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Retiree Identity Theft IDShield

Retiree Identity Theft IDShield

Benefits for Life: Be Safe, Be Protected, Be Prepared

Identity Theft

Identity Theft protects you from becoming a victim and alerts you to incoming threats to your privacy. Identity theft can happen from using public Wi-Fi or losing a wallet, a company data breach, or a computer virus. Identity theft can be costly with victims facing an average financial loss of over $1,3001. Restoration isn't always easy. The average victim spending an average of 18 months working to restore their identity1.

With Identity Theft through IDShield you have the protection and professional assistance you need to protect yourself and your family.

You have the option to participate in either the individual plan or the family plan. The plans provide multiple monitoring services, complete restoration, and unlimited consultations. And, IDShield is the only Identity Theft plan that provides direct access to dedicated Licensed Private Investigators. If your identity is compromised or stolen, you will work directly with them to fully restore your identity back to its pre-theft status. Identity Theft provides a full year of coverage. Your coverage will be renewed automatically each year and may only be cancelled during a Benefits for Life open enrollment.

Review the IDShield Identity Theft plan descriptions by visiting benefitsforlife.org. Locate the section on the right side of the page called "Benefits for Life (BFL) State of Michigan Voluntary Benefit Program for SERS Retirees," then select the drop down "Identity Theft - IDShield."

1Bureau of Justice Statistics, Victims of Identity Theft, 2014.

Covered Services:

  • Monitored Information: Maiden name, credit/debit/retail cards, date of birth, driver's licenses, email address, name, passport numbers, phone numbers, social security numbers, usernames and passwords, investment account numbers, and more.
  • Financial Account Monitoring and Alerts: IDShield monitors participants’ financial accounts including credit cards, checking, savings, 401k accounts, loans and more for any discrepancies. Participants will receive alerts notifying them of financial withdrawals, balance transfers and large purchases on financial accounts, if a transaction is made outside of a set monetary amount.
  • Privacy and Security Monitoring: Internet and dark web monitoring, social media monitoring, child monitoring (with Family plan), credit monitoring, sex offender monitoring, court record monitoring, and more.
  • Online Privacy & Reputation Managment: VPN, cybersecurity/malware protection, password manager, online reputation management, online reputation score, cyberbullying protection, online privacy management, and more.
  • Unlimited Consultation: Child identity theft, credit reports, data breaches, lost/stolen wallet, medical data reports, and more.
  • Monitoring & Detection: Public record monitoring, telecom monitoring, credit monitoring, sex offender monitoring, payday loan monitoring, death-index monitoring, online chat rooms & social feed monitoring and more.
  • Complete Identity Restoration: $1 million protection policy, full service restoration by Licensed Private Investigators, pre-existing Identity Theft restoration, adult dependent parent restoration, and an unlimited service guarantee.
  • Alerts: Hard credit inquiry, customizable social media, sex offender, identity and credit threats, and financial transaction alerts.
  • Cybersecurity/Malware Protection: Identity, credit, financial account and social media account monitoring, as well as cybersecurity/malware protection and online privacy reputation management services. Reputation management services provide a scan of participant's social media accounts. Alerting them of posts and images that could be harmful to their reputation.
  • VPN: IDShield's Virtual Private Network (VPN) prevents participants' incoming and outgoing internet traffic from being monitored, hacked or censored.
  • Password Manager: IDShield's password manager allows participants to create strong and unique passwords and safely secure them. The password manager also securely communicates with browsers to enter passwords from saved accounts.
  • Adult Dependent Parent Coverage: In addition to providing consultation and restoration services to dependents aged 18-26, those services are also now available to adult dependent parents with the Family Plan.
  • General: 24/7 emergency assistance, access to Licensed Private Investigators, monthly credit score tracker, live member support, mobile app, identity and credit theft alerts, and more.

When may I start using my new IDShield coverage?

If you signed up during the 2023 Benefits for Life enrollment, you may start using your new plan effective September 1, 2023. Look for a Welcome Kit that will be sent to your home shortly after you enroll. The Welcome Kit from IDShield will provide you with your member number, details on how to activate your coverage and instructions to download/utilize the full featured mobile app.

Note: IDShield is a product of PPLSI and provides access to identity theft protection and restoration services. For complete terms, coverage and conditions, please see a summary plan description at benefitsforlife.org. Licensed Private Investigators are licensed in the state of Oklahoma. $1 Million protection policy is issued by a leading insurance carrier. Certain limitations apply

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