Frequently Asked Questions

Experian CreditLock gives you control over who can access your Experian credit file by allowing you to lock and unlock your Experian credit file easily and quickly, without delaying the application process.

What you need to know:

• Allows you to block access to your Experian credit file from lenders that want to check your credit file for a credit or loan application. To lock or place a security freeze on your Equifax^® or TransUnion^® credit files, you’ll need to contact the bureaus directly.
  • Equifax^®: 800-685-1111
  • TransUnion^®: 800-916-8800
• Includes daily monitoring and attempted inquiry alerts if someone applies for credit while your Experian credit file is locked.
• Your credit file can still change if you use Experian CreditLock.
• If you are applying for credit or a loan, make sure you unlock your Experian credit file.

To help protect yourself against credit fraud and identity theft, you can request a security freeze from any of the three major credit bureaus (Experian^®, Equifax^® and TransUnion^®). You’ll need to contact each bureau individually to place a security freeze. You can temporarily lift your freeze to allow specific creditors to review your information or you can provide them with a one-time access code.

What you need to know:

• Stops creditors and lenders from accessing your credit file.
• Requires that you enter a PIN code and verify your identity every time you want to change the status.
• Does not include monitoring or alerts of attempted credit inquiries.
• Security Freeze may delay, interfere with, or prohibit the timely approval of applications you make regarding a new loan, employment, mortgage applications, etc.
• Your credit file can still change if you add a security freeze.
• If you place or remove a security freeze on your file, it is not automatically shared with other credit bureaus. You will need to contact each credit bureau separately if you wish to freeze your file with them.
• Contact Information:
  • Experian^®: 888-397-3742
  • Equifax^®: 800-685-1111
  • TransUnion^®: 800-916-8800

If you suspect you are or may become a victim of identity theft, you can place a one-year fraud alert on your credit file. A fraud alert filed with one of the three major credit bureaus will be shared with the other two bureaus.

What you need to know:

• Lets lenders or creditors know they should verify your identity before approving you for new credit.
• Only available if you suspect you are or may become a victim of identity theft or credit fraud.
• Doesn’t block inquiries or other credit activity.
• Your credit file can still change if you add a fraud alert.
• An Initial Fraud Alert is a 1 year flag that sits on your credit file notifying lenders that you may be a victim of identity theft, and will request lenders verify additional information before granting credit in your name.
  SAMPLE OF SECURITY ALERT STATEMENT – “Fraudulent applications may be submitted in my name or my identity may have been used without my consent to fraudulently obtain goods or services. Do not extend credit without first verifying the identity of the applicant. I can be reached at _____________. This Security Alert will be maintained for 1 year beginning 01-01-01.”
• Contact CompleteID support for more information at (855) 591-0202

Enrolling in Complete ID takes just minutes. During the enrollment process, you will be asked to supply some brief personal information so we can confirm that it is secure and monitor the right data.

We maintain a highly secure environment with best-in-class security measures and policies in place to ensure the utmost secure handling of all data.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) enforces a variety of federal antitrust and consumer protection laws, including the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, the law that regulates consumer credit reporting agencies, those who use credit reports, and those who furnish information to consumer credit reporting agencies. The FTC ensures that all three parties (consumers, consumer credit reporting agencies, and lenders) are treated in a fair and equitable manner.

The FTC’s mission is to help the nation’s markets function competitively and efficiently, unhampered by needless restrictions. It works to spotlight and eliminate acts or practices that are unfair or deceptive. In general, the FTC tries to stop actions that threaten consumers’ opportunities to exercise informed choice. It also performs economic analyses, when asked, to support its law enforcement efforts and to contribute to the policy as set forth by Congress, the Executive Branch, other independent agencies, and state and local governments.

• Once you click “Enroll Now” on the email invitation to join the family plan and confirm the plan change, all your personal information will still appear in your account page, but your account will now be linked to your family’s plan.
• Plan changes can take up to 20 minutes to take effect, please log out and check back later to view changes after you complete enrollment into a Two Adult or Two Adult + Children Plan.
• To join a Two Adult or Two Adult + Children Plan, you must be a Costco member and have the same Costco membership level (either Executive or Gold Star/Business Member) as the Individual who invites you to join their plan.
• You will not be able to view the account or alerts of the person who invited you and they will not be able to view your account or alerts.
• If you were monitoring any children previously, they will no longer be included under your account. As a second adult in a Two Adult + Children Plan, you cannot monitor any children. The primary account holder will need to add those children and only that adult will be able to view their information. Therefore, they must be the parent or legal guardian of the children they enroll, and a one-time Parent/Legal Guardian verification is required to receive alert details for children.

Each adult in a Two Adult Plan or Two Adult + Children Plan receives full benefits and separate accounts. The accounts will be linked for billing purposes, however each account is separate and the two adults will not be able to view each other’s account or alerts. If the Adult who sends the invite cancels their account, the additional adult’s account will be canceled as well.

• After signing up for Two Adult Plan or Two Adult + Children Plan, log into your account.
• On the right side of your home page, in the “Share Your Benefits” section enter the name and email address of the adult you would like to add.
• Once complete, the invited adult will receive an email invitation to create their account. Make sure they sign up using the unique link e-mailed to them.
• After the invited adult creates their account, the “Share Your Benefits” section will update and show their name enrolled in your plan with 0 of 1 subscriptions remaining. Your accounts will be linked for billing purposes, however each account is separate, and you will not be able to view each other’s account or alerts.

The adult member who starts the plan, invites the second adult, or enrolls the children will be responsible for the total plan cost (this person can also be referred to as “the primary account holder”). The second invited adult will not be billed. Both adult accounts are dependent on the primary account holder being in good standing.

Additional Information:

• If you, as the primary account holder for a family plan, remove an enrolled adult and/or children from your family plan, (i) you will continue to be enrolled in your family plan and billed at the current rate until you take action to update your plan; and (ii) you will continue to enjoy the opportunity to enroll 1 additional adult and up to 5 children, as made available in your family plan.
• If you would like to move to an individual plan, please contact Complete ID Member Services at 1-855-591-0202.
• Alerts for enrolled children will only be available in the primary account holder’s account even if the invited secondary enrolled adult is a parent or legal guardian of such child.
• You, as the primary account holder, will not be able to view or receive any credit information, identity alerts, or dark web reports, or any plan details of the additional adult enrolled in your account.

• You can enroll up to five children under the age of 18.
• The primary account holder must be the parent or legal guardian of the children they enroll.
• One-time Parent/Legal Guardian verification is required to receive alert details for children.

The adult member who starts the plan, invites the second adult, or enrolls the children will be responsible for the total plan cost (“the primary account holder”). As an invited adult, you will not be billed.

No, only the primary account holder who signed up for the family plan can add children to the plan. The primary account holder must be the parent or legal guardian of the children they enroll. One-time Parent/Legal Guardian verification is required to receive alert details for children. A second adult in a Two Adult + Children Plan cannot monitor any children.

A data breach is an incident where personally identifiable information (PII), such as an individual’s name and social security number, driver’s license number, medical record or financial record is potentially put at risk because of exposure.

Breaches most commonly happen through a cyber hack. Cyber criminals, typically aiming to profit off of stolen credentials, either hack into a user’s account with a login and password, trick a user into downloading malicious software, or otherwise gain access to a company or consumer’s internal data. Other causes of breaches include insider theft, accidental exposure, third party breach, or employee negligence.

Unfortunately breaches are on the rise, particularly for the business and medical industries. According to the Identity Theft Resource Center, there were already 2,116 reported U.S. data breaches and leaks in the first nine months of 2023, making it the worst year on record.

Generally, personal information like name, email, passwords, social security number, driver’s license number, medical record, and financial information like debit and credit card numbers are taken when a breach occurs.

Not necessarily, but consumers should take measures to ensure their PII is not used maliciously. Complete ID enables them to do that.

You may have heard of identity theft, but what does this term really mean? Going far beyond credit card fraud, identity theft is a rapidly growing crime that most people will face at some point in their lives. Identity theft is officially defined as the deliberate assumption of another person’s identity. It is a crime where a criminal acquires and uses the victim’s personal information, such as a Social Security or driver’s license number, to take out loans, obtain new credit cards, rent an apartment, purchase a car, run up debt, file for bankruptcy and other criminal activities. Identity theft can not only damage someone’s creditworthiness, it can also create unknown criminal records that can result in the identity theft victim being wrongly arrested or denied employment after a routine background check.

The term “financial fraud” covers common credit card, check, and debit card fraud. When a criminal uses your credit cards or debit cards to make a purchase, he or she usually hasn’t assumed your identity. Recovering from financial fraud is relatively easy, since most creditors don’t hold you liable for fraudulent charges.

Use Complete ID to monitor both your financial and public record information and look for:

• Unfamiliar criminal records, court records, address information or bankruptcies
• Unexplained charges or withdrawals
• Failing to receive bills or other mail. This may signal an address change by the identity thief
• Being served court papers or arrest warrants for actions you did not commit
• Receiving credit cards for which you did not apply
• Being denied credit for no apparent reason
• Receiving calls or letters from debt collectors or businesses about merchandise or services you did not buy

Although any of these indications could be a result of a simple clerical error, you should not assume that there’s been a mistake and do nothing. Always follow up with the business or institution to find out

Complete ID members may contact Member Services at 1-855-591-0202 24-hours a day, 7-days a week and 365-days a year.

Complete ID members may contact Member Services at 1-855-591-0202 24-hours a day, 7-days a week and 365-days a year.

Your credit score may be different among the 3 credit bureaus – Equifax®, Experian® and TransUnion® – because each bureau is independent and contains unique data regarding your credit history. Lenders are not required to report to or inquire with all 3 bureaus, therefore, it is possible that you may have more credit inquiries or delinquencies on file with one bureau as opposed to another, which may impact your credit score.

Your credit report includes data from the date your credit file was first established.

Every reported item on your credit report is used to calculate your credit score. If your score has changed significantly since the last month, it may be due to the fact that an account was not reported for the month or an item has been added to or removed from your report. Drastic changes in account balances and opening new lines of credit could also significantly impact your score.

Your Complete ID subscription includes credit scores generated using the VantageScore 3.0 algorithm. Using the 300 to 850 scoring range, VantageScore® is used by thousands of lenders to assess the creditworthiness of customers for activities such as applying for loans, credit cards, and mortgages.

Your monthly credit score is calculated by applying the VantageScore 3.0 algorithm to the data stored within your Experian credit report. Your annual credit score is calculated by applying the VantageScore 3.0 algorithm to the data stored within your 3-Bureau report (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion). Complete ID uses VantageScore because it was created jointly by the three credit bureaus in order to provide consistency and the ability to score a broad population.

Complete ID utilizes the VantageScore 3.0 model. However, in general, lenders and other identity protection providers use a variety of scoring models other than the one that was used to calculate your score. It is possible that the other identity protection provider utilized a different scoring model.

There are many unique credit score formulas (or algorithms) used by credit bureaus and identity protection providers. VantageScore was jointly created by the 3 major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion) in 2006 with the goal of providing consistent scores across their reports. Now on the 3.0 version, VantageScore uses information in your credit report to produce a score that ranges from 300 to 850. VantageScore is used by thousands of lenders to assess the creditworthiness of customers for activities such as applying for loans, credit cards, and mortgages.

Tri-Bureau Credit Monitoring includes monitoring of changes reported to all three national credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. Changes monitored include personal information, public records, inquiries, new account openings, and existing accounts reported past due.

Credit bureau notifications are generated through consistent monitoring, and are distributed daily via email.

This data comes from public and criminal Internet properties including forums and websites, IRC channels, search engine queries, social networks, peer-to-peer sources, hidden and anonymous web services, malware samples, botnets, and torrent sources.

Your first status check will include data from the previous 8 years. This means that the Internet surveillance tool searches the prior 8 years of data records for a match to the personal information we are monitoring for you.

Complete ID tracks Internet activity for signs that the personal information you’ve asked us to monitor is being traded or sold. If our surveillance technology has discovered information on the Internet that is a match to your monitored identity elements, you will be notified and provided with clear instruction about what to do next.

It is safe to assume that if some of your information is compromised, all of it is. Even if only some of your personal information has been detected, it is recommended that you contact support — and/or immediately make a change to your account information yourself, if possible. For example, immediately change the password to your email account, and call us.

The data that can be monitored includes:

• 3 email addresses
• Social Security Number
• 3 Phone Numbers
• 10 Credit/Debit Cards
• 5 Bank Accounts
• Driver’s License Number
• Passport
• 5 Store/Membership Cards
• 2 Medical ID Numbers

Mail Change Alerts watches for changes in address that have been processed through the United States Postal Service (USPS). Mail Change Alerts does not include UPS or FedEx-only addresses or private mailboxes.

Sex offender records are generated from entries from each state’s sex offender registries. Our data is only as accurate as the information that is publicly available by the individual state. These registries span a database of over 1.8 million records from 49 states as well as Washington DC, Native American reservations, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands. Mississippi does not allow access to its records, but information about sex offenders in this state are still included in our database when offenders have moved there from other states.

Not all criminals convicted of a sex-related offense are required to register. However, sex offenders who were not ordered to register would still appear in a criminal records database, and could have an offense description indicating a sex crime.

Your Neighborhood Watch report is updated monthly. If there is a change in the data returned at this time, you will receive an alert.

False matches in this report can occur as a result of an individual having the same name and/or date of birth as you. This may also indicate that a sex offender has used your name or personal information to register.

A false match can usually be resolved by calling the relevant courthouse to make sure the records in question belong to another individual. If the courthouse confirms that the records in question relate to your identity – usually done by confirming your SSN or driver’s license number – and you have not been convicted of a sex crime, you may be a victim of identity theft. If you are concerned, please contact customer support.

Your personal information is monitored daily against activity from a comprehensive, cross-industry database. The service has access to thousands of financial institutions across all 50 states which includes national and regional banks and credit unions.

This service monitors your name and SSN, and will notify you daily if unusual or high-risk activity is detected. If detected, you will receive the following alerts:

• Bank Account Opening Notification – If your personal information has been used to open a new bank account.
• Bank Account Takeover Notification – If changes have been made to your existing bank account, including changes to the account holder’s personal information or attempts to add new account holders.

Your personal information is monitored daily against activity from a comprehensive, cross-industry database. The service has access to thousands of financial institutions across all 50 states which includes national and regional banks and credit unions.

This service monitors your name and SSN, and will notify you daily if unusual or high-risk activity is detected. If detected, you will receive the following alerts:

• Credit Card Application Notification – If your personal information has been used to apply for a new credit card account.
• Credit Card Opening Notification– If your personal information has been used to open a new credit card account.
• Bank Account Application Notification– If your personal information has been used to apply for a bank account.

This is usually a good thing! It means that we didn’t find a match to your personal information in our court records data. This may be due to one of the following:

• Your identity has not been stolen for the purpose of committing a crime
• Your court records have been expunged or your court records have not yet been updated in the public records database
• You have never been convicted of a crime

Criminal Records Monitoring searches court records and jail bookings data sourced from the following places:

• Over 509 million records mapping to federal, state, city, and county level jurisdictions
• Over 60 million incarceration records spread across 2,100 police organizations covering over 70% of national bookings
• 99 million Department of Corrections (DOC) parole, probation, and incarceration records
• Over 4.9 million warrant records. 98 county, state and city level warrants reporting 664 of 3,248 counties in 50 states and Puerto Rico
• Over 9 million arrest records
• Over 330 thousand government records, such as Most Wanted and terrorist lists

No. Court records data restricted states and territories include Maine, Wyoming, South Dakota, District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Department of Corrections data restricted states include Arkansas, Colorado, District of Columbia, Delaware, Hawaii, Massachusetts, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming. Jail bookings data restricted states and territories include Arkansas, District of Columbia, Delaware, Hawaii, Kansas, Massachusetts, Maine, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, South Dakota, Vermont, Washington, and Puerto Rico.

False matches in court records status check can occur when another individual has the same name and/or date of birth as you. If this is the case, it is something that can be resolved on your behalf by member support. If identity theft is indeed confirmed, a dedicated specialist will help you resolve the identity theft abuse or breach.

You should see a notification within 30 days from the date a new court record is entered.

Your first report includes court and jail bookings data from the past 10 years.

False matches can occur as a result of an individual having the same name and/or date of birth as you. If this is the case, it is something that can be resolved on your behalf by member support. If identity theft is indeed confirmed, a dedicated specialist will help you resolve the identity theft abuse or breach.

You should see a notification within 36-48 hours from the time a booking incident occurs.

An alternative loan is lending that includes online or storefront activity such as: payday loans, installment loans, single payment loans, auto loans, rent-to-own, lines of credit, title loans, and credit cards. These types of loans are not usually reported to the credit bureaus; Experian^®, TransUnion^®, and Equifax^®. Thus, it is important to monitor this other source of loans as these would not be detected with traditional credit monitoring.

Alternative Loan Monitoring alerts you when an alternative lending activity such as a loan or line of credit has been applied for or obtained using your personal information. When a match is found, the service sends an alert to you and the details are made available via your Complete ID™ account.

Alternative Loans Monitoring covers lending activity with most alternative lenders. Through our network we see over 1 million inquiries and loans each day.

Your first Alternative Loan Monitoring report includes data from the past 5 years. After the initial report, we monitor on an ongoing basis and alert you if new alternative loan activity is detected.

We detect when a new personal loan was shopped or applied for with your information. We learn about these events through our monitoring network where alternative lenders share inquiry and loan opening events for alternative loans that have been applied for. These events can come from many personal lending activities such as: payday loans, installment loans, single payment loans, auto loans, rent-to-own, lines of credit, title loans, and credit cards. It’s important to monitor and vet these alerts, as these types of loans are not typically reported into the credit bureaus (Experian^®, TransUnion^®, and Equifax^®).

1. If you or your spouse recently shopped for a personal loan or line of credit, then the activity is likely valid. No further action is needed.
2. If you do not recognize the lender name, but you or your spouse recently shopped for a loan or line of credit, then the activity is likely valid and no further action is likely needed. Often the lender name is different than the company you shopped with.
3. If you or a spouse did not shop for a personal loan or line of credit, we suggest contacting the lender to inquire further. If after reviewing with the lender you feel you are a victim of identity theft, please contact us at 855-591-0202. Our support team will provide guidance on the next step in restoring your identity.

If you or a spouse did not shop for a personal loan or line of credit, we suggest contacting the lender to inquire further. If after reviewing with the lender you feel you are a victim of identity theft, please contact our support team at 855-591-0202. They will provide guidance on the next step in restoring your identity which can include closing and removing the account from your responsibility.

Loans can be obtained using your personal information such as name, date of birth, and social security number. These loans can be obtained via online sites and storefront locations across the nation. Most of the Personal Information that is obtained when opening or inquiring for a non-credit loan typically does not require a credit check with the credit bureaus; Experian^®, TransUnion^®, and Equifax^®. The fraud can go undetected until it goes to collections, which is why it is important to monitor non-credit loan activity.

If your status check contains names and/or addresses that are not familiar to you, there is probably an error in credit header data. If this is the case, it is something that can be resolved on your behalf by member support. If identity theft is indeed confirmed, a dedicated specialist will help you resolve the identity theft abuse or breach.

Your first SSN Monitoring status check looks at data beginning from the date your SSN first became associated with credit header data. This could be as early as when you were born and issued an SSN.

This service monitors your child’s SSN to identify credit information associated with your child’s identity. We also monitor your child’s personal information for activity on the dark web, including public and criminal Internet properties. If we find a match to your child’s monitored information online, we’ll notify you.

You can add Child Protection to your plan after you have enrolled in Complete ID. Simply log in to your account, click “Activate Child Protection” from the Home screen, and follow the steps to complete your purchase.

You can add up to 5 children to your plan.

This data comes from public and criminal Internet properties including forums and websites, IRC channels, search engine queries, social networks, peer-to-peer sources, hidden and anonymous web services, malware samples, botnets, and torrent sources.

Your first Child Protection status check includes data from the previous 8 years. This means that our tool searches the prior 8 years of records it has collected for a match to your child’s personal information.

Complete ID tracks Internet activity for signs that the personal information you’ve asked us to monitor is being traded or sold. If our surveillance technology has discovered information on the Internet that is a match to your monitored identity elements, you will be notified and provided with clear instruction about what to do next.

It is safe to assume that if some of your child’s information is compromised, all of it is. Even if only some of your child’s personal information has been detected, it is recommended that you contact member support.

Lost Wallet Replacement Assistance is included with your membership, and there are no extra fees.

No. Our Specialists will personally assist in contacting your bank or creditor to cancel your lost or stolen cards. These entities will be able to locate your account by verifying other forms of PII, and specialists may utilize Limited Power of Attorney (LPOA) to do this on your behalf.

As specialists, we’ll help you determine if an identity theft event has occurred and guide you through any necessary restoration² activities. We may take the following actions on your behalf:

• Contact your credit card issuer or banking institution
• Review your credit report for indications of identity theft
• Place a fraud alert or security freeze with the three credit bureaus

Visit https://www.completeid.com/summary-of-benefits/ to view policy details.