Visit LifeLock.com to learn more about the identity theft protection service chosen by more than 1 million Americans. Give LifeLock as a Christmas gift using the LifeLock promotion code Defense and pay only $9 a month to protect someone you love.

We all have hard to buy for people on our Christmas shopping lists. But choosing a thoughtful gift for an elderly man or woman might be the most challenging.

One of the most thoughtful Christmas gifts for an elderly family member is LifeLock identity theft protection. Seniors are especially vulnerable to identity theft, but Life Lock’s services can protect them.

• WalletLock™: Lost or stolen wallets are the most common source for identity thieves. Only LifeLock offers this service to immediately cancel and replace driver’s licenses, credit cards, Social Security cards … any official or financial documents that were in the wallet.  This service is essential for elderly people who have memory disorders or dementia.
• Junk mail reduction: Less junk mail and pre-approved credit offers means fewer opportunities for identity thieves. Stolen mail is the second most common sources of information for identity thieves.
• TrueAddress™: Identity thieves commonly divert their victims’ mail by submitting a change of address. LifeLock’s TrueAddress™ tool monitors these submissions to make sure your loved one’s identity isn’t threatened.
• Fraud alerts: Anytime a prospective creditor checks customers’ credit file, the customers are called to verify the applicant’s identity. LifeLock will help renew the fraud alert every 90 days so their protection is uninterrupted.
• Credit reports: LifeLock will help the customer get annual credit reports to check for any erroneous or unusual new entries.
• eRecon™: Millions of stolen identities are bought, sold and traded over the Internet every year. eRecon™ monitors the sites used by identity thieves and crime rings for any aspect of a customer’s identity.

Senior citizens represent roughly 20% of all identity theft victims, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

Senior citizens control more wealth than members of any other age group; more of then have homes that are paid off, and their other investments have been accumulating longer. Without children to provide for, they’re able to preserve more of their assets.

But knowing the things that make them attractive targets is only half of the story. What makes senior citizens vulnerable to identity theft?

Medicare cards: Each subscriber’s Social Security number is printed on the card as an account number. Seniors have to show their cards to get prescriptions or medical care. Lost cards or stolen cards provide the most important information for an identity thief.

Limited technological interaction: This group is less likely than others to check account statements or balances online or at ATMs. If someone else gains access to their accounts, there is more damage done because of a delay in the crime’s detection.

Respect for authority: Especially elderly senior citizens have a deeply ingrained respect for authority that makes them more likely to fall for a phone caller who asks for confirmation of Social Security number or account number.

Disability: Nursing home residents are especially vulnerable as evidenced by the Federal Grand Jury indictment of 17 people in the Kansas City area who used nursing home residents’ information to file fraudulent tax returns in 27 states.

Loyalty, fear or shame: Even when the identity theft is discovered senior citizens might be unwilling to prosecute family members out of fear, loyalty or shame.