AARP Identity Theft Protection Review: Is It Worth It?

Is AARP’s Identity Theft Protection Enough To Keep You Safe?

Identity theft and fraud are growing problems for America’s older population. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), more than half of all fraud victims last year were over the age of 50 [*].

With more than 38 million members across the United States, the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) is the largest interest group focused on protecting older Americans. 

One of the benefits of being an AARP member is access to a special discounted version of LifeLock with Norton 360’s identity theft protection [*]. 

But while AARP’s identity theft protection looks like a good deal, it comes with serious limitations that could put you at risk of identity theft and fraud.

In this guide, we’ll review AARP’s special LifeLock plan, its key features, pros and cons, and how it stacks up against other identity theft protection options available.

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AARP Identity Theft Protection Review: Best Features and How Much It Costs

AARP Identity Theft Protection offers protection against financial fraud, identity theft, malware and other viruses, and more for AARP members.

AARP’s protection is provided through a special LifeLock with Norton 360 plan that includes many – but not all – of the features to which regular LifeLock customers have access.

All AARP members and non-members have access to free resources on the official www.AARP.org website, such as the AARP fraud watch network.  

AARP Identity Theft Protection paid plans include member benefits, such as:

• LifeLock Identity Alert system. AARP uses LifeLock’s identity theft protection engine to alert you if your Social Security number (SSN), name, address, or date of birth are used in some credit or service applications or leaked to the Dark Web.
• Credit monitoring (one bureau only). All AARP plans monitor your credit report with just one of the three major bureaus – Equifax. You also get a free copy of your annual credit report and regular credit score updates (Equifax only).
• Privacy Monitor. LifeLock’s Privacy Monitor helps reduce exposure of your personal information. It does this by scanning the web and common people-search websites to find your personal information and help you to manually opt out.
• Antivirus and VPN. Members also get access to Norton 360’s antivirus protection as well as a secure virtual private network (VPN), password manager, and more digital security tools.
• Parental controls. LifeLock’s parental control features powered by Norton 360 allow you to monitor the apps and websites your children visit and block any that might be unsafe or leave them vulnerable to scams and fraud.
• Bank and credit card activity alerts. AARP helps protect your finances against scammers by sending alerts that notify you of cash withdrawals, balance transfers, and large purchases.
• Up to $1 million in identity theft insurance. If you fall victim to identity theft, LifeLock will cover up to $1 million for lawyers and experts. Stolen funds and expense reimbursements differ based on your plan ($25,000 on Select plans and up to $1 million on Ultimate Plus plans).

Since AARP essentially offers a discounted version of LifeLock to its customers, its plans and pricing follow the same pattern as LifeLock. (AARP members can also get a discount on Norton 360 security plans — without identity protection [*]).

While the Select plan offers basic identity theft protection and credit monitoring, to compare AARP’s plans against some of the best identity theft protection services out there, you’d need to opt for the most expensive Ultimate Plus plan.

Here’s a breakdown of AARP LifeLock’s plans as of February 2024:

Note: Beware of LifeLock’s sky-high renewal rates. AARP plan renewal prices are up to 50% higher after your first year. For example, an Ultimate Plus plan for families costs $44.99/month in the first year, but $81.99/month after that.

Who Can Benefit the Most From AARP’s Identity Theft Protection?

Compared to other identity theft protection services, AARP Identity Theft Protection provided by LifeLock offers less credit protection but a wider array of digital security tools (through its partnership with Norton 360).

You should consider choosing LifeLock if:

• You trust LifeLock to protect your identity. LifeLock has been a trusted name in identity theft protection for years, but the company is not without its faults. For example, a recent data breach exposed the personal information and passwords of over 6,500 LifeLock customers [*] while the FTC previously fined the company over $100 million for failing to properly secure customer data [*].
• You’re willing to monitor your credit manually at Experian and TransUnion. AARP only offers one-bureau credit monitoring with Equifax, regardless of which plan you choose. Without three-bureau credit monitoring, you can miss errors that might only appear on one report. So if you want comprehensive credit protection, you’ll need to monitor your reports manually with both Experian and TransUnion.
• You want access to Norton’s antivirus and device security tools. AARP LifeLock plans come equipped with Norton 360 – meaning you get access to antivirus and malware protection, a password manager, cloud backup, VPN, and more. 

The bottom line: AARP relies on LifeLock’s brand name and reputation to protect its members. However, LifeLock isn’t the only — or best — identity theft protection option available in 2024.

AARP Identity Theft Protection Main Features and Pros & Cons

AARP (and LifeLock) make bold claims about the level of protection offered to members. However, there are some serious limitations you need to consider before choosing to trust AARP identity theft protection.

Now, we’ll dive into each of LifeLock’s key features offered to AARP members:

LifeLock’s Identity Alert system

Every identity theft protection provider monitors your personal data and alerts you if it’s been leaked or is potentially being used by scammers. 

LifeLock’s Identity Alert system monitors many of the places where your personal information may show up — alerting you so that you can shut down scammers before they can do too much damage.

How AARP and LifeLock protect your identity:

• SSN and personal information tracking. LifeLock scours the web for fraudulent use of your SSN, name, address, and date of birth. If your information is discovered, you’ll be alerted via text, email, or phone.
• Data breach notifications. On the Advantage and Ultimate Plus plans, LifeLock lets you know about large-scale breaches in which your personal information may have been compromised. This gives you time to secure your identity and accounts before a hacker can take hold.
• Dark Web scanning. LifeLock checks to see if your information is at risk on the Dark Web, and will send you an alert if something is found.
• Privacy Monitor. LifeLock can show you which people-search websites have your information and how you can opt out or manually remove it.

Is AARP’s identity monitoring worth it? AARP Identity Theft Protection uses LifeLock’s Identity Alert system, which is comparable in value to other identity protection services.

Credit monitoring, scores, and reports

Credit monitoring tools monitor your credit reports with the three major credit bureaus to alert you quickly if a scammer applies for new credit under your name. While you can order free credit reports from AnnualCreditReport.com, credit monitoring tools should alert you more quickly to changes or potential fraud.

How AARP and LifeLock protect your credit:

• One-bureau credit monitoring. AARP’s special LifeLock plan only offers credit monitoring through Equifax. This can leave you vulnerable to fraud with the other two major credit bureaus (TransUnion and Experian).
• Identity Lock. With Identity Lock, you’ll be able to easily lock and unlock your TransUnion credit file with just a click. This feature is only available on the Advantage and Ultimate Plus plans. It’s important to note that you can lock your credit file yourself without this feature — all you need to do is contact TransUnion or visit its website.

Is AARP’s credit monitoring worth it? AARP’s one-bureau monitoring falls short compared to other identity protection options. AARP can leave you vulnerable if you miss a new inquiry that shows up on your TransUnion or Experian credit reports, while every Aura plan comes with three-bureau credit scores and monitoring.

Identity theft insurance and restoration services

If you fall victim to a common scam and don’t have identity theft insurance, you could lose money in your bank account, investments, or retirement accounts. Without insurance, these funds are likely irrecoverable. The best identity protection providers offer coverage for stolen funds as well as legal support.

How AARP and LifeLock protect you with insurance:

• $1 million legal support coverage. LifeLock covers up to $1 million total in fees for lawyers and expert support if you become the victim of identity theft while subscribed to one of its plans.
• $25,000 to $1 million in stolen funds and personal expenses compensation. The Select plan starts out at just $25,000 for stolen funds and personal expenses compensation in the event of identity theft.
• Identity restoration services. LifeLock’s U.S.-based team of fraud resolution specialists can offer advice and assistance with contacting your bank and other financial institutions if you’ve been the victim of fraud.

Is AARP’s identity theft insurance worth it? One of the biggest topics of complaint cited on third-party review site Trustpilot is LifeLock’s customer support [*]. LifeLock users have reported long hold times, lack of resolution, and severe communication issues. AARP’s insurance policy also falls short when compared to other options such as Aura that offer at least $1 million in stolen funds and expense reimbursement on all plans.

Digital security for your devices and data

Digital security tools can help protect your devices and identity as you browse the internet, shop online, or use public Wi-Fi. AARP LifeLock plans come equipped with Norton 360 digital security tools to protect your devices and all of the personal information stored on them.

How AARP and LifeLock protect you with digital security:

• Antivirus software. AARP Identity Theft Protection is partnered with Norton 360, which is primarily known for its antivirus software. This is included with all special LifeLock plans for AARP members.
• Smart firewall. Norton 360’s Smart firewall monitors communications between your computer and other devices on the internet to block unauthorized traffic.
• VPN. LifeLock includes a secure virtual private network (VPN) with all of its AARP plans. A VPN masks your IP address when you’re using public Wi-Fi so that it can’t be intercepted by hackers.

Is AARP’s digital security worth it? Regular LifeLock customers have to purchase Norton 360 as an add-on to their plans for over $30 extra per month — but if you’re an AARP member, this service will be bundled into your regular subscription.

Parental controls and family protection

Child identity theft is on the rise, and one of the best ways to protect your family is by monitoring your children’s devices. Not only can parental controls help you defend against identity thieves — these controls can also allow you to monitor activities like screen time usage that affect your child’s overall well-being.

How AARP and LifeLock help to protect your children:

• Child identity and SSN alerts. LifeLock will alert you if your child’s SSN is used to try and open new accounts or take out credit.
• Web and app supervision. With parental controls, you can monitor the apps and websites that your children visit — and block any that you feel are inappropriate, unsafe, or potentially leave them vulnerable to ID theft.

Is AARP’s parental control worth it? Compared to Aura, AARP’s family plans are expensive and confusing to understand, and provide limited parental control features.

What Are the Downsides of Using AARP Identity Theft Protection?

No identity protection service is perfect — and AARP Identity Theft Protection is no exception. 

Consider these downsides before deciding whether AARP (LifeLock) is worth it for you:

• Security and privacy concerns from LifeLock. As a company, LifeLock has faced backlash in recent years over security breaches, failure to secure customer data, and questionable choices (such as auto-installing cryptocurrency mining software on customers’ devices).
• Sky-high renewal rates after your first year. While LifeLock offers first-year promotional pricing that may seem like a steal, keep in mind that these plans increase by 30—50+% upon renewal.
• Only one-bureau credit monitoring. AARP Identity Theft Protection only monitors your Equifax credit file. Unless you check TransUnion and Experian manually, you could be left vulnerable to identity theft and fraud.
• Limited insurance coverage (compared to other services). On the Standard plan, for instance, you get up to $1 million in coverage for legal fees, but only $25,000 in stolen funds reimbursement. If more than that amount is stolen, you could be left on the hook.
• No automatic data broker opt-outs. LifeLock’s Privacy Monitor can help you locate your personal information on data broker sites. However, the tool doesn’t automatically opt you out of these sites — it only shows you how to manually remove the information yourself.

Why You Should Consider Aura as an AARP Alternative

Although LifeLock is a trusted brand name, there are plenty of AARP and LifeLock alternatives that offer similar or even better protection — with fewer downsides.

While Aura is still a relatively new name in the digital security market, it has already been rated #1 by Money.com, TechRadar, USNews.com, and others for its comprehensive approach to identity protection.

With Aura, every plan comes with award-winning identity theft protection, three-bureau credit monitoring with the industry’s fastest fraud alerts, 24/7 access to U.S.-based White Glove Fraud Resolution Specialists, AI-powered digital security and scam protection tools, and up to $5 million in identity theft insurance coverage. 

Here’s how Aura stacks up against AARP’s Identity Theft Protection plans:

The bottom line is that Aura is a more comprehensive solution for individuals and families — offered at a much more affordable price point.

Here’s why you should choose Aura instead of AARP:

• Faster fraud alerts. Aura not only monitors your credit and financial accounts — it will also alert you to credit and identity fraud or suspicious activity faster than any other service. According to a 2022 mystery shopper survey, Aura’s credit and fraud prevention alerts were up to 250x faster than competitors³.
• AI-powered digital security features. Aura’s Call Assistant screens your incoming calls and texts, and filters out spam or scam messages so that they never reach you.
• Better support (that’s available when you need it). Aura’s 24/7 helpline gives you access to U.S.-based White Glove Fraud Resolution Specialists whenever you need them.
• More comprehensive family protection with more insurance coverage. Aura is a cost-effective solution for safeguarding your whole family. Not only does Aura’s protection extend to children — elderly family members and other loved ones who live in separate households can be included on your Aura plan. 
• Better value for more features. While Aura and AARP appear to offer similar value for their services, you’ll find that Aura’s features give you more bang for your buck. For example, Aura includes three-bureau credit monitoring on all plans, while AARP only offers one-bureau monitoring.‍
• Transparent pricing and no increased renewal rates. With Aura, you'll know exactly what you’re getting with each plan, and you don’t have to worry about price hikes after your first year.

How to cancel your AARP (LifeLock) Identity Theft Protection plan

If you’re on a monthly LifeLock plan, you’ll be able to cancel your plan at any time and avoid being charged for future months.

Here’s how to cancel AARP (LifeLock) Identity Theft Protection:

• Visit my.norton.com to cancel your services.
• Contact the Member Services & Support phone number at 844-488-4540 and ask to cancel your services.

If you’re on an annual LifeLock plan and choose to cancel your services, you’ll only be eligible for a refund if the cancellation was requested within 60 days of the original purchase date.

The Bottom Line: AARP and LifeLock Can Leave You Vulnerable

The LifeLock plans endorsed by AARP offer decent levels of protection for most people, but lack essential features, like three-bureau credit monitoring, that can leave you vulnerable to fraud. Plus, with renewal prices jumping by as much as 50% after your first year, there are better deals out there offering superior security and safety.

For more comprehensive protection and no surprise price hikes, consider Aura. 

Aura offers award-winning identity theft protection, three-bureau credit monitoring on all plans, the industry’s fastest fraud alerts, acclaimed 24/7 White Glove Fraud Resolution support, and up to $5 million in identity theft insurance.

Get award-winning protection against fraud and scams. Try Aura free for 14 days.