Cybersecurity has quickly become one of the most important forms of security for both people and businesses across the world. With every year that passes, there are more and more cybersecurity threats that the average person has to deal with, which means keeping your personal information safe has become more important than ever. Luckily, though, you don’t need to be a cybersecurity expert to keep your information safe.
There are many companies that offer people the safety, security, and tools they need to ensure that their identity remains theirs. However, Aura has built a name for itself as the identity protection service provider with the best digital and cybersecurity protection. This is especially important for seniors, as they are often the targets of sophisticated internet-related scams and schemes. In this article, we’re taking a look at Aura’s identity protection services and going over everything you need to know about the company and what makes them stand out from the rest.
What is Aura?
Aura is one of the leading providers of identity protection and overall digital security services. The company has designed its product to help you safeguard your personal and financial information from hackers, scammers, and fraudsters who work to steal the identities of hardworking individuals all over the world. Aura provides its customers with an all-in-one solution that offers advanced monitoring, threat detection, and recovery tools that allow customers to stay one step ahead of cybercriminals.
Aura was founded in 2014 by Hari Ravichandran after going through the pains of having his own identity stolen. Today, he remains the CEO of Aura and has worked with his team to grow the business into one of the largest identity protection services in the world. Aura’s headquarters are in Boston, Massachusetts, and the company serves customers all over the United States.
What makes Aura different from others?
Although Aura is a large and rapidly growing company, it is still relatively young — built during the digital era with a strong focus on both identity protection and cybersecurity. Unlike some competitors that primarily concentrate on credit monitoring and fraud alerts, Aura goes beyond traditional identity theft protection by integrating advanced cybersecurity tools into its service. This comprehensive approach includes features like a VPN for secure browsing, an ad and tracker blocker to enhance privacy, a password manager for secure credential storage, and real-time dark web monitoring to detect compromised personal information.
By bundling these digital security tools alongside its identity protection services, such as credit monitoring, fraud alerts, and identity restoration, Aura offers a more robust, all-in-one security solution that helps users proactively defend against both financial fraud and cyber threats. This combination makes Aura the best choice for those looking for complete digital and identity protection in one package.
Aura features and benefits
Before giving both your money and personal information to an identity protection service company, it’s important to know exactly what you’re getting. To help you get a better handle on what Aura offers, we’ve outlined some of their most prominent features below.
What personal information does Aura monitor?
Aura monitors all the data you want an identity protection service to monitor. This includes your credit, bank accounts, investment accounts, and titles for your home and vehicles, as well as all your personal data, such as your Social Security number, phone number, passwords, and criminal and court records. Aura monitors for this information on both the normal web as well as the dark web and alerts you when they find something suspicious, whether that’s a strange credit card transaction or your information being leaked on the dark web.
Your identity is most at risk whenever you reveal pieces of personal information to others, whether that be while making an online transaction, swiping your credit card at a gas pump, surfing the web on an unsecured network, or even posting on social media. That’s why it’s important to have your personal information protected through an identity protection service like Aura.
Ease of use and accessibility
Since Aura was born in the internet era, it’s designed with ease of use in mind. Aura’s user-friendly interface and straightforward setup make it accessible to users of all tech levels. When accessing the service via the web or the mobile app, users can easily monitor their identity, view alerts, and take proactive steps to enhance their security. The intuitive dashboard provides a centralized location for all security-related information, making it simple to stay informed and in control.
Aura’s unique benefits
Aura understands that privacy is a fundamental concern in today’s digital landscape. To enhance user security, it provides an array of privacy tools in addition to traditional credit monitoring and fraud alerts, including VPN services to encrypt online activity, password managers to secure login credentials, and ad-blocking technology to prevent intrusive tracking. These tools help users maintain control over their digital footprint, reducing exposure to potential threats.
Types of identity theft protection offered
Aura offers a comprehensive suite of identity theft protection services designed to safeguard users from a wide range of cyber threats. From credit and financial monitoring to dark web surveillance and identity restoration, Aura provides an all-in-one solution to help individuals stay ahead of fraud and security risks. This level of protection is particularly beneficial for seniors, who are often targeted by scams and fraudulent schemes, including phishing emails, Social Security fraud, and medical identity theft. By offering proactive monitoring and real-time alerts, Aura helps older adults and their families detect suspicious activity early and take immediate action to prevent potential financial or personal harm.
Credit and financial monitoring
A key component of Aura’s identity theft protection is its credit and financial monitoring services, which provide users with real-time alerts and insights into their financial health. Aura continuously monitors credit reports across major bureaus, detecting any suspicious activities such as unauthorized inquiries, new credit accounts, or changes in credit scores. This allows users to act quickly and mitigate the risk of fraud before it escalates. Additionally, Aura tracks bank account and investment activity, alerting users to potential unauthorized transactions that could indicate fraud.
Dark web surveillance
The dark web is a notorious marketplace for stolen personal information, and Aura actively scans these hidden corners of the internet to detect if a user’s sensitive data has been compromised. Whether it’s Social Security numbers, bank account details, or passwords, Aura’s dark web surveillance continuously searches for any traces of compromised data and notifies users if their information is found. This proactive approach enables users to take immediate action, such as changing passwords or freezing accounts, to prevent further misuse.
Personal information and Social Security monitoring
Aura’s comprehensive protection extends to monitoring users’ most sensitive personal data, including Social Security numbers, driver’s licenses, and home titles. With identity thieves increasingly targeting such information for fraudulent activities, Aura’s system ensures that any unauthorized use or suspicious activity is flagged promptly. Users receive alerts if their Social Security number is used in applications for loans, credit cards, or government benefits, helping them to address potential identity theft before it leads to financial loss.
Identity restoration assistance
In the unfortunate event that a user’s identity is compromised, Aura provides expert identity restoration assistance to help recover lost assets and restore their reputation. The service includes access to dedicated specialists who guide users through the process of reclaiming their identity, disputing fraudulent charges, and working with financial institutions and government agencies. This hands-on support helps minimize the stress and confusion often associated with identity theft, offering users peace of mind during a challenging time.
Privacy and online security features
Aura goes beyond traditional identity protection by offering a suite of privacy and security tools that help users maintain their online safety. These tools include a secure virtual private network (VPN) to encrypt internet activity, password management features to generate and store strong credentials, ad-blocking technology to prevent online tracking, and antivirus software to protect your devices from viruses and malware. The additional layers of security help users maintain control over their personal information while browsing the internet, making Aura a well-rounded digital security solution.
Can I use Aura’s services internationally?
Although you will be covered by Aura’s identity protection services if you travel outside of the U.S., you cannot sign up for Aura’s identity protection services if you are not a U.S.-based customer. Canada-based customers can sign up for Aura Antivirus. However, that is the extent of services that are offered to customers based outside of the U.S.
Pricing plans and options
Price is of course a very important factor when comparing different products and services. We’ve compiled information about Aura’s pricing and offerings to help you get a better idea of what you’re paying for when you subscribe. If you want to learn more, you can check out the pricing page on their website, where they lay out exactly what benefits you receive with each plan.
How much does Aura cost?
Although Aura does not have different tiers of pricing with varying levels of protection and benefits, their pricing depends on how many people you want to protect. Pricing also depends on whether you choose to pay monthly or annually. Below we’ve put together a table to help you better understand Aura’s pricing structure:
| Plan name | Introductory cost** | Full cost | Benefits |
| Individual | $15.00/month or $144.00/year | $24.00/month or $215.78/year | Coverage for 1 adult and 10 devices, $1 million identity theft insurance |
| Couple | $29.00/month or $264.00/year | $48.00/month or $345.41/year | Coverage for 2 adults and 20 devices, $2 million identity theft insurance ($1 million for each adult) |
| Family | $50.00/month or $384.00/year | $80.00/month or $419.83/year | Coverage for 5 adults, unlimited kids, and unlimited devices, $5 million insurance ($1 million for each adult), child identity theft coverage, AI spam call and message protection, content filtering and site blocking, screen time limits and scheduling, pause the internet, online history and usage reports, in-game voice and text monitoring, predator, scam and cyberbullying alerts, weekly gaming activity report |
**Per Aura’s site: “The introductory offer is valid for the first term of your subscription. At the end of the expiration of the initial term, you will be automatically renewed at the renewal price. This price is subject to change. We will always email you in advance prior to annual renewal.”
In addition to all of the aforementioned benefits in the chart above, Aura also offers the following benefits with all plans:
- Identity theft protection: Account breach alerts, SSN and personal info dark web alerts, home and auto title fraud alerts, stolen identity alerts, identity verification monitoring, and U.S.-based expert fraud remediation.
- Financial fraud protection: Three-bureau credit monitoring, instant credit lock, bank fraud monitoring, financial transaction monitoring, monthly credit score, and annual credit reports.
- Online privacy and security: People search sites and junk mail removal, antivirus and antimalware, VPN with military-grade encryption, safe browsing, and password manager.
Free trial of Aura
Committing to an identity protection service plan can be a bit daunting, especially when there are tools and features you’d like to try out before paying. Thankfully, with Aura, you can test-drive their services for up to 14 days for free. They also offer a 60-day money-back guarantee for annual plans.
Aura enrollment process
If you’d like to sign up for Aura, the process is quick and easy. All you have to do is navigate to their website or download their app on your iOS or Android smartphone or tablet and go to their sign-up page. From there, you can select the plan that you’d like, set up your payment method, and then enter your personal information.
How do I cancel my Aura subscription?
If you no longer require Aura’s services, canceling has been made very easy. With the recent “Click-to-Cancel” rule created by the FTC, businesses are required by law to make it easy for customers to cancel their services. All you have to do is log into Aura’s website and navigate to your account settings to cancel the subscription. If you would prefer to call their customer service line to cancel, you can also do that.
In-depth overview of Aura services
With so many features and services included with an Aura identity protection subscription, it can be hard to understand how it all works. Here, we provide an in-depth explanation of their services.
Monitoring services
Aura’s monitoring services are the foundation of its identity protection, giving users constant oversight of their personal and financial details. These services are built to find threats, immediately notify users, and offer clear guidance to reduce risks effectively.
Aura functions as a comprehensive digital security solution that continuously scans various data sources, including credit bureaus, financial accounts, public records, and the dark web, to identify potential threats. Using advanced algorithms, Aura monitors users’ sensitive information such as Social Security numbers, bank accounts, and online credentials, providing proactive protection against fraud and identity theft. Once enrolled, users can customize their monitoring preferences to focus on specific areas of concern, while Aura works 24/7 to detect unauthorized activity and alert users before significant damage occurs.
How am I alerted if my identity is stolen?
Aura promptly notifies users of any suspicious activity through multiple communication channels, including email, text messages, and notifications via the mobile app. These alerts contain detailed information about the detected threat, such as the type of suspicious activity and recommended actions to address it. Whether it’s an unauthorized credit inquiry or a potential data breach, Aura ensures that users receive timely alerts and clear instructions to take immediate action, such as freezing their credit or securing compromised accounts. Additionally, Aura provides regular security reports to keep users informed about their overall digital safety.
How secure is my information with Aura?
Aura prioritizes data security by employing bank-grade encryption and strict access controls to protect users’ sensitive information from unauthorized access. The platform complies with industry standards such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), ensuring transparency and regulatory compliance in handling personal data. Multifactor authentication (MFA) and continuous security updates further enhance protection, preventing unauthorized logins and safeguarding against emerging cyber threats. With a robust security infrastructure and dedicated cybersecurity experts monitoring for vulnerabilities, users can trust that their personal information is in safe hands with Aura.
Credit reporting and alerts
Monitoring your credit is crucial for identity protection, as thieves can exploit good credit to take out fraudulent loans. Aura offers robust credit reporting and alert systems to help you identify potentially fraudulent activity.
Aura protects users’ credit by providing continuous monitoring and real-time alerts for any suspicious activity that could indicate fraud or identity theft. By tracking credit reports across major bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion), Aura detects unauthorized inquiries, new account openings, and changes in credit utilization that may signal potential threats. If unusual activity is identified, users receive immediate alerts with clear guidance on how to respond, such as freezing their credit or contacting financial institutions. Aura’s proactive approach helps users prevent financial loss and maintain control over their credit health.
Aura notifies users of changes to their credit in real time, so you don’t have to wait for a monthly refresh to learn that something has been added to your credit. Updating users in real time allows both Aura and its users to stay proactive in shutting down attempts to steal one’s identity.
Privacy protection tools
Aura also provides its customers with a broad array of privacy protection tools in addition to their credit reporting and alert tools. Here are some of the privacy protection tools they offer:
- Virtual private network (VPN): Encrypts internet connections to ensure that users’ online activities remain private and secure.
- Password manager: Helps users create, store, and manage strong, unique passwords for each of their online accounts.
- Ad and tracker blocking: Prevents intrusive online tracking and data collection by advertisers and third-party sites.
- Data removal services: This tool assists users in opting out of data broker websites that collect and sell personal information.
Identity restoration services
If your identity is stolen, Aura’s Expert Fraud Remediation team is there to help. They will create a custom recovery plan and facilitate three-way calls for them, you, and your bank or credit bureaus to help you resolve the issue. Additionally, Aura provides customers with between $1 million and $5 million of insurance that helps cover out-of-pocket expenses incurred due to identity theft, like legal fees, travel expenses, certified public accountant costs, and more.
Aura user experience and reviews
When you’re looking to spend a sizeable sum of money on something like identity protection services, it’s important to see what actual customers have to say about a company. One of the best ways to get an idea of how customers feel about a company is through the company’s Trustpilot and Better Business Bureau pages. Aura has 4.4/5 stars on Trustpilot but an A+ rating and 1.15/5 stars on the Better Business Bureau.
Although Aura’s Trustpilot reviews are great, their BBB reviews leave something to be desired. It is worth noting that there are 690 Aura reviews on Trustpilot and only 54 on the Better Business Bureau. Additionally, the Better Business Bureau has become a place where people go almost exclusively to complain about a business, so it’s very rare to find a business with great reviews there.
Comparison with other ID protection services
When shopping for something as important as identity protection services, you’re going to want to compare the company you’re looking into with some of their competitors. Below, we’ve outlined some of the most prominent competitors and compared Aura to a popular ID protection service, LifeLock.
Aura’s competitors
Aura is one of many identity protection services out there. However, they are one of the most reputable companies we’ve found. Some of their most prominent competitors are LifeLock, IdentityForce, Identity Guard, and Zander Insurance’s identity theft protection services. If you’d like to learn more about Aura’s competitors, be sure to check out our dedicated reviews for each of these companies or our summary article.
How does Aura compare to LifeLock?
LifeLock is one of the most popular identity protection services out there because it’s one of the oldest and most widely recognized and since it’s owned by the well-respected antivirus software and cybersecurity company Norton. LifeLock is less expensive, with plans starting at $11.99 a month. However, it’s important to remember that price isn’t everything — it’s also about what you’re getting in exchange. LifeLock’s cheapest plan comes with just a $25,000 insurance plan on both stolen funds and personal expenses, whereas Aura’s plans come with much higher levels of insurance.
Aura customer support
It’s important to know about a company’s customer support prior to signing up. Aura offers several ways to contact them if you have any questions. Their first line of defense is their online help center, which has helpful articles that address some of their most frequently asked questions. You can also chat with someone through their website, send an email, or give them a call 24/7.
Below we’ve assembled the best ways to get in touch with Aura:
- Phone: 1-833-552-2123
- Email: support@aura.com
- Help center: help.aura.com/s/
- Chat: Available via an icon on the bottom right-hand side of your screen when you log in
Wrapping things up: Who is Aura right for?
Identity protection services are becoming more and more valuable each year. With cybercrime continuing to rise, it’s important that you and your family remain protected. If you’re looking to work with one of the best identity protection services out there that puts an emphasis on digital and cybersecurity, then Aura is the right identity protection service for you.
