Included as part of the Identity Guard suite of identity protection solutions, this new feature not only provides members with identity monitoring via alerts when a new account is applied for or opened, but also alerts members to potential identity fraud threats such as account take over - including banking accounts; helping them to identify and stop potential identity theft before it happens.

In a study by Javelin Strategy & Research released earlier this year, more than 12 million U.S. adults were victims of identity theft. That same report also found the incidence rate for account takeover schemes increased by 40% from 2011 to 2012. With the increase in malware and data breaches as opportunities for identity thieves to gain access to and misuse personal information, consumers need to be more vigilant when it comes to the protection of their identities.

"Identity thieves have become increasingly sophisticated in their abilities to steal personal information from unsuspecting consumers, ultimately causing them financial and emotional distress," said Steve Schwartz, President of IDENTITY GUARD. "By offering our customers this extra level of protection, they can feel at ease knowing they have someone to rely on and trust in helping to monitor their financial accounts and sensitive personal information, immediately alerting them when their identity is at play."

Members enrolled in one of the products including this feature will automatically receive a real-time alert any time their personal information is being authenticated by an Experian client business or agency; whether the authentication is for a new banking account, loan, or credit card application, or a company making an attempt to confirm their identity such as password reset requests.

"Experian's Precise ID fraud prevention and authentication suite of services are already in use by hundreds of business clients across North America. This relationship with IDENTITY GNTITY GUARD enables us to deliver to consumers expanded and timely information related to the use of their identities. As we continue to develop and provide more holistic identity risk tools to numerous addressable markets, consumers themselves play a key role in that equation," said Keir Breitenfeld, Vice President, Fraud and Identity Solutions, Experian's Decision Analytics. "Our goal is to maintain our leadership role in ensuring businesses, agencies, and consumers themselves are able to transact in a multitude of applications with as little identity risk as possible."

"Protecting your identity is much more than just monitoring your credit, it's about protecting your personal information; such as bank account numbers, passwords, home address, etc." says Schwartz. "You never know what attempts a fraudster is making to gain access to your personal information."