Is LifeLock worth it for a college student?

Back-to-school shopping lists, even for college students, tend to focus on education essentials: textbooks, laptops, backpacks and laptop bags, and dorm essentials. But having the right tools to protect your identity is just as key as making sure you’ve got the right textbooks and software.

While VPNs and antivirus software are pretty common these days, there is one piece of security tech that probably doesn’t often make your back to school list. Identity theft protection, credit score protection, and dark web monitoring aren’t covered by a standard antivirus, and that’s where an identity theft protection service like LifeLock steps in. And before you think you don’t need identity protection, college students are at a much higher risk for identity theft.

In order to hit the ground running on your career once you get your diploma, you’ll want to make sure your identity and finances stay safe.

How does LifeLock prevent identity theft for a college student?

The default purpose of a service like LifeLock is to protect your identity from being stolen and used for fraudulent purposes like creating additional bank accounts and opening new credit cards, as well as accessing your existing banking and credit accounts.

While keeping a secure password and not clicking on suspicious links are still key parts of internet safety, there are plenty of ways for scammers to gain access to your accounts through data leaks, network vulnerabilities, and sophisticated phishing attacks that are much harder to spot, and that leaves your personal information and very identity at greater risk.

Since college students are also at greater risk for identity theft due to first-time bank accounts, student loans, shared dorm internet networks, and financial independence, that makes identity theft protection even more important.

Not only does a good identity theft protection service monitor for suspicious activity using your credentials, but it can also detect scams before hackers gain access to your accounts and information.

If your information is stolen, a service like LifeLock can even reimburse you for money lost to a scam, as well as personal expenses like lawyer fees.

How does LifeLock protect your credit score as a college student?

One way to prepare yourself for graduation is getting a good credit score.

From renting an apartment to leasing a car, plenty of major life milestones after you get your diploma involve having good credit. And the only way to get good credit is to use a credit card responsibly. Easy enough.

But if your credit card or banking information is stolen, your credit score may take a massive hit. This is far worse when starting out on your credit journey, because overdraft fees or massive bills have a much stronger impact when weighed against a smaller credit history.

Identity protection and financial monitoring are two major factors in keeping your fledgling credit score in good shape. So if you’re looking to move off-campus or out of your parents house sometime soon, it may be worth the extra cost to have peace of mind about your finances.

A good identity protection service like LifeLock uses a three-bureau credit monitoring system to ensure your credit score reflects your own habits, and not anyone else’s.

How does LifeLock limit dark web exposure?

One of the less common features of a good identity theft protection service is dark web monitoring.

Plenty of secrets are sold on the dark web, and that includes personal information like credit card info, emails, phone numbers, login credentials, and even social security numbers. While traditional scams and security threats are bad enough, your personal data appearing on the dark web opens you up to even more malicious attacks and worse consequences.

Getting a threat detection service that monitors the dark web can help protect far better than a simple password manager or antivirus software. After all, over 120 different types of data can be shared on the dark web, so picking up an extra layer of security tech that offers continuous dark web scanning with alerts and next-step guidance can keep your identity, credit score, and personal information secured.

Is LifeLock worth the cost for a college student?

From protecting your identity and credit score to protecting your personal data from dark web exposure, adding extra layers of identity theft protection to your shopping list isn’t a bad idea.

And if you’re wondering about costs, identity protection is actually pretty cheap. LifeLock’s Core plan costs $12.49 if you pay month-to-month, or $124.99 if you pay annually (only $10.42 a month!). It costs less than two iced lattes per month, and it gets you over $1 million in identity theft insurance.

Rather than leave your future to chance, paying a small fee every month or year for a service like LifeLock to keep your identity and finances safe is well worth it.