Identity Guard is a company that provides protection against identity theft. Their website can be found at www.identityguard.com. On their home page they advertise “Free - 6 months of credit bureau monitoring” and “Free - credit report and score.”  

After clicking the “learn more” key, you find out that they will provide a six month trial subscription to their “Identity Guard Good Start” service which “verifies, monitors, and protects your identity.”  They further explain while they do require your credit card information; there is no obligation with this offer.  They “will NOT automatically bill you at the end of the complimentary period” unless you “choose to enhance your protection” at the end of the trial period.”   

In addition to the monitoring service you also get unlimited access online to your credit report and score, based on information from Equifax.  Their “Identity Guard Good Start” plan also includes daily monitoring of your credit to detect fraudulent activity, email alerts that notify you of changes to your file, and the assistance of their “identity theft recovery unit” in the event your identity is compromised.

If you are looking for a more comprehensive identity theft protection tool, Identity Guard also offers their “Total Protection” which is an alternative to the service they offer with the 6 month trial.  This service offers additional features and is free for 30 days and then $14.95 per month.  

The services offered by Identity Guard sound useful and the fact that there is “no obligation” with the free 6 month trial is a plus but before giving anyone your personal information, read all of the disclosures and be sure you are comfortable working with the company.