ID Watchdog Review
ID Watchdog is an identity protection service owned by Equifax. In this review, learn its plans and features and know whether it's worth your money.
Overall Score | 3.8 | ||
Price | 1.5 | ||
Dark Web Monitoring | 5.0 | ||
Identity Monitoring | 4.0 | ||
Identity Theft Assistance | 5.0 | ||
Identity Theft Protection | 4.0 | ||
Packages | 3.0 | ||
Pros and Cons
- Up to $2 million insurance
- Discounted annual rate
- Equifax credit tracker
- Expensive
- Only includes 2 adults and 4 kids in the family plan
Bottom Line
Costly service that offers up to $2 million insurance coverage but has limited family plans
Equifax is one of the biggest credit bureaus in the United States. It offers an identity theft protection service called ID Watchdog.
With ID Watchdog, you can monitor your sensitive information, lock your Equifax credit file, and block inquiries made on your Equifax credit report.
The big question is: Does ID Watchdog have an edge over other services? Learn more in this guide.
What is ID Watchdog?
ID Watchdog offers monitoring features for your personal information, financial data, and credit. Its mission is to help you prevent potential signs of fraud resulting in identity theft.
ID Watchdog tracks billions of data points, including your other credit reports, the dark web, and financial accounts. In turn, you get alerts for unauthorized activities using your information.
All plans include $1 million identity theft insurance, which allows you to reimburse your funds in case they're stolen from your accounts.
Yes, Equifax acquired ID Watchdog in 2017.[1] However, it has been offering identity theft protection since 2005.
Who Is It Best For?
If you're looking for extensive identity theft insurance, ID Watchdog is for you.
All plans feature $1 million in identity theft insurance coverage for identity recovery and loss from your checking, savings, and money market accounts.
To add, Premium plans give you an additional $1 million in insurance coverage to reimburse stolen funds from your health savings accounts and retirement accounts.[2]
Who Should Skip ID Watchdog?
 |
ID Watchdog isn't ideal if you're looking for a budget-friendly identity theft protection service.
It comes with a hefty price tag—individual monthly fees range from $14.95 to $21.95.[3]
Family plans are more expensive than others, However, you can only add another adult and up to 4 children; Other services include up to 5 adults and unlimited kids for its family options.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Owned by Equifax
- Discount for annual payments
- Refunds for plan cancellations
- Equifax daily credit score tracker
- Includes features to protect children
- VPN, safe browsing, and device security options
- Up to $2 million identity theft insurance
- U.S.-based restoration specialists in case you experience identity theft and fraud
Cons:
- Expensive
- No free trial
- Tracks VantageScore only
- Equifax's history of data breach
- Limited family plans
In 2017, Equifax experienced a data breach affecting the information of over 147 million individuals. The breach exposed millions of names, birthdays, SSNs, addresses, and other personally identifiable information.
As of February 2024, Equifax agreed to a settlement that may reach up to $700 million as ordered by the FTC. The settlement includes up to $425 million in reimbursement claims for consumers impacted by the data breach.[4]
Pricing & Fees
ID Watchdog offers individual and family plans. You get discounts for choosing annual payments.[5]
| ID WATCHDOG SELECT | ID WATCHDOG PREMIUM | |
|---|---|---|
| Individual plan | $14.95/month | $21.95/month |
| $150.00/year | $220.00/year | |
| Family plan | $23.95/month | $34.95/month |
| $240.00/year | $350.00/year | |
| Credit report monitoring | Equifax only | Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion |
| Dark web monitoring | ✔ | ✔ |
| High-risk transaction monitoring | ✔ | ✔ |
| Subprime loan monitoring | ✔ | ✔ |
| Equifax credit report and Equifax VantageScore tracker | Monthly | Daily |
| 3-bureau credit report and VantageScore tracker | — | Annual |
| Equifax child credit monitoring | For Family plan only | For Family plan only |
| Phishing and malware alerts | — | ✔ |
| $1 million identity theft insurance | ✔ | ✔ |
| 401(k)/HSA stolen funds reimbursement | — | Up to $1 million |
If you experience identity theft, ID Watchdog's identity theft resolution team assists you in restoring your identity. You get a dedicated specialist to help resolve your case.
The Select plan gives you and your family the essential identity and credit monitoring features. It includes $1 million in identity theft insurance to help you get reimbursement for stolen funds.
ID Watchdog Premium
While the Select plans provide basic features for identity and credit monitoring, the Premium plan offers these other features:
- Equifax and TransUnion credit report lock
- Social account monitoring
- 3-Bureau Pre-Check
- VPN and safe browsing
- Device security and online privacy
- Subprime loan block
- Password manager
- Threshold alerts
- National Provider ID alerts
- Equifax child credit lock
The Premium plans give you up to $2 million in insurance. You can also apply for reimbursements if funds are stolen from your retirement and health savings accounts.
Is ID Watchdog any good?
ID Watchdog is good for extended insurance coverage.
For $21.95/month, you get up to $2 million in insurance, which includes your retirement and health savings accounts. Most services only include $1 million in insurance.
However, ID Watchdog's family plans fall short in value, considering the expensive price ranges of ID Watchdog plans.
For family plan options that only include a second adult and up to four children, you can pay as much as $34.95/month. Other services allow you to add unlimited children to the plan.
How to Sign Up with ID Watchdog
Signing up for ID Watchdog is simple and easy. Follow these steps to sign up for a plan:
- Choose your plan here.
- Fill out your name, credit card details, address, and email.
- Accept and confirm your purchase.
Don't forget to check the box for payment authorization. ID Watchdog will automatically charge the plan fee to your card on the same day each month for monthly payments or on the same day each year for annual payments until you cancel your subscription.
Is ID Watchdog legit?
Yes, ID Watchdog is legit. It's owned by Equifax, one of the largest credit bureaus in the United States.
Since 2005, it has been recognized as one of the industry's best identity theft protection services.
The Javelin Strategy & Research has awarded ID Watchdog as an industry leader in detection and prevention, and it's also known as a leader in resolution.
Customer Ratings & Reviews
| RATINGS SOURCE | AVERAGE RATING |
|---|---|
| Google Play | 3.4 out of 5 ★ from over 100 reviews |
| App Store | 2.0 out of 5 ★ from over 100 reviews |
Identity Guard generally has low ratings, with common comments including complaints about ID Watchdog's apps and features.
According to David, the ID Watchdog lacks function and has become glitchy:
Sex offender notifications do not give a link to any report to see where these people are nor names of locations. The app has gotten more and more glitchy over the years, most likely due to the fact that the app has not been updated in almost 3 years; this is inexcusable for an insurance company. All information should be accessible via a browser AND through the app!" (David N. from a Google Play review)
On the other hand, many reviewers find ID Watchdog's features excellent. For instance, Rory praises ID Watchdog's fast alerts:
Not only will it protect your identity but it will let you know with an alert almost immediately if somebody attempts to do something with your identity or cards that are registered with it this has locked my card in under 3 seconds until I called them to let them know it was actually me making the purchase amazing job…" (Rory H. from a Google Play review)
Customer experience varies. Although ID Watchdog is associated with one of the largest credit bureaus in the U.S., it isn't a perfect service.
Equifax suffered a data breach years ago. This may have affected the confidence and reviews of many users who used ID Watchdog before its acquisition by Equifax.
No one is immune to identity theft threats, but signing up for services can set you back hundreds of dollars annually. You can start protecting your identity by being vigilant and careful with any sensitive information you share.
Customer Service
If you have any concerns, you can contact ID Watchdog by:
- Phone: 1-800-970-5182
- Email: idwatchdogcustomerservice@equifax.com
The customer care team is available 24/7, all year long.
You can cancel your ID Watchdog plan by phone by calling 800-970-5182. The customer care team is available 24/7 all year, so you can cancel anytime. Plus, you can request a refund if you choose annual payment for your plan.
How It Compares
If ID Watchdog doesn't fit your needs, there are other services you can choose from.
ID Watchdog vs Aura
Aura offers plans ranging from $13–$80/month ($10–$32/month if you pay annually). If you're looking for family options within your budget, Aura offers better packages.[6]
On top of the basic identity and credit monitoring features, Aura offers features that focus primarily on child protection online.
- Parental controls
- Safe gaming with cyberbullying alerts
- Child credit freeze support
Aura allows you to add up to 4 adults and unlimited children to your account. Each adult gets $1 million in identity theft insurance.
ID Watchdog vs Identity Guard
Identity Guard offers cheaper plans when you choose annual payments. Individual options range from $7.50–$25/month if you pay annually ($8.99–$29.99/month initially).
The Value plan offers Identity Guard's basic identity monitoring. For less than $10/month, you get data breach notifications, dark web monitoring, and high-risk transaction alerts.
Identity Guard offers family options ranging from $12.50–$33.33/month for annual payments ($14.99–39.99/month initially). You can add up to 4 other adults and unlimited children to the plan. Each adult gets $1 million in identity theft insurance.[7]
Bottom Line
ID Watchdog offers essential identity theft protection, but it's more expensive than many competitors with similar features.
ID Watchdog's Select plan primarily focuses on Equifax tracking, but it doesn't include credit monitoring for TransUnion and Experian—which are equally vulnerable to identity theft. This feature is only available to Premium customers.
No one is immune to identity theft. However, spending for services like ID Watchdog can set you back hundreds of dollars every year. If you want to protect your identity, the first step you can take is to be more vigilant with your sensitive information.
References
- ^ Equifax Equifax to Acquire ID Watchdog, a Leading Identity Protection and Resolution Services Company, Retrieved 09/03/2024
- ^ ID Watchdog. Identity Theft Insurance, Retrieved 08/17/2024
- ^ ID Watchdog. Choose your plan, Retrieved 09/03/2024
- ^ FTC. Equifax to Pay $575 Million as Part of Settlement with FTC, CFPB, and States Related to 2017 Data Breach, Retrieved 08/14/2024
- ^ ID Watchdog. Choose your plan, Retrieved 08/16/2024
- ^ Aura. Pricing, Retrieved 08/28/2024
- ^ Identity Guard. Plans, Retrieved 08/18/2024
Write to Alex Mambaje at feedback@creditdonkey.com. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for our latest posts.
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