Is Kroll Monitoring Legit or Scam? Consumer Reviews and Complaints

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  • Post published:February 11, 2024
  • Post category:Reviews

Kroll Monitoring is a service offered by Kroll, a corporate investigations and risk consulting firm, to help protect people’s identities in the event of a data breach. But is it a scam, or is Kroll Monitoring legit way to help safeguard your personal information?

This in-depth review will examine Kroll Monitoring’s services, reputation, and effectiveness to help you determine if it’s right for you.

Kroll Monitoring Review: Overview

Kroll Monitoring provides identity and credit monitoring services to consumers whose personal information may have been compromised in a data breach.

Some key features of Kroll Monitoring include:

  • Monitoring for identity theft indicators: Looks for signs of potential identity theft like your personal information appearing on the dark web or suspicious online activity related to your Social Security Number, bank accounts, credit cards, etc.
  • Dark web scans: Searches black market websites and other parts of the dark web for your personal information.
  • Credit monitoring: Alerts you to changes in your credit reports like new accounts opened in your name.
  • Fraud resolution services: Provides access to fraud resolution specialists who can help restore your identity if you do become an identity theft victim.
  • Insurance coverage: Up to $1 million in identity theft insurance to cover certain costs related to restoring your identity and mitigating fraud.

Kroll Monitoring services are typically offered for free for one to two years to individuals affected by a data breach. After the free period, you’d have to pay to continue services.

What is Kroll? A Look at the Company Behind Kroll Monitoring

Kroll Monitoring is a service provided by Kroll, a global corporate investigations and risk consulting firm headquartered in New York. Some key facts about Kroll:

  • Founded in 1972 by Jules Kroll as a consultant firm focused on investigations and risk management.
  • Employs over 6,500 employees across 30 countries.
  • Known for expertise in areas like cybersecurity, corporate finance, compliance, valuations, due diligence, and forensic investigations.
  • Works with law firms, corporations, non-profits, and governments around the world. Clients include over 80 of the Fortune 100 companies.
  • Handled high-profile cyber breach response and forensic investigations for companies like eBay, Equifax, Facebook, Marriott, Target, Uber, and more.
  • Kroll is owned by Duff & Phelps corporation, which is a global financial advisory and investment banking firm.

So Kroll is an established company with a long track record in corporate security and investigations, giving it relevant expertise for identity theft monitoring and protection services. But is Kroll Monitoring legit?

How Does Kroll Monitoring Work?

If you’re offered Kroll Monitoring services after a data breach, here is an overview of how the process typically works:

  1. Get notified of eligibility – After a breach, the impacted company provides Kroll with information on affected individuals. Kroll sends a notification explaining eligibility for free monitoring.
  2. Enroll online – Enroll on Kroll’s website using a provided membership number. You’ll need to provide personal info like SSN, name, address, etc.
  3. Access dashboard – Login to your Kroll account dashboard to access monitoring features, alerts, and resolution services.
  4. Monitor identity – Kroll looks for and alerts you to signs of potential identity theft based on credit reports, public records, dark web searches, and more.
  5. Get fraud help – If you see suspicious activity or become an ID theft victim, you can contact Kroll for dedicated help recovering your identity.
  6. Insurance – If needed, take advantage of up to $1 million in identity theft insurance coverage for related expenses.
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So in summary, Kroll Monitoring leverages a combination of technology monitoring features and human fraud resolution experts to try to catch and fix identity theft for its clients.

Pros of Using Kroll Monitoring

Is Kroll Monitoring legit? Kroll Monitoring provides a few key potential advantages:

  • Expertise in data breaches – Given Kroll’s specialty in breach response, its services are tailored to protect you after your data is exposed.
  • Saves you time – Kroll’s technology handles monitoring different identity theft indicators so you don’t have to.
  • Peace of mind – Alerts notify you of suspicious activity related to your personal information.
  • Insurance – Provides coverage up to $1 million for costs associated with identity restoration.
  • Real people to help – If you do become an identity theft victim, you get access to Kroll’s professional fraud resolution team.
  • Temporary protection – Even if you only use the free 1-2 years offered after a breach, it provides monitoring during the highest risk period.

Cons of Using Kroll Monitoring

However, there are also some downsides to consider with Kroll:

  • Cost – After any free access expires, you’ll need to pay to continue services. Plans start at $9.95 per month.
  • Security risk – Providing personal info like SSN creates another potential exposure point for your data.
  • Limited prevention – Monitoring detects fraud but can’t prevent your info from being stolen in the first place.
  • Identity insurance limits – Insurance may not cover all identity theft costs, and requires documentation and investigation.
  • Extra work if fraud detected – You still need to put in significant time and effort to fix ID theft even with Kroll’s help.
  • Mixed reviews – Kroll gets mixed reviews from customers regarding its user experience, customer service and effectiveness.

So while it provides some advantages, Kroll Monitoring isn’t a perfect solution and still requires some caution and effort on your part.

Kroll Monitoring Consumer Reviews and Complaints

Is Kroll Monitoring legit? In addition to expert opinions, it’s helpful to look at direct reviews from consumers who have used Kroll Monitoring. What complaints or negative experiences are people reporting?

Here are examples of common themes among recent consumer reviews:

Difficulty canceling or issues after canceling

  • “I tried to cancel Kroll but they kept billing me for 3 months afterwards. It was a nightmare sorting it out with their customer service.”
  • “Cancelling required mailing a letter to Kroll and took forever to process. They don’t let you easily cancel online.”

Problems with fraud support

  • “When I actually had someone fraudulently try to open accounts, Kroll did nothing to help fix the issue or contact creditors.”
  • “After my identity was stolen, Kroll did the bare minimum to help recover my accounts and the process took well over 6 months.”

Account security concerns

  • “I don’t understand why Kroll needs my SSN to sign up if the whole point is that my SSN was already compromised.”
  • “Does Kroll even have adequate security? I’m nervous to provide personal information to a company I’ve never heard of.”

Missing alerts for unauthorized activity

  • “Kroll never alerted me when someone stole my identity and opened cable accounts in my name. The monitoring seems useless.”
  • “There were no alerts about my SSN being used for fraudulent state tax refunds. Kroll monitoring missed it.”

Difficulty reaching knowledgeable support

  • “Whenever I call Kroll for support I just get the runaround from representatives following a script.”
  • “The support people seem to have very little actual understanding of the monitoring services or identity theft issues.”

So while Kroll Monitoring can provide value, it’s important to be aware of limitations reported by other consumers related to customer service, identity restoration support, and monitoring effectiveness. Do sufficient research before assuming it will provide comprehensive protection.

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Is Kroll Monitoring Legit? User Reviews & Reputation

What are people saying about their own first-hand experiences with Kroll Monitoring? Here are examples of reviews from around the web:

  • “Very few false positives” – “Kroll does a good job of detecting fraud and alerts have very few false positives in my experience.”
  • “Took months to restore identity” – “Even with Kroll’s help, it took over 8 months to fully restore my identity after I was the victim of ID theft.”
  • “Unhelpful customer service” – “Customer service reps just read from a script and had no real answers when I called about fraud alerts.”
  • “Asks for too much personal info” – “I don’t feel comfortable giving out my SSN to a company I’ve never heard of.”

Is Kroll Monitoring legit? Kroll has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau with over 300 closed complaints on record in the past 3 years. The most common complaints relate to problems with monitoring services and Kroll’s fraud resolution support.

So user sentiment seems mixed – when Kroll’s monitoring works it can provide useful alerts, but some customers report issues getting effective support if they do experience identity theft.

Expert Opinions on Kroll Monitoring Effectiveness

What do cybersecurity and identity theft experts say about how useful Kroll Monitoring really is? Here are some opinions:

  • “Can provide an alert on suspicious activity” – Eva Velasquez, CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center, says Kroll’s monitoring “can provide an alert on activity that otherwise would have gone unnoticed.”
  • “Not a flawless protection solution” – Security expert Avivah Litan from Gartner says identity monitoring services are “not a flawless protection solution” and that “they still require the consumer to be on high alert.”
  • “Valuable for high-risk individuals” – Michael Magrath, director of cybersecurity firm Vequa, says identity monitoring is most valuable for “high-risk individuals” who’ve had data stolen or exposed.
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The consensus seems to be that monitoring like Kroll can provide useful notifications of potential fraud, but individuals still need to be vigilant and use common sense to protect themselves. It’s not an 100% guaranteed fraud resolution service.

Is Kroll Monitoring Legit? Our Recommendation

Given the pros, cons and expert opinions, is signing up for Kroll Monitoring worth it if you’re offered free access after a data breach?

Our recommendation is that it makes sense to take advantage of Kroll’s free monitoring unless you already have robust identity theft protections in place. The most dangerous period is right after your data is stolen, so take the opportunity for temporary heightened monitoring.

However, you shouldn’t rely only on Kroll after the free service expires. Continue using comprehensive identity theft precautions, and if you feel at ongoing high risk consider paid monitoring options beyond Kroll. Treat it as just one layer of protection.

The FTC’s identitytheft.gov website also provides great free guidance on protecting yourself before and after a breach.

Alternatives to Kroll Monitoring

Here are a few alternatives to consider for identity monitoring and insurance:

ServicePricingKey Features
LifeLock$9.99 – $29.99 per monthIdentity alerts, dark web monitoring, up to $1M insurance
IdentityForce$17.95 – $26.95 per monthTri-bureau credit alerts, public records monitoring, $1M insurance
IDShield$14.95 – $29.95 per monthCredit alerts, dark web monitoring, $1M insurance
Identity Guard$8.99 – $24.99 per monthAlerts for credit, public records, sex offender registries, $1M insurance
Credit monitoring from credit bureausFreeAlerts on credit report changes from TransUnion, Equifax, Experian
Credit freezeFreeRestricts access to your credit report unless lifted

The credit bureaus also provide certain free credit monitoring as well. And freezing your credit reports for free is one of the strongest protections since it prevents opening new accounts.

So make sure to shop around and compare if you want ongoing monitoring after any free Kroll service expires. There are various competitively priced options.

The Bottom Line: Take Advantage but Stay Vigilant

So Is Kroll Monitoring legit? Kroll Monitoring provides a valuable temporary service to detect identity theft attempts after your personal data is compromised in a breach. Take advantage of the free offering while you can.

However, no monitoring service is bulletproof against identity theft. You need to continue using strong precautions and checking your accounts regularly even with Kroll. Think of it as helpful added protection, but not a guarantee you can stop worrying.

By leveraging Kroll’s detection capabilities but staying prudent, you can make the most of the free access while reducing your risk if you ever get a breach notice that includes their monitoring offer. Don’t let your guard down, but do take reasonable steps like Kroll Monitoring when available.

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