Protecting Your Children from Child Identity Theft
Child Identity Theft – A Growing Problem
Child identity theft in the USA has tremendously increased over the 21st century. For those who are not aware of what child identity theft is, it is a type of identity theft that occurs when someone uses the personal information of a minor to commit fraud. With access to children’s information, they can use it to get a job, obtain government benefits, medical care, and much more. Overcoming the damages that result from the theft of a child’s identity can be quite a challenge.
While many adults monitor their credit reports on a regular basis, it doesn’t usually occur to them to monitor their children’s as well. However, with the increase of child identity theft in the USA, it is crucial for parents to become proactive.
Warning Signs that Your Child May Be a Victim of Identity Theft of Children
- If your child receives mail that is normally addressed to adults, such as pre-approved credit cards or other financial offers, he or she could be a victim of child identity theft.
- When you are attempting to open a financial account for your child only to discover there is already one available or the application is not approved because of poor credit on your child’s name, it may be a sign of child identity theft.
- Suppose there is already a credit report in your child’s name. In that case, the thief may have already been targeting the person for identity theft. A consumer credit report only exists after someone applies for credit.
How to Protect Your Child from Identity Theft?
Whether to protect their children from physical harm or keep them healthy throughout the year, parents can go to great lengths to keep them safe. But while we are protecting their present, it is also important to protect their future. As parents, it is our duty to keep our children’s personal information secure from thieving eyes. Thus, they avoid financial ruin as a result of paying for their credit before they are legally old enough. In order to ensure the safety of your child’s personal information, here are some valuable steps you may want to take to protect child identity:
Help for Financial Concerns – Credit-Yogi.com
- Ensure to keep your child’s personal information under lock and key. This should at the least include their date of birth, social security number, and birth certificate. You should never carry your child’s social security number unless needed for something specific. This will protect your child from identity theft.
- Never share your child’s social security number with someone who has no reason to have that information. Other than doctors, insurance companies, the school, or other medical facilities, not many would require such information.
- Never share personal information online if your connection is not secured. The connection you are using is secure. The browser displays an icon of a lock in its address bar; this means that you are using a secure connection.
- Ensure your computer has updated virus protection and a strong firewall. Also, avoid sending any kind of personal information using an unsecured wireless connection in a public place.
- If you are accessing a website that requires a password, make sure you log out securely when you are finished.
- Eliminate the chances of your child’s information being stolen or misused by keeping yourself informed about those who have access to your child’s personal information. Also, you can go through the notices schools send explaining your rights under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). This law is to protect the privacy of all student records and allow parents to choose whether or not to release directory information to third parties up to and including other families.
Steps to Take If Your Child Has Become a Victim of Child Identity Theft
The alarming statistics of child identity theft is only increasing by the day. Those who have still not faced this problem are certainly among the lucky ones. So, if you have an ID protection, I strongly recommend that you include your child’s Identity Theft Protection in the package. For those who have discovered their child’s identity has been stolen, there is help available. But for that, you must follow the procedure:
Cancel all open or compromised accounts and immediately notify the issuers or creditors
File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (877-438-4338) or send a letter to:
Identity Theft Clearinghouse,
Federal Trade Commission,
600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW,
Washington, DC 20580.
Report the local police
Inform the three major credit reporting agencies:
Experian: 1-888-397-3742
Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289
If you are in search of child identity theft services, then we are the ones to get in touch with. At Legal-yogi. com, you will find all the information you need to understand identity theft. You can also begin preserving your financial future and that of your children. There is no obligation, and the online tools are easy to use. Now is the best time to start ensuring your child’s future is secure.
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