ID Theft Assist has a partnership with Trans Union that seems to speak volumes for its ability to solve matters quickly if there is a problem with your credit report. This service places a heavy emphasis on your financial health and credibility — both before there is a problem and after. They work with government offices and legal partners to address and correct the many areas that identity theft touches. Unfortunately, it’s unclear if their services are still being offered to new members according to the website.
In a world full of start-ups, ID Theft Assist actually has the relationships to take action quickly. This is not to say that other companies don’t have effective methods, but it does say something about TransUnion’s commitment to their customers to give them a dedicated resource to continue monitoring their credit. This is done not just for the sake of keeping track of their finances but also in relationship to preventing and limiting the effects of identity theft.
The service doesn’t necessarily appeared to be offered anymore — at least not to new customers. They do have a call number on their contact page which is for Gregg Brooks at Worldwide Benefits Services, but it’s a voicemail that doesn’t exactly offer the promise of a call back anytime soon. This company is located in Louisville, KY, and the company web page for Worldwide Benefit Services does mention ID Theft Assist. However, it only refers you to the regular ID Theft Assist URL where you can’t find any type of pricing information. Clicking on Buy Now yields no information, and while they tout the importance of a 24/7 response team, the Gregg Brooks number is the only available available. Independent research unearthed the Europ Assistance USA line which does seem to work at 240-330-1000, but it’s unclear if they handle new set-ups to this numbers. It does appear though that existing cases and member services do have access to the company phone lines at all hours of the day.
They haven’t taken down the website which suggests they’re still servicing their current members, however the lack of transparency is concerning. There’s no message or text explaining the gap of information on their page. The companies that run ID Theft Assist do appear to be legitimate companies, but their lack of organization seems troublesome here.
ID Theft Assist takes a proactive approach, and then provides continued service and benefits should there be some sort of breach in your data. Here’s a comprehensive break down.
This company provides credit monitoring for all 3 major bureaus for one person, and total access to those scores at any hour of the day. You’ll also receive updates sent in regular timed intervals through email or mail. If there’s a change, you’ll receive comprehensive instructions on how to obtain the details. You can also choose to receive fewer pre-approved credit offers.
ID Theft Assist states it will perform 12 months of database monitoring at the time the incident is reported, though they don’t mention which databases they’re monitoring nor why this isn’t done consistently when you sign up with their service. They also provide a kit to explain the steps they’ve taken to correct your identity problems.
ID Theft Assist will help you complete all the paperwork or reach out themselves to law enforcement, creditors, the postal inspector and the bureaus plus update your identity theft to the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) and the Social Security Administration. They’ll help to place a fraud alert on your reports, and cancel any financial cards and checks necessary. You can expect their credit reports will be updated continuously and quickly considering it’s coming straight from Trans Union.
If you’re having trouble in getting the fraud to be taken off your account then ID Theft Assist is happy to provide a free legal consultation to you, as well as review any legal documents you may have. They can also provide discounts for an attorney, and help you prepare a victim statement so you stand a better chance at winning your case.
In case you have any language barriers or are in a different country when fraud is committed, they advertise that you can receive advice and answers in up to 26 languages. They also offer limited psychological counseling in coping with stress, and additional tips for making the right moves to avoid identity theft in the future. If there’s medical or criminal fraud committed against you, then they can also provide assistance there.
As stated, there is no pricing information. They appear to only offer the one plan with the services listed above.
The website states to call the 24 hour ID Theft Emergency Center with the number that comes with your membership information. There’s also the additional information listed for non-members.
WBS, LLC
PO Box 449,
Prospect, KY 40059
844-244-8015
There’s also the Europ Assistance USA at 240-330-1000, however this was found independently through research. There is no guarantee that you can ask about services here.
ID Theft Assist appears to be the work of the efforts of several companies: Worldwide Benefit Service, Europe USA and Affinity Care. There’s obviously something happening with the affiliates, but whether they’re restructuring or possibly going out of business is unclear. They purport to want to give the best service to their customers, and ensure they have the support they need at any hour of the day. The psychological counseling does point to this idea that they do care about people feeling like they have someone to trust throughout this process. However, it’s difficult to believe this when they can’t even update their pricing page to let you know that they’re reviewing their plans and options available (if that is even what’s happening.) Other than that, the credit bureau connection is definitely it’s strongest feature, so if they do manage to get everything squared away. This could be a good company to have on your side in the case of a credit card theft.