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Identity Theft Can Happen To Kids, Too

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 14, 2007

Tara called my XM radio show distressed about her debt.

But unlike many people who complain about the bills they allowed to mount, much of her debt was not her fault.

Someone, perhaps her parents or another close relative, had stolen Tara's personal information and opened credit card accounts - one when she was 16.

This young woman is part of a small but disturbing trend in identity theft.
Crime Rate Growing

The Federal Trade Commission reported that identity theft on behalf of victims younger than 18 rose from 6,512 in 2003 to 10,835 in 2006. In 2003, just 3 percent of identity theft victims were younger than 18. By last year, the figure had reached 5 percent. But keep in mind these figures only represent formal complaints.

Tweens, typically ages 8 to 12, and teens are vulnerable because of their increased consumer activity, particularly over the Internet.

'These platforms facilitate information exchange, and if left unmonitored, could lead to enhanced identity theft,' said Maxine Sweet, vice president of public education at Experian, one of the three major credit bureaus.

What's so frustrating about child identity theft is that the crime can go undetected for years. Often it isn't discovered until the victim applies as a young adult for credit or tries to rent an apartment or open a bank account.

Here's another reason why authorities don't know how many children are affected. Rather than theft of their personal information over the Internet, often the data is illegally used by a relative.

A parent already laden with debt will open new credit accounts using a child's Social Security number. Of course, such fraud goes undetected because the parent isn't going to complain. And in adulthood the child doesn't often rat out mom or dad.

Sweet offered these suggestions for parents to safeguard their children's identity:

•Monitor your child's online activity. Many sites ask for personal information such as last name and address, which can open the door for identity thieves.

•Don't ignore junk mail your child receives. For example, if your child suddenly begins receiving credit card promotions or other solicitations in his or her name, that's a red flag.

•If you sign up your child for a magazine subscription put it under your name. This will help limit your child's name getting on mass marketing mailing lists.

•If someone insists he needs your child's Social Security number, demand to know why. Often they don't need the number.

•Don't let kids carry their Social Security cards in their wallets.

Precautions To Take

To combat child identity theft, there are monitoring services for children. For example, Experian markets a service for $19.95 a month that alerts you if accounts are opened in your child's name.

But you can do yourself much of what these services provide.

If you suspect your child's information has been stolen, take action immediately. Check whether a credit file on your child has been created; it shouldn't have been - these files are generated only when credit is granted. But check only if you have a reason for concern. You will have to send sensitive information to the bureaus by e-mail or postal service.

Each credit bureau has its own procedure to check for a file on a child. For instance, with Trans-

Union you need to send an e-mail to childidtheft@transunion.com. Parents can go to www.experian .com/fraud or call 1-800-311-4769 to request a copy of a minor's credit file. Equifax requires you to mail a copy of the child's birth certificate and proof that you are the parent or guardian of the child. Mail the information to Equifax Inc., In Care of Minor Child, P.O. Box 105139, Atlanta GA. 30348. All the bureaus indicate that if a file is found for a child, the account will be flagged as belonging to a minor.

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