The billboard and newspaper ads showing the CEO of Lifelock Todd Davis proudly revealing his social security number to America as a show of trust in the service his company offers has been revealed as the great Lifelock Com scam.
As a piece of marketing it was pure genius and has worked better than Todd Davis could have dared to dream when the idea for the ad was first put to him. Based on that ad campaign over 1 million Americans now gladly pay Lifelock $10 a month to protect their own identity the way it protects Todd Davis’s but there’s one small problem………
The Great Lifelock Com Scam
A lawyer who represents several disgruntled Lifelock consumers has been doing a little digging and discovered at least 20 cases of drivers licenses being issued to people using Todd Davis’s social security number as well as some guy in Texas who was able to take out a $500 payday loan in his name thanks to the infamous SSN.
Attorney David Paris who first did the background check on Todd Davis said:
“The company [Lifelock] is lining its coffers with somewhere in the arena of $100 million a year by selling a level of identity theft protection that it simply cannot provide.”
So far 5 lawsuits have been filed in what is becoming known as “The great Lifelock com scam” among security experts and class action status is being sought in all cases.
It’s not just Lifelock customers and class action lawyers who aren’t happy with the Lifelock com advertising either, state agencies in both New York and Montana are investigating the Lifelock advertising campaign.
What About That Famous $1 Million Guarantee?
LifeLock is also being sued in Arizona over its $1 million service guarantee, which the plaintiffs sa
y is misleading because it only covers you if there is a defect in LifeLock’s service.
This means that should a bank or payday loan company not check with a credit bereau or if they do but choose to ignore the fraud alert (this often happens as it slows down the process as was the case with Davis’s bogus payday loan) that Lifelock placed on your file, Lifelock are not responsible because it’s not their fault.
Ignoring the gaping hole in the guarantee for a minute it should be pretty obvious to most that while calling it the great Lifelock scam may be a little harsh, there are some serious problems with their service and the way they are promoting it.
Placing a fraud alert against your name and removing you from mail lists is NOT identity theft protection and by the way, both can be done for free with a phone call. A fraud alert will not protect you if someone is arrested and gives your name and SSN. It won’t help you if someone uses your SSN and good name to apply for a job and then robs their new boss. It won’t help you when someone uses your name to get medical services and it won’t help you if the loan company choose to ignore it!
Of course you may like the idea of having Lifelock take care of placing fraud alerts for you and feel the fee is worth it and that’s ok too. Just be aware when you are checking out their website that paying Lifelock $10 a month does not and cannot guarantee you get full identity theft protection.
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I wanted to chime in and tell you that LifeLock also stores the sensitive personal information of all their customers on their server in a database plus their employees have access to it as well. Even though they have security we all know that NO website is safe from hacker attacks, data breaches, etc. Their business model is seriously flawed. Yes, the things they do for you any individual can do for themselves but hardly anyone knows where to go to get the job done, credit freezes are not recommended as it makes it harder to get credit etc. The solution is “SECRECY.”
I believe our company has created that solution for every american that wishes to LOCKDOWN their ID. We have actual services that enable and empower the consumer to thwart identity theives while continually locking down their data, extracting their information from databases online and offline to ultimately achieve a “classified” status. Just like the government has classified documents that you and I cannot see so should every individual be empower with “SECRECY” regarding their ID. LockDownMyID.com assists individuals to do just that.
We DO NOT store your sensitive personal info (credit card, drivers license, soc sec number)
We invite you and others to check us out and decide for yourself.
Sincerely,
Anthony Tomei - Vice President
LockDown MY ID LLC
http://www.lockdownmyid.com
Comment by LifeLock — July 3, 2008 @ 3:53 pm
Why don’t you inform readers how to prevent identity theft for free?
Comment by Cathy Navo — July 9, 2008 @ 9:59 pm
I’m a Lifelock customer and I am aware of the fact that Lifelock’s services can be done by myself for free. I am also aware that I can cut my own grass and plow by own driveway for free. I choose not to. Mind your own business.
Comment by Michael Sean — July 14, 2008 @ 4:30 am
Not to mention that Lifelock is a Rush Limbaugh sponsor, who is a criminal and a drug addict. Sure makes sense that a company that supports a known criminal is on Rush’s front page. Shame on Lifelock for supporting an anti-american RACIST.
Comment by whatever — January 28, 2009 @ 8:15 pm
I called Lifelock and asked: “If I lose $100,000 through fraud and the bank refuses to make good, I understand the Lifelock will pay legal fees. BUT, if the bank stonewalls forever, will Lifelock give me my $100,000?”
The answer is NO!
Comment by Sid Hecker — March 3, 2009 @ 3:38 pm
Thank you “whatever” Because LifeLock is a Rush Limbaugh sponsor and you are obviously a pony tailed, rat infested, dope smoking, despicable, living in mommy’s basement, thirty year old, gimme-gimme liberal activist your disapproval made my mind up. I am signing up with lifelock, right now! Just to piss you off.
Comment by Brian G — March 20, 2009 @ 4:15 am
Let me see….a campaign orchestrated by George Soros lackeys against Lifelock simply because the company chose to advertize on the Rush Limbaugh Radio Show? And Rush is a racisthomophobenazifascistdrugaddictfatpig and he’s a meany.
The “class action lawsuits” are typical “shout ‘em down” ACORN stuff designed to harrass anyone and everyone who is even peripherally connected to a philosophically conservative position. Lifelock’s service is not a Universal Chastity Belt for our granddaughters or a Safe Conduct Pass to not slip in the bathtub.
I live and work for much of the year in Mexico, and travel in remote places where there is a bit of communication lag. For 10 bucks this substantial piece of tough leather gives me a good patch on my security exposure. And, like the fellow says, I like gardening and mowing my own yard…but if I chose to pay someone to do it….I shall. Fidel is not dead yet….so Number Four is still not in charge of who mows my yard or to whom I listen on the radio.
Comment by David Christian Newton — March 26, 2009 @ 1:44 pm
These guys are as much of a scam as identity thieves themselves. A half hour on the phone with their member services department proved that to me. I had my info stolen and someone fraudulently signed up a LifeLock account in my name (ironic, no?). These guys wouldn’t lift a finger to help me out, it was obvious that they could care less, they got their money and were happy.
Everyone, just so you know, all they do is sign up for that 90 credit fraud alert for you every 90 days. They sign you up with their phone number and then call you if they get a call. Guess what? You can just sign up your own phone number and get the exact same service for free. Just add a recurring event to your Google Calendar to fill out the online form quarterly and you’re done. Not only is this cheaper, but you don’t have to give all of your confidential info (e.g. SSN) to a bunch of scammers (e.g. LifeLock).
Comment by David M. — May 9, 2009 @ 2:28 pm
I am on my second year of membership and so far I am satisfied. Last year when my wife changed her cell provider she got a call from Lifelock while in the store to vertify that it was her who was attempting to sign up for cell service. That alone was worth the $10 per month.
Comment by Chris C. — June 18, 2009 @ 3:22 pm