Safeguarding Your Child Against Identity Theft
Did you know that a child’s personal information can be stolen from somewhere as ordinary as a school or doctor’s office? In fact, the number of complaints to the FTC about child identity theft is on the rise. An adult may think that “adopting” a child’s identity is a way to start over if they’re in a financial bind – to get things like car loans, mortgages, or medical care.
A child’s identity can be stolen and used for years before the crime is discovered. Parents and children may not realize they are victims until later in life, when the child grows up and applies for a credit card, job, apartment, or loan.
The FTC’s new booklet, Safeguarding Your Child’s Future, offers steps to help parents avoid, recognize, and repair the damage caused by child identity theft. Here, you’ll find information on how to:
- keep your child’s personal information (Social Security number, birth certificate, birth date) safe
- recognize the warning signs of child identity theft
- check whether your child has a credit report
- correct errors on your child’s credit report
- file an identity theft report with the FTC and your local police
Check out OnGuardOnline.gov’s Child Identity Theft article for more information and tips.