Identity Theft of Children: How to Protect Your Family
Identity theft is scary and surprising when it comes from the hands of a stranger. But think of what it must feel like if your own family members stole your identity and used it for their own financial gains?
Identity theft of children is a serious concern. Jason Truxel was denied a mortgage because of bad credit. When he pulled his credit reports, he discovered a tremendous amount of debt and accounts he had never opened. One such account showed that a credit card had been opened in his name when he was only 13 years old. Jason found out the hard way that he was a victim of child identity theft. More horribly, Jason found out that the man who stole his identity and ruined his credit was his own father. Jason’s dad told him that he would “never be able to prove anything,” but he was convicted of credit card fraud when credit cards with Jason’s name were found at his home.
Identity theft of children has also affected 11-year-old Diamond Daye. However, it was his mother that is the identity thief. She’s 31, and owes thousands in rent, cell phone and cable bills–all in Diamond Daye’s name.
Identity theft of children is a growing problem. The Federal Trade Commission estimates that there are 500,000 new victims every year. The culprits are often parents, since they have direct access to their kids’ personal information. Irresponsible parents in financial debt apply for credit in their children’s names.
It’s easy–all a parent needs is a child’s Social Security number. Creditors often fail to verify the applicant’s age, and simply accept the application. Children rarely discover that they are victims of identity theft until they are adults and are denied credit or employment because of their negative credit history.
Parents can prevent identity theft of their children by regularly requesting fraud alerts and ensuring the credit hasn’t been issued under their child’s name.
How to Protect Against Identity Theft of Children
1. Protecting yourself from new account fraud requires a credit freeze, or setting up your own fraud alerts in your and your child’s name. This provides an extra layer of protection and can prevent the opening of new line of credit.
2. Consider making an investment in Intelius Identity Theft Protection and Prevention. This award-winning service includes a Free Credit Report, SSN monitoring, Credit & Debit Card monitoring, Bank Account monitoring, Email fraud alerts, Public Records Monitoring, Customizable “Watch List”, $25,000 in ID theft insurance, Junk Mail OptOut and Credit Card Offer OptOut and much more.
Your child is your most important asset, and we all want our children to have a bright future. By protecting their identity now, they can become anyone they want and do anything they dream.
By Robert Siciliano, identity theft speaker and guest speaker on Fox News.
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