Is Kroll Monitoring a Scam? Everything You Need to Know
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Identity theft and data breaches are alarmingly common, leaving millions at risk of fraud and financial loss. If you’ve ever received a data breach notice offering free identity theft monitoring from Kroll, you may be wondering what it is and whether it’s a legitimate way to protect yourself.
For many, entrusting personal information to a third party can raise more questions than answers.
This article explores whether Kroll Monitoring services are legitimate, what specific services it provides, and what risks might be involved.
By the end, you’ll clearly understand whether Kroll is the right choice for protecting your personal information—and if you should take up their free offer.
Is Kroll Monitoring legitimate?
Yes, Kroll Monitoring is a legitimate service that provides identity theft protection. It is especially useful if offered after a data breach.
While it’s effective for monitoring credit and personal information, it focuses on detecting issues after they occur rather than preventing them.
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What is Kroll Monitoring?
Kroll Monitoring is a service that helps protect your personal information from identity theft and fraud. If you’ve been part of a data breach, you may have been offered Kroll Monitoring by the breached company to keep an eye on your sensitive information and alert you to any unusual activity.
Source: Reddit
What does Kroll Monitoring do?
Here’s a quick look at the key services they provide:
➡️ Identity theft monitoring
Kroll’s identity theft monitoring service actively scans the internet for your personally identifiable information (PII) to help protect you against fraud. They state that they monitor for key data points, including:
- Social Security Number (SSNs)
- Bank account and routing numbers
- Credit and debit card numbers
- Medical ID numbers
- Contact information, like email addresses and phone numbers
- Birthdates and other personal information
While this isn’t an exhaustive list of what could be tracked, it’s a good starting point for detecting identity theft. Kroll’s monitoring is designed to alert you when your information appears in public records or on sites known for the illegal sale of PII.
However, the lack of transparency about the specific platforms or sources Kroll monitors can leave users with questions about how comprehensive the service really is.
➡️ Credit monitoring
Credit monitoring is a crucial tool for protecting your personal information. It involves keeping track of your credit reports for things like new accounts, unexpected changes, or inquiries. This way, you’ll know if someone’s trying to use your identity without your permission.
Kroll claims to offer comprehensive monitoring of your credit information, but the specifics of how it works remain unclear.
Pro tip
You can take proactive steps to protect your credit file by freezing it. A credit freeze prevents anyone from accessing your credit file until you manually “thaw” it, offering a strong defense against fraudulent account openings.
You’ll need to contact each credit bureau individually to set up a freeze, but it’s a free and effective way to protect your finances.
➡️ Dark web monitoring
Kroll also scans the dark web—where stolen personal information is often shared or sold—to see if your details show up. If they find anything, they’ll let you know so you can take steps to protect yourself. Again, it’s not clear which specific sources Kroll monitors on the dark web, making it difficult to assess the full extent of its coverage.
➡️ Fraud consultation and recovery help
If you fall victim to identity theft, Kroll promises access to fraud consultants and licensed identity theft investigators to guide you through the identity restoration process. These services can be vital for individuals trying to navigate the complex aftermath of identity theft.
Here’s what Kroll’s fraud consultation and recovery help might include:
Explaining your rights and protections
Fraud consultants can help victims understand their legal rights and protections under identity theft laws. While this is helpful, it’s a fairly basic service that many other identity protection providers—and even free resources like the Federal Trade Commission’s IdentityTheft.gov—offer.
Assistance with fraud alerts
Kroll’s team may guide users in placing fraud alerts on their credit files to warn creditors about potential identity theft.
Interpreting the use of personal information
Consultants may help you understand how identity thieves accessed and potentially misused your personal information. Depending on the depth of the insights Kroll provides, this could be useful. However, the level of detail Kroll can offer remains unclear.
Investigating suspicious activity
Perhaps the most valuable service—Kroll’s team can help investigate suspicious activity tied to identity theft.
This involves identifying the extent of the fraud, understanding how it occurred, and planning the next steps for identity theft restoration. Comprehensive investigations like these can be critical for minimizing further damage.
What to Consider Before Signing Up for Kroll Monitoring
Source: FreePik
While Kroll Monitoring offers services designed to protect your identity, there are some risks and limitations to keep in mind before signing up:
⚠️ Lack of transparency
Kroll advertises monitoring services for identity theft and credit activity but provides limited details about how they monitor your identity online.
For example, while they claim to monitor public records and dark web marketplaces, they don’t specify the exact sources or scope of these efforts. Without this transparency, it’s hard to tell how effective the service really is.
⚠️ Mixed user reviews
While Kroll is a trusted vendor in the cybersecurity industry, customer reviews on platforms like Reddit and Trustpilot are mixed.
While some users find Kroll’s credit monitoring helpful, others say it’s not foolproof. There have also been complaints about issues during sign-up and trouble reaching customer support when they needed help.
⚠️ Concerns about sharing personal information
After experiencing a data breach, affected individuals can feel concerned about handing over even more personal information to another company like Kroll. This concern is valid, especially for those wary of how their data might be handled or stored. After all, Kroll has been hacked in the past.
⚠️ Limited monitoring coverage
Kroll’s identity theft protection service doesn’t explicitly state whether it covers all three major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion). Since not all lenders report to every bureau, there’s a chance that some fraudulent activity could go undetected.
⚠️ Reactive, not proactive
Kroll’s services focus on reacting to potential threats after your information has been compromised. It doesn’t offer proactive measures like malware scanning or device security, which are critical for preventing breaches in the first place.
⚠️ Potential cost concerns
While Kroll offers free monitoring following a breach (usually covered by the breached company), this is typically for a limited period. Continuing the identity monitoring services afterward may cost you more, which should be weighed against its benefits.
⚠️ Potential for scams
Scammers sometimes pretend to be Kroll to trick people into sharing personal information. To stay safe, always verify breach notifications by contacting Kroll directly through their official website or customer service channels.
Alternatives to Kroll Monitoring
While Kroll Monitoring is helpful for tracking stolen information in the event of a data breach, another approach is to try to prevent the theft of personal data in the first place. That’s where apps like Certo come in.
Certo protects your phone from threats like spyware and unauthorized access, keeping it safe from cyberattacks that may compromise your data.
Certo: Proactive Device Protection for iPhone and Android
Certo offers mobile security solutions for iPhone and Android users, helping secure your devices against hidden threats.
Whether you’re concerned about spyware, data breaches, or malicious apps, Certo provides the tools you need to keep your personal information safe.
Here’s what Certo can do:
- Spyware detection and removal: Certo’s advanced spyware detection engine uncovers and helps you remove data stealing malware that may be hidden on your device
- Privacy monitoring: The app audits your device to find apps that can track your location, monitor calls, or access sensitive data, allowing you to manage and revoke unnecessary permissions.
- Intruder detection: For Android users (coming soon to iPhone), the Certo app can capture photos of unauthorized users attempting to access your device and trigger a loud alarm to deter intruders.
- System vulnerability checks: Certo analyzes your operating system for signs of tampering, such as rooting or jailbreaking, which could compromise security.
- Breach check: Certo helps you discover if your accounts or passwords have been compromised in a data breach, enabling you to take steps to protect your online identity.
Fig 1. Running a threat scan with Certo for Android.
Final Thoughts
Kroll Monitoring is a legitimate service that offers helpful tools for identity theft protection. It can be especially useful if your information has been exposed in a data breach, with features like credit and identity monitoring to monitor unusual activity.
That said, it does have its limitations, like being more reactive than proactive and not always being transparent about how it monitors your data.
If you’ve been offered Kroll Monitoring after a breach, it’s a solid choice for monitoring your identity. But to get full protection, it’s a good idea to pair it with an app like Certo, which can actively protect your devices from spyware and other threats.
The best way to protect yourself is to take action before problems arise. Use tools that secure your devices, consider freezing your credit file to stop unauthorized access, and stay on top of your accounts.
Combining these steps will strengthen your defense against identity theft and cyber threats, giving you peace of mind.
Sophia is a Senior Content Manager at Certo Software, showcasing her deep-rooted expertise as an accomplished writer in the tech industry. With a genuine passion for cybersecurity, Sophia is a trusted source of insight and information.