AllClear ID review: Is this identity protection right for you?

If you’re looking up AllClear ID reviews and other identity protection services, you’re on the right track. Identity theft is one of the most devastating things that can happen to a person. 

Once someone has stolen your identity, they can open new accounts, run up debt, and even commit crimes—all in your name.

It doesn’t matter how much or how little information you have online. Got a Facebook account? Do you run a small online business or order stuff on Amazon? Does your school use Gmail? You’re a potential victim of identity fraud.

Around 9 million Americans get their identity stolen every year.

It’s no wonder that the market for identity protection services is booming. AllClear ID is one of the companies trying to cash in on this trend—but is it worth your money?

In this AllClear ID review, we’ll give you the full scoop on this service. We looked into the official AllClear ID website, analyzed user feedback on sites like the BBB, and scoured the internet for independent reviews.

We discovered a massive red flag about AllClear ID, so make sure to read until the end. Otherwise, you’re not just going to waste your money – you might end up in even more danger.

What Is AllClear ID?

AllClear ID is a U.S.-based identity protection service that offers several features, including:

• Credit monitoring
• Fraud alerts
• Identity theft monitoring

Googling “AllClear ID,” however, makes it clear that identity protection is NOT its main service.

It’s primarily a health ID company that “eliminates mismatched and duplicate medical records so providers can deliver the right care, reduce costs and increase reimbursements.”

There’s nothing wrong with offering multiple services, of course. But when it comes to identity protection, you want a company that’s focused on that area and has the experience to back it up.

There’s also no clear synergy between health records and identity protection, nor does AllClear ID mention how it would use one to improve the other.

Experian acquired AllClear ID in 2019

AllClear ID is based in Austin, Texas, and was founded in 2004. In 2019, it was acquired by Experian—one of the three major credit bureaus (along with TransUnion and Equifax).

That would seem like a good thing, right? Trusting your credit monitoring to a major credit bureau seems like a no-brainer. 

Experian is a huge, publicly traded company with over $5 billion in annual revenue and thousands of employees. The company has extensive experience with consumer credit data.

The problem? Experian suffered a disastrous data breach in 2015.

The company processed credit applications for T-Mobile, which means it had millions of customer records on file. These records included basic personal information such as names, birthdates, and addresses.

But because these applications required a credit check service, the leak also included millions of Social Security numbers, driver’s license IDs, passport numbers, and other sensitive data.

T-Mobile CEO John Legere blamed Experian exclusively for the breach.

Experian isn’t the only one with a bad track record when it comes to data breaches, but this information is definitely worth taking into account.

How much does AllClear ID identity protection cost?

AllClear ID’s “Adult Identity Protection” service costs $8.50 a month at the time of this writing. AllClear ID doesn’t have a free trial anymore.

There’s also no option to pay for an annual plan (and the usual discount for long-term subscriptions) or group pricing for families.

You can also get a sponsored plan from your employer, in which you’ll receive a code to enter at checkout.

AllClear ID Features: How does it work?

To protect your identity, AllClear ID’s Comprehensive Identity Protection plan includes the following:

• Fraud Alerts with Monitoring: You’ll receive fraud alerts if someone tries to use your Social Security number or open a new account in your name.
• Identity Theft Monitoring: AllClear ID will constantly monitor the internet for any suspicious activity linked with your passport, driver’s license, bank accounts, medical ID, and other information.
• Lost Wallet Protection: If you lose your wallet, AllClear ID will work to cancel and replace all of your credit cards and IDs.
• $1 Million in Identity Theft Insurance Coverage: In case you do become a victim of identity theft, AllClear ID will cover up to $1 million in expenses.
• Annual Credit report with your Vantage Score: You’ll get a free credit report and Vantage Score annually, which will help you keep an eye on your credit health.
• Child Scan Monitoring: If you add minors to your AllClear ID account, you’ll also receive alerts for suspicious activities involved with their information.
• Identity Restoration: This is one of the most important features of any identity protection service. If you do become a victim of identity theft, AllClear ID promises to work to restore your identity and repair any damage that’s been done.
• Secure Voice Key: This is a unique code that you can use to confirm that calls from AllClear ID are legitimate. This helps to protect you from scammers who might try to pose as AllClear ID representatives.
• AllClear Investigator Support: Pressing * on your phone will connect you immediately to an AllClear ID investigator if you receive a fraud alert and suspect fraud.

For $8.50 a month, AllClear ID’s Comprehensive Identity Protection plan is cheaper than most of the other services available today.

Still, all of these features are fairly standard for identity protection services. And as you’ll see below, a cheap price doesn’t always mean good value.

AllClear ID reviews, complaints, 

During our research, we came across several negative indicators that should make you think twice before signing up for AllClear ID:

1. AllClear ID’s website doesn’t offer a lot of information on its services

There’s only one page on AllClear ID’s website that lists its features, and it’s light on details. You can’t even click on any of the features to learn more about each on.

For example, the Identity Theft Monitoring feature only says that it “provides a full range of privacy and security tools to monitor your bank accounts, driver’s license, passport, medical ID, and lost wallet protection.”

But what does that actually mean? What are those privacy and security tools? AllClear ID doesn’t say, and again, there are no clickable links to help you find out more.

The feature page also includes things like “User guides and videos for identity protection best practices,” “Customer Portal Access,” and “Fast and Secure Alerts.”

We don’t want to nitpick here, but these aren’t features. They’re just generic descriptions of what you might expect from an identity protection service.

In short, based on its website alone, AllClear ID is a confusing product at the very least.

2. AllClear ID’s restoration services is limited to financial fraud

If your identity is stolen, AllClear ID will help you restore it… but only if the theft includes financial fraud or you need assistance with a lost wallet.

This barely scratches the surface when it comes to identity theft. In reality, there are dozens of different ways your identity can be stolen and used nefariously. For instance, hackers can also steal your tax identity.

In that case, you might need help with things like getting a new Social Security number or filing an IRS identity theft affidavit. Your AllClear ID subscription wouldn’t be of any help in that scenario.

3. AllClear ID only monitors your credit for one bureau

Maybe because it’s owned by Experian, AllClear ID only monitors your credit with Experian. This is a problem because there are three major credit bureaus in the U.S. It’s always possible that identity thieves will target one of the other two.

On the plus side, this feature is available on AllClear ID, but you’ll need to activate it separately. This is frustrating because you’re already paying for a service that’s supposed to do this automatically.

4. There’s no AllClear ID mobile app

The lack of a mobile app is one of the most baffling omissions we’ve seen from an identity protection service. In today’s world, people use their phones for everything.

Sure, it did announce an iPhone app for AllClear ID back in 2012, but it’s nowhere to be found in the App Store. In the comments section of the announcement, we also saw users complaining that the app is broken.

Today, clicking on the link for the iTunes app doesn’t take you anywhere. There’s no Android app either. So if you want to use AllClear ID, you’re stuck doing it from your computer.

This also makes us question its “Fast and Secure Alerts” feature, which boasts that you’ll be able to “receive credit & theft monitoring alerts via e-mail.”

That’s seriously the only way you’ll be alerted to potential problems with your identity. No push notifications, no text messages, and certainly no mobile app.

5. AllClear ID has a 1.1/5 customer rating on BBB.org

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is a trusted source for information on businesses and charities.

This is where customers can go to file complaints or leave reviews. The best companies use their BBB profile to respond to customer complaints in a timely and professional manner.

AllClear ID’s BBB profile is a mixed bag.

First, it has an A+ BBB rating, which is the highest rating a company can get. It’s also nice that it’s been accredited since 2010, which tells us that allClear ID is a legitimate business.

AllClear ID also includes complete contact information on its BBB profile:

• 9600 Escarpment Blvd Ste 745 # 225 Austin, TX 78749-1983
• http://www.allclearid.com
• (833) 439-0006

This is a good indicator that it’s not a fly-by-night operation.

On the negative side, the company’s customer rating is dismal 1.1/5 stars. Complaints included:

• No response from AllClear ID’s customer service team
• Getting charged even after cancelling service
• Identity theft monitoring not catching fraud
• Users unable to update their information (e.g., credit card info) with AllClear ID
• AllClear ID supervisors disconnecting calls and not getting back to customers

Even AllClear ID’s response to customer complaints on BBB doesn’t inspire confidence. The responses looked canned, have grammatical errors, and don’t seem to address the customer’s specific concerns.

Top red flag: AllClear ID’s cash grab registration process

When you click the “Enroll Now” button on AllClear ID’s site, it won’t ask you to create an account first. You won’t need to register your name, address, phone number, and all the identifying information you want AllClear ID to protect.

No – AllClear ID will make your pay first.

You’ll be taken to a checkout page which gives you the option to subscribe using your credit card or Google Pay. No money-back guarantees, discounted options for annual subscriptions, no feature recap or more information – nothing. 

Want to test out AllClear ID’s features before you commit to a long-term subscription? You’re out of luck. AllClear ID doesn’t offer any free trials.

There’s no way to test out the service to see if it’s a good fit for you. You’re just supposed to take the feature page at face value.

For us, this is a serious red flag. Committing to an identity protection service is a huge deal. You want to be assured that the company is not just after your money. Sadly, that’s the only impression we got from AllClear ID’s payment-first subscription process. 

AllClear ID Alternatives

When it comes to AllClear ID pros and cons, the cons simply outweigh the positives.

There are many other identity protection services out there that don’t have the same issues as AllClear ID. Here are a few of our favorites:

Verdict: Don’t Waste Your Money on AllClear ID

Overall, there’s very little to recommend about AllClear ID. Aside from the lackluster features, there are just too many complaints and red flags about its service.

When it comes to identity protection, always err on the side of caution – and in this case, that means looking for another provider.