Wells Fargo Identity Theft Protection: Pros, Cons & Alternatives

What’s Included With Wells Fargo Identity Theft Protection (EITP)?

Wells Fargo Identity Theft Protection is an add-on service available to the bank’s customers that includes additional credit monitoring, limited identity theft insurance, and access to a support team.

While there’s not a lot of publicly available information about EITP, the service’s terms and conditions explain that with Wells Fargo EITP, you get:

• Three-bureau credit monitoring. EITP connects with the three major credit bureaus — Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion — to alert you of changes in your score or personal information (such as your billing address) as well as new hard inquiries, accounts, and credit applications made in your name.
• Up to $10,000 in identity theft insurance. Wells Fargo includes insurance coverage to help you cover the costs associated with identity theft — such as legal fees.
• Toll-free number for assistance in understanding your credit reports. While an active member, you get access to a support team to help you deal with fraud or look into suspicious activity on your account.

Wells Fargo EITP costs $15.99/month (at the time of this writing). While this rate is comparable to many identity theft protection companies, most services provide more features than Wells Fargo EITP.

It’s important to note that all banks offer some level of fraud protection — and Wells Fargo is no different.

At no extra cost, all Wells Fargo bank customers are also protected by the company’s standard fraud alerts, data encryption, and zero liability policy.

If you’re the victim of identity theft and your Wells Fargo account is compromised, you also get access to the company’s fraud department (call 1-800-869-3557) as well as a free identity theft repair kit (which contains a basic checklist to follow).

Wells Fargo vs. Other Identity Theft Protection Services

Wells Fargo might seem like a good option — especially if you’re already a customer. But unfortunately, it comes up short against modern identity theft protection services.

For example, here’s how Wells Fargo compares to Aura:

The bottom line: Wells Fargo charges a premium price for fewer features and less protection than most identity theft protection services. If you want to stay safe, you should look for an alternative.

4 Alternatives to Wells Fargo Identity Theft Protection

1. Aura
2. Identity Guard
3. LifeLock
4. IdentityForce

Identity theft protection has come a long way in recent years. If you’re looking for a more comprehensive protection plan than what Wells Fargo offers, here are four alternatives to consider:

1. Aura

Aura is an award-winning identity theft protection and digital security solution for families and individuals.

While Aura is a relatively new company, it’s already been rated the best identity theft protection service by Money.com, Security.org, and others.

What sets Aura apart from many competitors is its powerful features (many of which are powered by Artificial Intelligence) and ease of use. All of Aura’s features are readily available from its intuitive web dashboard or mobile apps (Android and iOS).

Note: Every Aura plan comes with a free and fully-featured 14-day trial. This means you can try everything included with Aura — including Dark Web monitoring, automatic data broker removal, and credit score and protection features — with no obligation.

Here’s what you get with Aura:

#1-rated identity monitoring and alerts

Once you fill in your watchlist with data such as your SSN, name, address, driver’s license, etc., Aura starts monitoring your information across billions of data points online and in public records and other databases.

If anything is found — such as if scammers have your email address or passwords — you’ll receive a fraud alert in near real-time with clear instructions on what to do and who to contact.

Aura also includes comprehensive Dark Web monitoring that checks to see if your information was stolen during a data breach and is available to scammers on the Dark Web.

If you need help, Aura’s White Glove Fraud Resolution team is available 24/7 to assist you and can even facilitate three-way calls between you and your financial institution, lenders, or any other impacted company.

Proactive protection against hackers and online scammers

While many identity theft protection services offer monitoring and alerts, few are able to help prevent scammers from gaining access to your sensitive information or accounts.

Aura proactively protects you against hackers, cybercriminals, and online scammers with a full suite of digital security tools.

This includes:

• A virtual private network (VPN) to protect your data from hackers or anyone trying to spy on your network — whether you’re at home or elsewhere.
• A secure password manager to safely store all of your login information. Aura can also warn you if your accounts have been compromised or your passwords were leaked in a recent data breach.
• Antivirus software that protects all of your devices (Mac, Windows, and Android) from malware and other viruses.
• Safe Browsing tools that warn you if you’re entering a fake website.
• Email aliases to protect your inbox from scammers when you sign up for new accounts online.
• Anti-track tools to keep your online activity private and reduce the amount of pop-ups and ads you see.
• Automatic data broker removal to reduce the amount of spam calls, text messages, and mail you receive.

Financial account and 3-bureau credit monitoring with up to 250x faster fraud alerts

Aura keeps tabs on your financial accounts and credit file and alerts you of changes, suspicious activity, or strange transactions. Aura has direct connections with the three major credit bureaus — Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion — meaning it can spot signs of fraud in near real-time.

A 2022 mystery shopper study conducted by ath Power Consulting³ showed that:

Aura found new accounts more consistently and also delivered fraud alerts up to 250x faster than other services.

Aura also includes other ways to keep your credit and finances safe, including transaction alerts (such as over-limit purchases or withdrawals), one-click Experian credit lock, monthly and annual credit scores, and a credit score tracker.

$1 million in identity theft insurance and 24/7 White Glove support

If the worst should happen, every adult member on an Aura plan is covered for up to $1 million in eligible losses due to identity theft. This means that on a family plan, you could be covered for up to $5 million total.

Aura’s identity theft insurance coverage includes reimbursement for legal fees, lost wages, notary fees, private investigators, replacement of identification documents, child and elderly care, and more.

You’ll also have access to a dedicated team of Fraud Resolution Specialists who can help you deal with the fallout from a hack, identity theft, or if your data is leaked in a data breach. Being the victim of identity theft can feel violating and unsettling.

For many people, having the support and knowledge of a dedicated expert to help you through the process of recovering from identity theft is one of the best reasons to invest in an identity theft protection service.

However, Wells Fargo identity theft protection only offers assistance with understanding your credit report. You’ll be on your own when it comes to actually resolving fraud.

Aura plans and pricing

While many other identity theft protection services limit the features you get with lower-priced plans, all Aura plans come with the same features.

The only difference is the number of people protected under your plan: Individual, Couple, or Family.

• Individual Plan: $12 per month (billed annually)
• Couple Plan (2 members): $22 per month (billed annually)‍
• Family Plan (5 adults and unlimited children): $37 per month (billed annually)

Special offer: Save up to 68% on Aura when you sign up today. All annual memberships come with a 60-day money-back guarantee.

What do real customers say about using Aura?

Aura currently has a 4.8-star rating on Trustpilot [*] (a third-party review site).

Here’s what real customers had to say about Aura’s service and features:

• Customer service went above and beyond: “Service is over and beyond what I expected. After I reached out, my Aura rep called each creditor and checked my credit reports and offered great follow-up advice. If you want peace of mind, you need Aura.”
• Held my hand through the entire identity recovery process: “When my identity was stolen I felt violated, scared, and unprotected. I called Aura and was put in touch with a member of their White Glove team. They explained what we needed to do together. They didn’t say here’s a number and this is what you do. Anyone who goes through this needs the kind of protection and kindness that Aura provides.”
• Fast fraud alerts that saved me money: “Aura caught several fraud attempts early on and were able to mitigate the damage almost immediately. I will not be without this service. It is a very wise investment!”

2. Identity Guard

Identity Guard is an award-winning identity theft protection service that has helped shield over 38 million people against fraud and identity theft. Identity Guard was first launched over 25 years ago and recently joined forces with Aura to provide modern identity theft protection for more Americans.

• Safe browsing features including ad blocker, malicious site blocking, and anti-tracker
• Password manager to store all of your account passwords in a secure place
• Dark Web and Social Security number (SSN) monitoring
• Three-bureau credit monitoring
• Bank account monitoring (including 401k and investment accounts, and debit and credit cards)
• $1 million in identity theft insurance
• Access to a team of White Glove Fraud Resolution specialists

Pricing (April 2023):

• Value Plan: $8.99 per month (individual) and $14.99 (family)
• Total Plan: $19.99 per month (individual) and $29.99 (family)
• Ultra Plan: $29.99 per month (individual) and $39.99 (family)

⛳️ Related: 11 Best Credit Monitoring Services (Free and Paid Options) →

3. LifeLock

LifeLock is one of the most well-known names in identity theft protection. However, the company has come under scrutiny in recent years over issues with renewal pricing, a $100 million class action settlement with the FTC over failing to secure user data [*], and the inclusion of crypto mining software in its Norton antivirus software [*].

Even worse, the company recently disclosed that sensitive information from thousands of LifeLock customers — including passwords — was compromised in a December, 2022 data breach [*].

If you're looking for a secure LifeLock alternative, consider trying Aura free for 14 days.

• Device security and VPN (when bundled with Norton 360 at an additional cost)
• Identity and SSN alerts
• Credit report monitoring
• Bank account and home title monitoring
• Social media monitoring
• Identity theft insurance (amounts and coverage vary by plan)
• 24/7 live member support

Pricing (April 2023):

LifeLock alone offers identity protection and credit monitoring. When bundled with Norton 360, you get additional device and online security features. LifeLock is known for increasing the price after the first year, so be sure to read the fine print.

Here are the prices for LifeLock with Norton 360 for individuals:

• Select (with Norton 360): $9.99/month (renews at $14.99/month)
• Advantage (with Norton 360): $19.99/month (renews at $24.99/month)
• Ultimate Plus (with Norton 360) $29.99/month (renews at $34.99/month)

LifeLock only offers comprehensive ID theft protection if you add on Norton 360 and choose their most expensive plan — otherwise, you won’t be fully protected. Additionally, their sky-high renewal rates and complicated pricing plans make it difficult to know what you’ll be paying in the long-term.

4. IdentityForce

IdentityForce is a popular option for credit monitoring (due to the fact that it is owned by TransUnion — one of the three major credit bureaus) although their pricing plans are more expensive than other similar providers.  

• PC protection tools
• Dark Web and identity theft monitoring
• Bank account activity monitoring
• Three-bureau credit monitoring
• $1 million in identity theft insurance to reimburse stolen funds as well as some legal fees and lost wages
• 24/7 fraud remediation

Pricing:

IdentityForce offers two protection plans — UltraSecure and UltraSecure+Credit. The UltraSecure plan only includes identity theft protection, and the second plan adds credit protection. Both options are pricier than other comparable services.

• UltraSecure (individual): $17.99/month or $179.50 billed annually
• UltraSecure+Credit (individual): $23.95/month or $239.50 billed annually

Family plans cover two adults and unlimited children, including ChildWatch ID protection for children.

• UltraSecure (family): $24.90/month or $249/year
• UltraSecure+Credit (family): $35.90/month or $359/year

⛳️ Related: Beware of These 7 Wells Fargo Scam Texts →

What To Do If You See Signs of Fraud in Your Wells Fargo Account

• Contact the Wells Fargo fraud and identity theft helpline at 1-800-869-3557. Report any unauthorized accounts or transactions over the phone call. Wells Fargo will most likely close your accounts and cards and issue you new ones.
• Change your online banking password and enable 2FA. If scammers have access to your online accounts, you’ll want to do a password reset and then enable 2FA to keep your accounts secure.
• Place a credit freeze with all three credit bureaus. This prevents anyone from opening new accounts or taking out loans in your name. Contact each bureau separately and request a freeze. You can also instantly lock your Experian credit file from Aura.
• Report the crime to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). You can file an online complaint at identitytheft.gov. An official FTC report can help when disputing fraudulent accounts or trying to reverse charges. You can also file a police report with your local law enforcement.
• Obtain a free copy of your credit report and look for more signs of fraud. Everyone can get a free copy of their credit reports from all three bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com. Check for any incorrect information, strange accounts, or hard inquiries you don’t recognize. You can use this credit dispute letter to file an official complaint.
• Contact any impacted company, lender, or creditor. Report the fraud to any company where your information was fraudulently used. You’ll most likely be asked to provide your FTC or police report as proof..
• Continue to monitor your credit. Identity theft is almost never an isolated incident. Use a credit monitoring app or service to keep track of your accounts and warn you of any future fraud.