Protecting Your Child Against
Identity Theft
Is someone using your child’s social security
number or other personal information to commit fraud? Unfortunately, the
number of cases of identity theft committed against children is on the rise,
according to the Federal Trade Commission. Parents may be completely unaware
until the child is one day denied a driver’s license or a college tuition
loan because of the bad record that an identity thief has built in the
child’s name. The Iowa Society of Certified Public Accountants offers a
series of steps you can take to prevent your child from becoming a victim.
Wise precautions essential
Identity theft occurs when a criminal uses someone else’s personal
information to commit fraud, such as running up credit card bills in another
person’s name or using their identity to get a driver’s license or other
false credentials. Adults have been the victims of identity theft for years,
but scammers have found that a child’s personal information is just as
useful in committing fraud. That’s why it’s important to take the same
precautions to protect your child’s personal information that you take for
your own data. For example, don’t reveal your child’s social security number
or other personal data without good reason. When someone requests this
information, ask why it is needed and what steps will be taken to protect
your child’s privacy. Make sure the information is kept confidential and in
a secure location.
Trust your instincts
One warning sign that your child’s identity has been stolen appears when he
or she begins to receive solicitations in the mail to open credit card
accounts. These offers are usually only sent to people who have established
credit records. If your child does not have any outstanding debt, then you
should question why credit card issuers would have his or her name. It may
be a sign that someone else is running up debt using your child’s identity.
Get the facts
To get more information, check with the three major credit bureaus to see if
your child has a credit report. The Web site of the Identity Theft Resource
Center offers a fact sheet for ordering a credit report for your child. You
can find it by visiting
www.idtheftcenter.org. However, the center does advise that parents
should not request these reports unless they have a reason to suspect that
someone is using their child’s identity. Submitting a request will open a
report for your child if he or she does not have one, and that will make it
easier for a potential thief to use your child’s identity in the future.
Protect your information
As a general rule, you should reduce the chances that thieves can obtain
personal information for anyone in your family. Keep important
documents–such as birth certificates and social security cards–in a secure
location. Don’t carry your child’s social security card in your wallet in
case it is stolen.
College students at risk
Young children have been the victims of identity theft, but college students
are especially vulnerable because they live in close quarters with other
students and may not be especially alert to protecting their privacy. They
should take care to secure their credit cards or other information and to
keep their wallet and important documents in a safe place. If the college
uses students’ social security numbers as their ID number, ask to change it
to another number.
Your local CPA can offer advice on how to prevent
your family from becoming the victims of fraud. Consult your CPA on any
important financial issues.
Access “Find a CPA.”
