Living Frugal
Avoiding Child Identity Theft
Child Identity Theft continues to be a growing issue and the criminals keep getting braver.
Thieves are targeting children because their stolen identity can go undetected for years.
Your child is at greater risk than you are for having their identity stolen
Preventing your child's identity from being stolen involves taking the necessary precautions before it's too late. Don't think it can't happen to your child.
How to Check for Possible Child Identity Theft
- Your child's social security number can be used by identity thieves to apply for credit cards, get utilities, open bank accounts or apply for a loan.
- If you suspect there's a possibility your child's identity has been stolen, check to see if your child has a credit report on file. If so, someone has stolen their identity.
- If there has been no suspicious activity, I would highly suggest taking the necessary precautions to ensure they don't become a victim.
- Check your child's social security earnings record on an annual basis.
- Request a free credit report every year for your child from all 3 credit bureaus (Equifax, TransUnion, Experian)
Use an identity protection service
It will be money well spent to prevent your child's information from being stolen.
Consider enrolling in Identity Force or LifeLock. They provide credit monitoring, credit alerts, lost wallet protection as well as many other services to protect you and your child from identity theft.
**Child Identity Theft Protection
How to Report Identity Theft
- Create an Identity Theft Report with the FTC
- Report Identity Theft to the IRS
- Report Identity Theft to the Social Security Administration
- Contact all creditors advising them to place fraud alerts on your accounts.
- Contact all banking institutions you do business with to have them put fraud alerts on your accounts.
- Stop all EFT transactions out of any bank account. This includes online bill pay.
- File a police report in your community or where the theft took place.
Call the fraud units of the three main credit reporting bureaus
Equifax To report fraud, call (800) 525-6285 or write to P.O. Box 740250, Atlanta, GA 30374-0250.
Experian To report fraud, call (888) EXPERIAN or (888) 397-3742, fax to (800) 301-7196, or write to P.O. Box 1017, Allen, TX 75013.
TransUnion To report fraud, call (800) 680-7289 or write to P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92634.
In summary, do all you can to prevent child identity theft.
Your child will thank you later.
