AARP Identity Theft Protection: What To Know Before You Buy

What Identity Theft Protection Does AARP Recommend? 

As part of its member benefits, AARP (formerly the American Association of Retired Persons) provides discounts on LifeLock identity theft protection plans and other Norton products and services.

Specifically, AARP members can get special rates on:  

• LifeLock Standard. Basic protection that includes one-bureau credit monitoring, limited identity and Social Security number (SSN) alerts, and up to $25,000 in stolen funds reimbursement. 
• LifeLock Advantage. Standard protection plus TransUnion credit lock, criminal identity theft alerts, and up to $100,000 in stolen funds reimbursement. 
• LifeLock Ultimate Plus. Advanced protection with three-bureau credit monitoring, credit reports and scores, financial account alerts, and up to $1 million in stolen funds reimbursement. 
• Norton 360 with LifeLock. Adds Norton 360’s antivirus, a virtual private network (VPN), password manager, and privacy monitor to the subscriber’s LifeLock plan of choice. 
• Norton Ultimate Help Desk. On-demand IT support and troubleshooting for devices, software, and upgrades. 

While signing up via AARP can save you money, the discounted prices aren't far off from what LifeLock offers to all of its new members. 

If you or a loved one are thinking of signing up for LifeLock as an AARP member, you’ll want to weigh whether these modest savings outweigh the limitations and issues associated with LifeLock. 

Key takeaways

• AARP promotes several discounted LifeLock plans, including options with the Norton 360 digital security add-on. 
• The cost for AARP’s special LifeLock plans ranges from $69.99 — $250.27 per year. This discounted price only applies to your first year, after which your plan cost will increase by up to 46%.
• LifeLock customers and experts have voiced concerns about the company's quality of service, complex plans, and security practices. 
• Identity Guard offers similar levels of protection, without the downsides experienced by LifeLock customers — with plans starting at just $4.49/month (when using this special discount link).

AARP Identity Theft Protection Review: What You Need To Know

First off, it’s important to note that many of the most valuable identity theft protection resources that AARP offers are entirely free. 

All members get access to the AARP's Fraud Watch Network, fraud helpline, scam-tracking map, AARP The Magazine, and a resource center to learn how to spot and recover from fraud — all at no cost. 

As for the ID theft protection plans from LifeLock, the packages offered through AARP only differ in price. 

This means AARP members can access all LifeLock plans, a positive change from the earlier and more limited package options. 

Depending on the plan you choose, these are some of the key features that could come with your LifeLock purchase:

• Identity and Social Security number (SSN) alerts 
• Identity theft insurance (coverage varies by plan)
• One- or three-bureau credit monitoring
• Crime and scam alerts (available on top plans) 
• Financial account and public record monitoring (available on top plans only)
• Optional Norton 360 digital security with antivirus, privacy monitor, and parental controls

Is LifeLock worth the cost for AARP members? AARP members can save money on LifeLock protection, but the savings and the protection may be too limited for some. Read more about whether or not LifeLock is worth it.

What Are the Downsides of Using AARP’s LifeLock Plans? 

In 2023, the FBI reported that people over the age of 50 accounted for nearly 40% of all reported cybercrime victims, with combined losses totaling more than $5 billion.

While no identity theft protection service can claim to provide flawless cybercrime or fraud prevention, the age group most vulnerable to scammers deserves the strongest protection possible. And that’s why some of LifeLock’s limitations and drawbacks are cause for concern. 

Here are a few areas where LifeLock might fall short for AARP members: 

1. High renewal costs

LifeLock offers attractive first-year prices for AARP members, but the discounts don't last. 

When it comes time to renew, membership costs could jump by nearly 50%. For AARP members with a fixed or limited income, a $100 price increase for the same service might be difficult to manage.

‍Here's what real LifeLock customers have to say on third-party review site Trustpilot: 

• "I cannot afford to pay more, not even the amount I was charged. What is a senior, on a fixed income, supposed to do?" [*]
• "You want $350 to renew that's a big chunk of [Supplemental Security Income] SSI." [*]

2. Questionable support

LifeLock offers little information about the level of support it provides to AARP members, but all memberships should come with 24/7 live member support and access to U.S.-based fraud restoration specialists. However, many members complain that the quality and location of the support are not as advertised. 

Here's what real LifeLock customers have to say on third-party review site Trustpilot: 

• "Over the years, I’ve noticed a steady decline in customer service quality, and I suspect this is a result of cost-cutting measures and offshoring. Unfortunately, what was once a dependable and accessible support system has transformed into a frustrating and inefficient experience." [*]

3. Complex plans

While the AARP LifeLock plan options seem straightforward, there are multiple different options available, each with its own pros, cons, and limitations. For example, more affordable plans don’t include three-bureau credit monitoring, and they only come with limited insurance coverage. 

There are also plans offering different levels of digital security, plans with only digital security, and plans with no digital security at all. 

‍Here's what real LifeLock customers have to say on third-party review site Trustpilot: 

• "I’ve been a Lifelock member for MANY years. I am also a senior now… not ignorant but not a yuppy tech. Maneuvering your site is a nightmare, and especially for seniors who aren’t tech whizzes." [*]
• "I am tired of receiving messages that tell me my computer is ‘at risk’ only then to discover it can be ‘fixed’ but at an extra cost. It is also increasingly confusing as to what is, and is not, or worse ‘no longer’ included in my subscription." [*]

📚 Related: Aura vs. LifeLock — What You Need To Know Before You Buy →

‍4. Limited credit protection

‍Credit protection is one of the most important tools in the fight against identity theft and financial fraud, but LifeLock offers only basic credit monitoring — with no connections to your financial institutions on all but the most expensive Ultimate Plus plan.

For example, LifeLock's standard plan provides no credit score updates and only monitors your credit at one of the major credit bureaus (TransUnion) — leaving your other credit files vulnerable. 

‍Here's what real LifeLock customers have to say on third-party review site Trustpilot: 

• "I'm a victim of identity theft. I've yet to receive any notices of someone pulling my credit report until months later." [*]
• "I had a credit inquiry on 9/13. Norton alerted me on 10/16. Not exactly timely." [*]

5. Past security Incidents

Over the years, LifeLock has faced scrutiny and massive fines over security issues, poor marketing choices, and failure to deliver on their promises to keep customers safe. 

In 2015, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ordered LifeLock to pay a $100 million settlement for falsely advertising that it protected user data [*]. In late 2022, the company informed users that a breach exposed passwords for nearly one million accounts [*].

‍Here's what security experts have said about LifeLock’s security policies:

• Security expert Brian Krebs once said the creators of LifeLock, “lacked a basic understanding of website authentication and security.” [*] 
• FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz said, “While LifeLock promised consumers complete protection against all types of identity theft, in truth, the protection it actually provided left enough holes that you could drive a truck through it.” [*]

How Does AARP Identity Theft Protection Compare to Identity Guard?

With over 80 million users, LifeLock is one of the largest identity theft protection providers in the world, but that doesn't mean it’s the best. 

In fact, there are many LifeLock alternatives that offer comparable (or better) protection without LifeLock’s drawbacks. 

Some alternative services — including Identity Guard — even offer plans at lower prices than you’d get with the available AARP discounts.

If you’re in a caregiving role, you can even sign up for Identity Guard’s family plan, which covers up to five adults and unlimited children — all on a single plan. 

Here's a brief look at how Identity Guard measures up against LifeLock’s top-priced plan for AARP members:

A feature comparison of these two plans shows that Identity Guard offers similar protection at a lower price, but that's only part of the story. 

For more than 20 years, Identity Guard has proven to be one of the industry's most trusted names — protecting over 47 million customers and resolving over 140,000 cases of identity fraud.  

The bottom line: Identity Guard gives you peace of mind, for less — Save 50% today!