# LifeLock 60 Day Evaluation **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 26, 2011, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lifelock-60-day-evaluation/572675 "2011-02-26T05:49:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TravisFromOR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cc9497/32.png) [@TravisFromOR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TravisFromOR)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2011, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lifelock-60-day-evaluation/572675/1 "2011-02-26T05:49:54Z")
If you took the offer, how would you evaluate whether it worked or not? The likelihood of your identity being stolen in any sixty day period is pretty low, so how would you know that it worked/didn’t work? ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2011, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lifelock-60-day-evaluation/572675/2 "2011-02-26T07:05:43Z")
You may find this interesting. Lifelock’s CEO proudly displayed his social security number on advertisements to prove that their company’s protection worked. Except it didn’t, and his identity has now been stolen numerous times. [http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2010/05/lifelock-identity-theft/](http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2010/05/lifelock-identity-theft/) > [@](#): > > Lifelock promised in ads that its $10 monthly service would protect consumers from identity theft. The company also offered a $1 million guarantee to compensate customers for losses incurred if they became a victim after signing up for the service. The FTC called the claims bogus and accused LifeLock of operating a scam. > > “In truth, the protection they provided left such a large hole … that you could drive that truck through it,” said FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz, referring to a LifeLock TV ad showing a truck painted with Davis’s Social Security number driving around city streets. > > Davis’ history as an identity-theft victim would seem to call into question the company’s ability to protect consumers from a similar fate. So, you don’t need a free trial. The company’s CEO already tested it for you and proved that it doesn’t work. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2011, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lifelock-60-day-evaluation/572675/3 "2011-02-26T10:15:24Z")
Also discusssed here. It’s pretty much a scam. [http://lifelock-scam.com/](http://lifelock-scam.com/) ---
**Author:** ![rbroome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@rbroome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rbroome)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2011, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lifelock-60-day-evaluation/572675/4 "2011-02-26T14:06:23Z")
> [@TravisFromOR](#): > > If you took the offer, how would you evaluate whether it worked or not? The likelihood of your identity being stolen in any sixty day period is pretty low, so how would you know that it worked/didn’t work? wait until the end of sixty days. If you are still paying them-it worked. simple. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2011, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lifelock-60-day-evaluation/572675/5 "2011-02-26T23:06:44Z")
> [@](#): > > In 2009 the company was found guilty of defrauding customers and [Experian](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Experian) by keeping their credit information in a state of constant “fraud alert.”[[3]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LifeLock#cite_note-2) > > Former LifeLock CEO Todd Davis was the victim of identity theft 13 times during 2007 and 2008.[[4]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LifeLock#cite_note-3) > > Robert J. Maynard, Jr., company co-founder, resigned in June 2007 amid allegations that he had stolen his father’s identity and ran up $150,000 in American Express bills.[[5]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LifeLock#cite_note-4) > > In March 2010 LifeLock was fined $12 million by the [Federal Trade Commission](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Trade_Commission) ([FTC](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FTC)), “to settle charges that the company used false claims to promote its identity theft protection services, which it widely advertised by displaying the CEO’s Social Security number on the side of a truck.”[[6]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LifeLock#cite_note-5)[[7]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LifeLock#cite_note-6) > **[LifeLock](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LifeLock)** > > NortonLifeLock is an American software company originally active from 2005 to 2017, and was best known for its eponymous LifeLock identity theft prevention software, now sold by Gen Digital after the latter acquired LifeLock in 2017. LifeLock's system monitors for identity theft, the use of personal information, and credit score changes. > LifeLock was acquired by computer security company Symantec in 2017 for $2.3 billion. After Symantec sold its enterprise division to Broadcom, the company was r... ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2011, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lifelock-60-day-evaluation/572675/6 "2011-02-26T23:18:47Z")
Yep, it’s a scam. Avoid at all costs. ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2011, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lifelock-60-day-evaluation/572675/7 "2011-02-27T03:23:30Z")
FWIW, I believe The Celebrity Apprentice did a project for them a few years back. ---
**Author:** ![TravisFromOR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cc9497/32.png) [@TravisFromOR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TravisFromOR)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2011, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lifelock-60-day-evaluation/572675/8 "2011-02-27T04:16:27Z")
Well, of course it’s a scam. I was just wondering how one would evaluate it in sixty days. It’d be like car insurance–you wouldn’t know how good it was until you actually needed it–an evaluation period is basically useless. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2011, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lifelock-60-day-evaluation/572675/9 "2011-02-27T04:18:13Z")
You’re much better off [freezing your credit](http://www.clarkhoward.com/news/personal-finance-credit/credit-freeze-and-thaw-guide/nFbL/). ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2011, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lifelock-60-day-evaluation/572675/10 "2011-02-27T07:33:43Z")
> [@TravisFromOR](#): > > Well, of course it’s a scam. I was just wondering how one would evaluate it in sixty days. It’d be like car insurance–you wouldn’t know how good it was until you actually needed it–an evaluation period is basically useless. Not sure I quite understand your initial question. The only way to evaluate it is if someone steals your credit cards/identity etc. and you see it swing into action. As most reviewers noted it really does not do any more than you [could accomplish yourself at zero cost](http://lifelock-scam.com/lifelock-scam/), and it doesn’t even do that very well. Short of forcing a fraud scenario you’re pretty much taking it’s promises on faith. ---
**Author:** ![TravisFromOR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cc9497/32.png) [@TravisFromOR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TravisFromOR)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2011, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lifelock-60-day-evaluation/572675/11 "2011-02-27T07:42:47Z")
> [@astro](#): > > Not sure I quite understand your initial question. The only way to evaluate it is if someone steals your credit cards/identity etc. and you see it swing into action. As most reviewers noted it really does not do any more than you [could accomplish yourself at zero cost](http://lifelock-scam.com/lifelock-scam/), and it doesn’t even do that very well. > > Short of forcing a fraud scenario you’re pretty much taking it’s promises on faith. I guess that’s my question. They offer the 60 day money-back guarantee thing, but unless someone attempts to steal your identity in those sixty days, you have no clue if it works or not. So what good is the evaluation period? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2011, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lifelock-60-day-evaluation/572675/12 "2011-02-27T07:49:58Z")
> [@TravisFromOR](#): > > I guess that’s my question. They offer the 60 day money-back guarantee thing, but unless someone attempts to steal your identity in those sixty days, you have no clue if it works or not. So what good is the evaluation period? It comforts you that this is a reputable enterprise willing to let you try out it’s service at no cost before committing. It’s a sales gimmick. ---
**Author:** ![TravisFromOR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cc9497/32.png) [@TravisFromOR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TravisFromOR)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2011, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lifelock-60-day-evaluation/572675/13 "2011-02-27T08:02:51Z")
> [@astro](#): > > It comforts you that this is a reputable enterprise willing to let you try out it’s service at no cost before committing. It’s a sales gimmick. Makes sense. :smack: I was actually giving them too much credit for being honest. ---
**Author:** ![bdgr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@bdgr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bdgr)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2011, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lifelock-60-day-evaluation/572675/14 "2011-02-27T08:08:01Z")
I keep hoping someone wil steal my identity. Maybe my credit will improve.