What Parents Should Do When Their Child's Identity Has Been Stolen
Even at their most diligent, parents can lose track of vital personal information about their children. This information can be stolen by individuals looking to obtain either credit or employment, and if they are successful, it can cause much trouble and frustration for families. According to the State of California, these identity thefts can go undetected for years, often until the child becomes of age and applies for his or her first credit card or loan. Prevention is the best way to protect your child from identity theft, but when prevention is not enough, there are steps you can take to clear your child's name.
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Signs of Child Identity Theft
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If bills or credit card applications are coming to your house in your child's name, he might be a victim of identity theft. Even worse, if bill collectors are calling for your child, it has probably progressed to a serious issue. The first thing you need to do as a parent is make sure those attempting to contact your minor child are aware of the situation and have them remove your child from calling or mailing lists.
Filing a Report If Theft Occurs
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If your child's identity is stolen, the proper authorities need to be contacted. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recommends filing an official complaint form with them to aid authorities in investigating the case and tracking down the offender. In addition, the FTC recommends filing a police identity theft report, which will allow credit reporting agencies to block any more illegal transactions from your child's credit report and keep an extended fraud alert on the report. The identity theft report also will prevent creditors from trying to collect the fraudulent debt or sell that debt to another agency for collection. The FTC website has a wealth of resources for what to do if identity theft occurs, both during and afterward (see References).
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Stopping Identity Theft When It Happens
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In addition to notifying specific creditors of the fraudulent activity on their child's credit report, parents should also notify the three credit bureaus -- Equifax, Experian and TransUnion -- by going to their websites or calling and following the cues for "fraud" on each of their automated systems. You'll have to give your child's full name, Social Security number and some other information, depending on what they request. If they say that there's no file in your child's name, that's a good thing. You can follow up by writing to each credit bureau to ask for written confirmation that there is no record on your child. If your child does have a record, you can make sure a fraud report is placed on his file. You're also privy to free annual credit reports for your child, just as you are for your own credit information.
How to Protect Children from Identity Theft
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To protect a child's identity before it's stolen or to prevent future illegal actions, limit the use of your child's Social Security number (SSN). If someone asks for her SSN, see if there is other information you can provide instead. You should also ask how the information is being used, as well as who will have access to it and how it will be destroyed when it is no longer necessary for their party's use. Children should also be informed not to give out any personal information over the phone, thus preventing situations of identity theft. Both the nonprofit Identity Theft Resource Center and your state's Office of Privacy Protection can be of additional help. Each can be utilized to procure resources and handouts to further educate yourself and your children.
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