(WTNH) – Identity thieves aren’t just targeting adults. Even if your kids are not yet old enough to swipe a credit card it is important to check to see if they have a credit report. They can be the victims of identity theft too.
Thieves often want to target kids because they know they can get away with it for a lot longer. Typically, kids will not find out something is wrong with their credit until they grow up and are not able to get a credit card or apply for a loan. However, at that point it’s too late; their credit has already been destroyed.
Child identity theft happens more often than you might think. The Federal Trade Commission says of the more than 400,000 identity theft complaints made last year, about 5% were for people age 19 and younger.
How do thieves get a hold of a child’s social security number in the first place? If it’s on school forms and paperwork it can get into the wrong hands. Ask if the school really needs it when filling out forms. Also, family members who know a child’s social security number might use it for the wrong reasons. Kids’ social security numbers can be stolen in a data breach along with adults’ information. It’s also a good idea to remind your kids not to give out any personal information online, since this can be an opportunity for thieves to steal it.
If your child starts getting pre-approved credit offers in the mail or calls from debt collectors, those are red flags that his or her identity may have been stolen. If that happens contact the three major credit reporting agencies – Equifax, Experian and TransUnion – and ask to check if your child has a credit report. Most kids should not have one. A credit report may indicate fraud. If your child’s identity has been compromised you will need to work with the credit reporting agencies and contact the creditors to fix the problem.
Whether or not you suspect fraud it’s a good idea to check your child’s credit by the time he or she is 16 years old.
