identity theft, reputational damage, or scams targeting your connections. For instance, a criminal might create a fake social media account using your name and photos to solicit money from your contacts.
Social media monitoring is generally a premium feature because of the complexity of tracking multiple platforms and profiles. IdentityForce includes social media monitoring in some of its plans to help clients keep a closer watch on their online presence.
Medical identity monitoring
Medical identity monitoring focuses on protecting one of the most overlooked areas of personal information: health care data. Medical identity theft occurs when someone uses your information to obtain medical services, prescriptions, or insurance benefits fraudulently.
This monitoring covers health insurance policy numbers, medical treatment records, and sometimes even billing data. Services scan insurance claims databases, health networks, and benefits usage for signs of fraudulent activity.
If medical identity theft is not detected, it can not only result in financial loss but also corrupt your personal health records, leading to dangerous consequences in future medical treatments. A real-life scenario might involve a criminal receiving surgery using your health insurance, leaving you to deal with the bills and potential legal disputes.
Due to the sensitive nature of health care data, medical identity monitoring is typically offered in premium service tiers. Identity Guard is one provider that offers medical identity monitoring through select plans.
Let identity protection services do the hard work
Monitoring features form the backbone of any effective identity protection service. Each feature targets a specific area of vulnerability, from your credit and financial accounts to your homeownership and medical records. Understanding what each type of monitoring does and the risks it helps mitigate can empower you to make a more informed decision when choosing a service.
While many identity protection companies offer a core set of monitoring features, others reserve more advanced protections like home title or medical monitoring for premium plans. Before selecting a provider, it’s worth reviewing what’s included and matching it to the areas where you feel most at risk. For a closer look at which companies offer the monitoring services discussed here, be sure to check out our detailed identity protection service reviews.
