Today's Wall Street Journal ran a run-down of identity theft startups. Companies mentioned:

• LifeLock: Founded by Todd Davis, the Chandler, AZ-based firm has been offering its $10/mo service since April 2005. The company also protects children living in the same household for an additional $10 per year. Its plain-language guarantee featured prominently in the upper-right corner of its home page should serve as an example for financial institutions (see inset).
• TrustedID: A Redwood City, CA-based company co-founded in January by former Fair Isaac executive Scott Mitic offers protection services for $7.95/mo.
• CardCops: The Malibu, CA-based firm scans the Internet for stolen information and for $24.95/mo alerts its customers if their data has been compromised.
• Cyveillance: The Arlington, VA firm also sifts through the online world looking for stolen data. The company resells its service as Identity Guard through Intersections Inc.

Financial institutions should be partnering with credit bureaus and/or identity theft providers to provide education and protection services to banking customers. Refer to previous articles here.

-- JB