For our partners, we offer a number of branding choices for your custom identity protection program so that we can best fit your needs.
Please reach out to your dedicated EZShield client services manager at cs@ezshield.com to view this section.
EZShield’s story is at the root of who we are as a service, a company and a brand. Our employees and trusted partners can use this guide to learn more about messaging we encourage and discourage, as well as how to effectively use statistics and other content tools to talk about our services.
Our goal is to empower others to proactively secure their sensitive information and overall identities. Place any of these educational data sheets in your organization or as downloadables on your website to offer valuable information and tips on various types of identity theft, scams and other identity crimes.
One of the most valuable ways we can help your customers/members/employees is to empower them to protect their identities. The goal is to inspire them to invest in themselves. Accomplish this through timely, easy-to-understand educational content that creates a natural relationship.
By integrating best practices and tools into everyday life, while also taking advantage of expert assistance, we can help people learn to make protective measures a regular part of their lives.
If we continue to be better understand identity crimes and proactively protect our information, we will be able to help prevent identity crimes from negatively affecting us.
Protecting your information is easy when you take advantage of the powerful tools, resources and assistance at your fingertips.
We support taking a proactive role in one’s identity protection; they should be the number one advocate for their good name.
We live in a connected world, where information security is not always guaranteed. Identity thieves have a number of access points from which they can steal your sensitive information. It’s up to you to understand these risks and manage them appropriately.
We believe that the best approach to identity crime and identity protection is through empowerment and education. However, we understand that our partners may choose different ways of promoting identity protection within their organizations. There is a certain content that we do not use, but may be approved for use when referencing EZShield ID Protection programs. Please implement any of the following messages at your own discretion, and we urge you to consider the reasons why we do not implement them within our own campaigns.
Why We Discourage This:
The identity protection industry has been inundated with anxiety-inducing marketing. Fear-driven messaging can sometimes lead to deceptive advertising, which ultimately can result in lawsuits against identity protection services. Furthermore, breach fatigue has emerged among consumers and small business owners despite the continued rise in data breaches.
Example:
“If you don't have identity protection services, you should feel scared.”
Two Alternative Approaches:
Paint a realistic picture of identity crime, then restate how your ID Protection program is designed to address these fraud- and identity theft-related threats.
Example:
"Identity crime becomes more complicated when it is left unaddressed. Secure your personal information to avoid the damages that come with identity crime."
Example:
"Identity theft is often the result of multiple smaller fraud events. Your identity protection program helps spot identity crime in its early stages."
The EZShield Approach:
Consider the EZShield Approach that empowers people to take the necessary steps to protect themselves from identity crimes.
Example:
"Take charge of your identity and question every request for your personal information."
Why We Discourage This:
It's misleading to suggest that people with identity protection can ignore potential identity threats. There is no way to fully prevent identity crimes from affecting personal information.
Example:
"You have nothing to worry about now that you have identity protection."
Two Alternative Approaches:
Emphasize the benefits of your ID Protection program without sugar-coating the seriousness of identity crime.
Example:
"Identity protection can offer peace of mind when addressing the inevitable threats to your identity."
Example:
"Identity protection offers the tools needed to address online and offline identity threats."
The EZShield Approach:
Consider the EZShield Approach that shares relevant news and educational tips that provides helpful guidance on handling your personal information and securing your identity.
Example:
"Continue taking advantage of the data protection resources available to you."
Why We Discourage This:
Credit monitoring only alerts individuals after they have been victimized.
Example:
"If you've been affected by a data breach, make sure you get credit monitoring services."
Two Alternative Approaches:
Avoid cause and effect positioning. Instead, highlight the benefits of credit monitoring alerts and the role they play within your overall ID Protection program.
Example:
"Consider adding credit monitoring services for an extra layer of protection to your credit information."
Example:
"Be the first to know if someone has misused your personal information by enabling credit monitoring alerts."
The EZShield Approach:
Consider the EZShield Approach that describes credit monitoring as just one of many identity protection tools needed in a comprehensive identity protection program to address the full spectrum of identity crime.
Example:
"Include credit monitoring as part of your comprehensive identity protection plan."
The following messages are ones we cannot support, and we will not approve if submitted to us by a partner for use. EZShield will ask you to remove any of these messages if they are found to be used in reference to EZShield ID Protection programs, features, products or services.
Why We Discourage This:
We recognize the importance of making people feel empowered through positive messages that connect them to their services, which leads to long-term engagement. This is crucial because consumers who feel powerless are often the first to purchase identity protection services. However, they also tend to be the first to leave once the fear of identity theft is no longer top-of-mind.
Example:
“Without identity protection, there is no way to protect your identity.”
Consider an Alternative Approach:
Motivate people to make a difference through better security practices, monitoring tools and resolution specialist.
Example:
“Knowledge is your first line of defense against identity crimes.”
Why We Discourage This:
A lack of clarity could misrepresent identity crime risks and identity protection service capabilities, resulting in unsatisfied, distrustful customers that lodge formal complaints.
Example:
“Identity protection is the only way to fight identity theft.” (Referring to all crimes or threats as identity theft and then suggesting that identity protection is the answer).
Consider an Alternative Approach:
Clearly define the differences between the various types of identity crimes so that people can better understand how they may be impacted. Simultaneously, describe precisely what identity protection services do to help protect against these identity crimes.
Example:
“Be aware of all forms of identity crimes, how to protect yourself and what identity protection services can do for you.”
Why We Discourage This:
It’s impossible for that any identity protection service to fully secure a customer’s identity without any involvement from the customer.
Example:
“Sit back and relax while we take care of all aspects of protecting your identity.”
Consider an Alternative Approach:
Emphasize that our services hinge on customer activation and engagement through the educational information we provide.
Example:
“Together, you and your identity protection service are an effective team against identity crimes.”
Why We Discourage This:
Messages like this give the false impression that identity protection is a magic bullet. Nothing prevents identity crimes 100 percent.
Example:
“Having identity protection means you are no longer exposed to identity crime threats.”
Consider an Alternative Approach:
Make it clear that there is no cure-all for identity crimes.
Example:
“There is no single answer to identity crimes — it requires a combination of being proactive and having comprehensive identity protection services to back you up.”
Current data highlight issues that deserve the greatest attention and may outline the best way to handle them. In turn, it clarifies what matters most to consumers and small business owners. It also helps validate the scope of identity crimes and the potential impact of such issues.
We stand behind our high-value services, and we want to be sure that their features are being conveyed honestly and transparently. Overall, avoid confusing or misleading language when describing any EZShield product.