Child Identity Theft

More than 140,000 children are victims of identity fraud annually in the United States. This can happen in many ways but the two most frequent ways are Criminal Identity Theft and Identity Assumption. Criminal identity theft occurs when a person “borrows” the information of the minor to get some form of identification (like a driver’s license) or uses the child’s identity when caught in a criminal act.

Identity assumption is when an identity thief uses and identity for financial, criminal, and governmental purposes. These criminals may be trying to restart their financial lives or avoid arrest.

What are some of the warning signs that my child’s identity has been stolen?
*You try to open a saving’s account or college fund for your child and find out there is already an account open with that Social Security Number.
*You receive numerous credit cards, checks, pre-approved credit card offers, bills, bank statements in the mail with your child’s name on them.
*You start receiving phone calls or letters from collection agencies about accounts you didn’t open for your child.
*When your teenager is denied a driver’s license because another person has a license with their Social Security Number.
*When law enforcement shows up at your house with a warrant for an arrest of your child.

What can I do to protect my children?
*If you have any accounts open in your child’s name (college funds, savings accounts, etc.,) monitor them for suspicious activity.
*Watch for suspicious mail, emails, or phone calls regarding accounts in your child’s name.

What you should do TODAY. Order a Child Identity Theft Inquiry Form with TransUnion.

Order a copy of your credit information from www.annualcreditreport.com.