i use identityguard.com to monitor my credit info. i was $27 for the first 3 months and then it is $13 a month after that. i get: â?¢ 3-Bureau Credit Monitoring â?¢ Quarterly Credit Updates â?¢ 3-in-1 Credit Report â?¢ $20,000 Identity Theft Insurance â?¢ 3 Credit Scores â?¢ Credit Education Specialists â?¢ Consumer Fraud Resource Center. the daily monitoring seems to be a little slow..i have it for almost a month and it says that experian is reporting up to date, but i have already applied for a few cards and have actually gotten one and been issued a card on my DW's new account, but none of this is showing up. anyways, i wanted to poll the CN crowd and see what the general consensus is. thanks! dilla
Wow - 'dilla - this is a great find. I have yet to find a 3-way *online* credit monitoring service, and that task is only becoming more difficult with the bureaus buying up the consumer-based monitoring services. I just have one question. The previous post makes a good point, are these real scores - but equally important, can you tell me whether you receive the same "unlimited access" to scores as you to credit reports? Also, is it truly "unlimited" (e.g. allows you to pull a new report every day), or is it one new report per week that is reprinted until the following week (very common technique). Thanks again for the good catch! -Rusten
Butch - They're just reselling PrivacyGuard, is that what you're saying? I would still like to know what "unlimitd access" means, whether they provide fresh pulls every time, or merely re-show the same report for a week or month at a time..
rusten - i'm really not sure about all that. i will call on monday to find out about everything. dilla
I researched this a bit further. The two companies don't appear to be the same, nor do they offer the same product. PrivacyGuard's system appears to be similar to the technology powering Experian's CreditExpert, and they offer driving record notifcations as well. IntentityGuard has a note that they offer their servivces in partnership with Fair Isaac, suggesting the scores might not be an alternative version. Both companies are in entirely different locations, their products are different, the screens render entirely different in methodology, the are located in different physical networks, etc. Anyone on this board have experience with both? My only experience has been with Privista (EQ), TrueCredit (TU), and CreditExpert (EXP), this is how I was previously forced to assemble a tri-merge monthly monitoring. I can tell you that my experience with CreditExpert is good but buggy; however, the other two sites are some of the biggest scams on the 'net IMHO. If you don't have to, never - and I mean never use Privista. They claim to include scores, but they don't, they claim unlimited access to the credit report, but they don't provide it, and the updates they do provide are lagged, they have the most rude support staff imaginable, etc. Prior to selling to Equifax, they were great.
Okay, I subscribed to Identity Guard to see what I could learn, then followed up with some research on PrivacyGuard. I would still like to hear about your experiences, 'dilla, if you've learned anything new. In the mean time-- IdentityGuard is an exceptional service although the credit reports are less intuitive than most newer, graphically enhanced/online consumer options. They are owned by a company that I believe markets programs through loyalty type marketing (e.g. in conjunction with Citi and such) although I can't say that for sure. The company is "Intersections, Inc." they are the OEM for the reporting engine, and I'm guessing that because it's separate from IG, they sell this product to others as an OEM. The reports appear to be daily fresh pulls. The credit scores, if not FICO, are closer than other "FAKO" versions I've run across - not more than 10 points off in this case. The credit simulator is as nice as CreditXpert (EXP, which in one of my favorites). The only down side I've discovered at this point would be the lack of clarity in the rendering of the reports and poor email customer service (although it appears they may offer fairly good direct help via phone). They are geated more towards twarting identity theft, a direction that exposes some interesting products. Although I didn't subscribe to PrivacyGuard, it appears to be a tri-merge/autonomous version of CreditXpert (EXP) running the same engine. Interestingly, PG offers Driver Record reports (typically $10 online), medical record reports (insurance purposes), and other anciliary items. Both are comparable in price at about $10/month. That's it for now .
first of all, the reps at identityguard have been very knowledgeable and friendly everytime i've called. however, this last time i called to find answers to the questions raised in this thread, the woman i got really didn't know the answers and kinda made them up. she just could not tell me if the reports i see every day are fresh reports, or just recent reports. i told her that i've applied for several credit cards, gotten one, and had become an authorized user on another, over the last month or so, and NONE of this has shown up on my report. she just beat around the bush saying that they update my report when contacted by the CRAs. i'm gonna call tomorrow and hopefully i'll be able to talk to someone who'll be able to answer these questions definitely. i'll let you know, dilla p.s. -- what websites let you know the differences between hard and soft pulls??? identityguard just describes them all as inquiries. i'd really like to know when i'm getting a hard pull.
Hi 'dilla- IG is the first system I've experienced where they do not explicitly show hards v. soft inquiries (permissable purpose v. promotional). If you go with any other reporting system, they will separate the two (I can verify this by personal experience with all four large companies: CreditExpert, TrueLink, Privista, ConsumerInfo). Also - I think we're on to something about how often they pull fresh reports. It will be difficult to say for sure until I have an inquiry post-subscription, but I'm beginning to get a suspicioun (based on the expedience by which the subsequent reports are provided) that they do not. I'll subscribe to PG and see what I can find out about their service in relation to IG features.
I joined Identityguard last night. $26 for 3 months...$13 per month after. It was easy, staff was helpful, but is definitely FAKO or WACKO. My Equifax score on Identityguard was 615. I went directly to MY FICO and pulled Equifax and it was 703. Using MYFICO13 for a 20% discount of course. Use Identity scores only as a guide. But the daily pulls are worth it.
NO DAILY PULLS!!! i finally got an answer out of someone at identityguard. they only update your report every 3 MONTHS!!! you're supposed to get updates when something changes, but they aren't dependable. anyone know a website where the pulls are FRESH daily?? dilla .
Hi 'dilla- This is amazing - I can't believe it.. I spoke to IdentityGuard as well and they assured me that these were fresh, daily pulls. What a scam! I will let you know abour PrivacyGuard just as soon as I can pull my reports. Right now, I can't pull any because I'm awaiting some sort of password via the USPS that proves I am who I say I am. I will let you know as soon as I do.. Thanks again, -Rusten
Re: POLL - best monitoring website? What's the consensus on the best (cheapest/freshest) way to get FICOs?I wrote Identity Guard and this was their response. It seems to me that they are offering only EQ and NOT saying they offer fresh pulls: Dear Consumer, Thank you for your email and interest in our service. I understand you are requesting information on the service. Identity Guard is a credit monitoring service. Identity Guard monitors your credit profile every business day with Equifax, one of the three National Credit Bureaus. We will alert you to new addresses, new accounts, and new inquiries that are being reported in your name. You will also receive comprehensive Quarterly Credit Update reports. Which will summarize all changes that have been made to your credit file within the quarter. The report will show any negative information added, any information that has been removed, accounts that have a balance increase of 20% or more, accounts that have been closed, and a summary of the daily monitoring results. You will also have access to a Credit Analyzer, which is as scoring model tool. This tool provides you with an initial score, and allows you to manipulate your score based certain changes within your credit file. Your membership also includes Identity Theft Reimbursement Coverage of $2,500, with a $250 deductible. This coverage will help compensate any out of pocket expenses that you would accrue, should you become a victim of identity theft. Expenses such as long distance phone charges, court fees, application fees, mailing fees, and notary fees are covered under this coverage, but are not limited to these. If you have any further questions or concerns, please contact us at CustomerService@IdentityGuard.com or 1-800-214-4791. We are available Monday through Friday from 8 A.M. until 11 P.M. Eastern Time and on Saturdays from 9 A.M. until 6 P.M. Eastern Time.
Re: POLL - best monitoring website? Exactly. I've confirmed without question both accounts. I've added inquiries to my account while subscribed to both companies. I then checked both for a week. PG turned up immediately, IG never turned up. PrivacyGuard is also a very professional outfit. I think TrueCredit and some of the others have easier-to-read reports, but that's their only down side. I'm cancelling my three other monitoring services to go with PG alone. -Rusten
