I signed up with LifeLock

I signed up with identity theft protection service LifeLock a couple weeks ago, and I'm really glad I did. It's a huge weight off my back. I know that I could do everything they are doing for us myself...but the fact of the matter is that I wouldn't. I might put the fraud alert on my credit file one time, but there's no way I would remember to renew it right on time every 90 days like Life Lock is going to do. I certainly couldn't get it going and keep renewing it for everyone else in the family. It's kind of like oil changes for the car. Yes, I could do it myself, and probably should do it myself, but it's a heck of a lot easier to have someone else do it, because I might never get around to it.

I have the whole family covered. I don't want my kids to find out their identity and credit rating has been ruined by some criminal. It is really hard starting out when you get out on your own anyway...I remember when we had no credit and it was really hard. Imagine someone else ruining your credit before you even get started. It would be hard to jump over that hurdle.

If someone tries to open new credit in our names, the company who would otherwise approve the credit will call us first...even our cell phone numbers will be on our credit report. We will also stop getting the pre-approved credit card offers. That is an extra measure of protection...I don't have to worry about someone getting one of those out of our mailbox and using it.

I had someone use my credit card for some minor identity theft - he signed up for AOL and for a site of sexual nature...both the charges were $30 or less, and the credit card company helped me clear it up so it wasn't really a big deal -- but even that required a couple days' worth of phone calls and paperwork a week or two later to clear it all up. So I certainly don't want to deal with a major case of identity theft. I would have to spend days working on that mess instead of working my business, so I feel that LifeLock is like a good insurance for my art business too.

If you have been considering an identity theft protection service, you might want to check them out. Compare also to TrustedID, another company that offers this service. I chose LifeLock in part because it has been around the longest.