There are a lot of companies out there offering a credit protection service for consumers.
Though variety is nice, with that variety comes different services and fees.
When you are looking to sign up with a credit protection service, you may find that you are overwhelmed at the selection.
This guide discusses the "must have" features for any service you pay for.
Monitoring of Accounts - Just about every credit protection service will monitor your credit reports, but you will want to know just how often they do so.
Those that monitor your reports on a daily or weekly basis are better than those that only monitor once per month.
Credit Freezes - This is where a service will lock out anyone (including you) from your reports.
Though this sounds like a hassle, you can rest assured that no one will be able to steal your identity when they cannot actually access it.
Monitoring Internet Databases - Some companies will monitor internet databases for any illegal postings or mis-use of your personal information.
This can be particular helpful for black market sites that post consumer information for sale to identity thieves and cyber-criminals.
Search Public Records - Often an identity thief will use your information when they are caught for a crime or even a traffic ticket.
Ensure that your service monitors all public records to ensure that your information has not been used in these situations.
Public records will also contain information regarding bankruptcies, tax liens and court judgments.
Recovery Resources - In the event your identity is stolen while under a protection service, then they should offer recovery assistance both financially and in the recovery process.
By offering such, they are also proving they are confident in their services.