The best identity theft protection for seniors

While there are many identity theft protection services for seniors to choose from, each with varying features and prices, AARP lists LifeLock as a trusted identity theft protection provider. And if you're an AARP member, you even get a special offer when you subscribe to LifeLock services.

Why LifeLock? It includes a range of features that can help you monitor for your sensitive data appearing in places it shouldn’t (like the dark web), detect suspicious activity on your financial accounts and credit reports, and get support should the worst happen, including reimbursement of up to $3 million for stolen funds, legal costs, and personal expenses.

Why do seniors need identity theft protection?

Seniors have always been a target of identity theft but new technology is making it more difficult than ever to stay safe. Scammers can use AI tools to create new, more sophisticated scams on your phone, computer, and social media pages, and as many as 15,000 seniors may become victims every day.

This new wave of AI scams often involves the use of deepfakes, which are realistic voice and video clones of people you know. And studies have found that seniors are the least likely age group to recognize deepfake scams. In fact, nearly 40% of people aged 65+ had never even heard of deepfakes before the study took place.

But even tech-savvy seniors are at risk. Scammers often target seniors not because of gullibility, but because older adults are more likely to have access to money in retirement accounts, savings, and Social Security benefits. It’s not necessarily that seniors are easier targets — it’s that they’re often more valuable ones!

And, sometimes, seniors might not even get the chance to spot a scam. Frequent data leaks and breaches can expose sensitive data that companies have, meaning that identity theft can happen even if potential victims have done everything they can to keep their info secure.

Key features to look for in identity theft protection for seniors

Identity protection services have different features that can impact both the price and your protection level. Understanding these features can help you choose a product that suits you best. Here’s more detail on some of the most important identity theft protection features for seniors:

• Extensive monitoring: More monitoring of your personal and financial info means you’re more likely to catch (and potentially prevent) fraud. LifeLock offers an unmatched detection and alert system, with the broadest volume of alerts all in one place. It can help you detect suspicious account activity that might signify credit card fraud, Social Security fraud, or medical identity theft so you can take action to defend your identity.
• Fraud alerts: Over 81 million LifeLock identity theft protection alerts and notifications were sent in 2024 alone. If signs of identity theft are detected in one of your accounts, you need to know, too. LifeLock can help you spot them with timely alerts.
• Reimbursement: Falling victim to identity theft can be costly, with stolen funds, legal fees, and other expenses turning your financial health upside down. Identity theft insurance, or similar reimbursement features, can help cover these expenses. LifeLock offers reimbursement of up to $3m with LifeLock Ultimate Plus, split equally between legal costs, stolen funds, and personal expenses following identity theft.
• Guaranteed restoration: We’re so confident in our identity monitoring and restoration help that we offer a 100% restoration guarantee. If you fall victim to identity theft and we can’t reinstate your identity to good standing, you’ll get up to 12 months of your subscription price back.
• 401(k) and investment account monitoring: Most retirees rely on 401(k) and investment accounts for financial security throughout the golden years. This alone may make you a more attractive target for scammers, but LifeLock Ultimate Plus offers investment account monitoring for greater peace of mind that you’ll be able to catch someone trying to steal your money.
• Home title monitoring: If you own property, you may be vulnerable to deed theft which happens when a scammer illegally transfers your property title into their name. Home title theft can be financially devastating and complex to resolve, but LifeLock Ultimate Plus offers home title monitoring that can alert you to threats.
• AARP discount access: AARP members qualify for a special deal on LifeLock, getting up to 44% off. And, as one of AARP’s trusted providers, you can be sure that LifeLock is a secure and senior-friendly service. This is important because many online elderly scams involve scammers masquerading as legitimate services.
• 24/7 customer support from real people: If you prefer speaking to a real person, not a machine, the best identity theft protection service for you will offer an easy way to get live support. All LifeLock members get access to 24/7 customer support phone lines and U.S.-based identity restoration specialists so, if you receive an alert or have a problem, someone will be there to walk you through what to do on the phone.
• Ease of use: Identity theft protection services often come with apps for your phone or computer, but they’re not always easy to use. LifeLock has a simple interface with large text and easy-to-read icons, making it easy to check for alerts and view the status of monitored accounts.
• Family plan: The best identity theft protection service should offer a plan for the whole family, should you need one. These plans allow you to affordably cover a spouse and children, even if they don’t live under the same roof.

Why is LifeLock the best ID theft protection for seniors?

Lifelock is the best choice of identity theft protection for seniors because it combines comprehensive monitoring with industry-leading customer support and the highest total identity theft reimbursement package of up to $3 million on LifeLock Ultimate Plus.

LifeLock is the #1 customer-rated identity theft protection service for a reason, trusted by millions. Security.org gave LifeLock the highest rating for identity theft protection service for seniors, beating out other options including Aura and Identity Guard. Security.org says LifeLock is the “clear choice for those 50 or older,” especially when combined with the AARP discounts.

Our easy-to-use service monitors hundreds of millions of data points per second, with different plans offering monitoring coverage across investment and 401(k) accounts, credit reports from the three credit bureaus, home titles, the dark web, social media accounts, and public “people-search” databases.

If we detect suspicious activity, we’ll send you an alert so you can take action to mitigate any damage and theft. And should you need assistance, our 24/7 customer support line and U.S.-based restoration specialists will be available to help you take the next steps.

There are other identity theft protection services out there, but LifeLock has the highest customer rating on Trustpilot with an average rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars from over 9,000 real customer reviews.

Here’s what a few of our customers* have to say about why they trust LifeLock:

Comprehensive monitoring

The internet is a very big place for exposed data to hide, and your sensitive information might be vulnerable across various websites and databases. LifeLock’s comprehensive monitoring is like a searchlight illuminating every corner of the internet and dark web to find your data where it’s most at risk. If we spot your data somewhere it doesn’t belong, you’ll receive an alert so you can take action to protect your identity.

LifeLock’s monitoring features don’t stop at searching for your personal information online, though. You’ll also benefit from active monitoring of your credit reports and key financial accounts, so you can detect potential signs of fraud or identity theft.

These are some of the monitoring features included in LifeLock Ultimate Plus, our most comprehensive identity theft protection plan:

• Investment and 401(k) account monitoring
• Savings and checking account alerts
• Identity verification monitoring
• Financial activity monitoring
• Home title monitoring
• Three bureau credit monitoring
• Social Security number alerts
• Data breach monitoring
• Dark web monitoring
• Privacy monitoring
• Social media monitoring
• Phone takeover monitoring

Robust alert system

Having a LifeLock subscription is like having a professional security team monitoring your digital life at all times, and the built-in alert system helps you take action if you’re targeted by a scammer, fraudster, or identity thief.

If we detect suspicious account activity or find your sensitive information on the web, you’ll receive a notification to your phone or email account. That’s the nudge you need to take steps to prevent the incident spiraling into a serious case of identity theft, like changing your passwords, calling your bank, or contacting the credit bureaus to request a credit freeze.

You may even hear directly from a LifeLock representative over the phone if we detect irregular activity like a large purchase or loan application, with one of our customer support agents there to personally verify whether the activity was legitimate.

AARP discounts

LifeLock is the only identity theft protection service available at a reduced price for seniors through AARP. The exclusive AARP discount cuts the cost of membership by up to 44%, making the best identity theft protection service more accessible to seniors.

LifeLock offers AARP discounts* at every tier of service:

Seniors are recommended to choose LifeLock Ultimate Plus, the most comprehensive package. As the most at-risk group for identity theft, seniors require robust monitoring and customer support. LifeLock Ultimate Plus includes features that seniors might find particularly valuable, like investment and 401(k) account monitoring, three bureau credit monitoring, and home title monitoring.

It also provides the highest individual reimbursement limit of any identity theft protection service — a total of $3 million to cover lost funds, legal expenses, and associated personal expenses following identity theft.

Join LifeLock Ultimate Plus today for advanced monitoring and protection that can help you defend against the risks of fraud and identity theft.

Identity restoration support

If your identity is stolen, navigating the process of restoring your funds, credit, and reputation by yourself can be incredibly complex. There’s no greater peace of mind during a crisis than having an expert on your side. As a LifeLock member, you’ll get personal support from a U.S.-based identity restoration specialists if you suffer identity theft.

When you’re personally required to take actions, such as filing fraud reports or informing Medicare of false claims, your representative will be there to guide you every step of the way to ensure you do it correctly. Restoring your identity alone is an uphill battle. With LifeLock, it’s as simple as calling a specialist.

Million Dollar Protection Package

Seniors lose over $3 billion per year to fraud, according to the FBI, and elder fraud remains a growing problem. AARP’s director of fraud prevention programs reports that fraud is experiencing “seismic growth,” and “the impact on older adults is often catastrophic.”

Identity theft coverage is essential for seniors who want to mitigate the risk of losing the money they’ve saved and invested throughout their life. Fortunately, all LifeLock members benefit from LifeLock’s leading identity theft reimbursement packages.

The Million Dollar Protection Package provides up to $1m in coverage for lawyers and experts across all plans, along with varying levels of reimbursement for stolen funds or personal expenses across different LifeLock plans.

LifeLock’s coverage increases with every tier, with LifeLock Ultimate Plus customers receiving up to $3m in total coverage, the highest available from any identity theft protection service. LifeLock Ultimate Plus can give seniors with up to $1m in assets, investments, and savings peace of mind that they’re covered against financial losses following identity theft.

24/7 customer support

If you receive an alert and have questions about your financial security, you don’t want to be kept waiting. LifeLock’s 24/7 support allows you to contact a real human at any hour. Whether you have questions about your account, an alert, or want to know how to better safeguard your identity, a LifeLock representative is ready to help you. In fact, kind and patient customer service is one of LifeLock’s strong points.

Here’s what customers say about LifeLock’s 24/7 support:

Security and privacy feature options

Seniors who wish to improve their online security with industry-leading antivirus and scam protection tools can invest in an all-in-one cybersafety package, getting additional cybersecurity features that bolster LifeLock’s outstanding identity theft protection.

Norton security tools can help you protect your devices (computers, phones, tablets, etc.) from digital threats like viruses and malware. These threats are commonly used by scammers hoping to steal sensitive information directly from your devices.

Not everybody wants cybersecurity features but, unlike Aura and some other identity theft protection services, LifeLock gives you the choice to bundle your identity and device protection into one service — it’s not an obligation.

Other identity theft protection services

LifeLock is a top-recommended identity theft protection service for seniors by third-party reviewers like Security.org. But, it’s not the only service out there. Here are some other identity theft protection services to choose from:

• Aura: Aura is a platform that bundles basic identity theft protection features with some digital security tools. While it offers some of the features you can expect from an identity protection service, it doesn’t match LifeLock’s $3 million reimbursement package, misses key monitoring coverage like social media, phone takeover, and utility account monitoring, and has a lower customer rating on Trustpilot.
• Identity Guard: Identity Guard offers more basic identity theft protection services at a lower price. However, the entry-level plan misses some critical features, like credit monitoring, and LifeLock is more affordable for seniors who take advantage of the AARP discount.
• IdentityForce: IdentityForce is a TransUnion product that offers identity theft protection features. However, it has received some criticism for its customer service, resulting in a customer review average of just 1 out of 5 stars from the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
• ID Watchdog: ID Watchdog offers basic identity theft protection services and additional protection against subprime loans. It also includes some digital security features, such as malware alerts.
• IDShield: IDShield bundles identity theft protection with some digital security and anti-spam tools. It offers comprehensive monitoring, but isn’t as user-friendly as LifeLock, according to Security.org.

Protect your identity with LifeLock

Choosing the right identity theft protection can make the difference between a close call and a disaster. Remember, identity theft isn’t always a result of falling for a scam — your data can be exposed by a data leak or breach that’s not connected to your actions. Either way, LifeLock can help.

With features like credit monitoring, dark web monitoring, 401(k) alerts, U.S.-based restoration support, and up to $3m in potential identity theft reimbursement per covered adult, LifeLock is the obvious choice for identity theft protection for seniors.

FAQs

Why are seniors frequent targets for scams and identity theft?

Scammers may target seniors because they tend to have greater wealth and are potentially less familiar with the newest digital threats. In other words, scammers might see older people as easier and more lucrative identity theft targets. Of course, this isn’t true of all seniors, since the knowledge needed to identify scammers is becoming more widespread. However, statistics confirm that seniors are still the most targeted group and suffer the most losses from fraud.

What are the most common scams that affect the elderly?

Some of the most common scams affecting seniors today are:

• Imposter scams: These scams often occur over the phone or via email. They happen when fraudsters impersonate people you trust, such as Medicare or IRS agents. They may also impersonate businesses like Amazon or even charities.
• Online shopping scams: Fake websites, credit card scams, and bait-and-switch schemes are ways that seniors get scammed while shopping online. Scammers often advertise products on social media and lure their victims to unsafe websites.
• Investment scams: Scammers attract seniors with too-good-to-be-true investment opportunities. These scams hit seniors the hardest. Victims in their 70s reported losing a median of $20,000 to investment scams.

What identity theft protection does AARP recommend?

AARP doesn’t explicitly recommend an identity theft protection service. However, AARP lists LifeLock as a trusted provider in the identity theft category, and offers discounts to its members. AARP Members can save up to 44% on a LifeLock subscription.

What makes LifeLock Ultimate Plus ideal for seniors?

LifeLock Ultimate Plus is ideal for seniors thanks to its comprehensive monitoring, U.S.-based customer service, and leading identity theft reimbursement ($3m in coverage for each adult on a plan). LifeLock offers senior-focused features, such as Social Security monitoring, investment and 401(k) monitoring, home title monitoring, and phone takeover monitoring. LifeLock is also the only identity theft protection service available at a discounted price for AARP members.