Not to beat this topic to death. But I currently use the credit freeze capabilities provided by all three credit bureaus. I think it pretty much works very well.
Basically what happens is that you send a letter to the three credit bureaus telling them you want a credit freeze. You pay them $10, and they will send back a pin number.
Your credit file will be locked. To unlock your credit, you go online and answer a few questions about your credit and enter your pin. Then you specify how long you want the credit file to be open OR you specify the specific agency that should have access to your credit file, and the credit file will remain open for the specified duration.
It's not really that difficult. You just need to plan ahead when you think you need to open your credit file. For example, when you apply for a job, they often do a credit file pull. Just ask the employer which credit agency they use, and usually you can get the credit file unlocked in 24-48 hours.
I don't see what additional value these firms offer beyond a $1milion guarantee.
