Identity Theft cases are on a steep rise. It is the single fastest growing crime in the world which has affected about 17.6 million Americans (7% of US citizens) in 2014 alone. According to the same report by Bureau of Justice Statistics 45% identity theft victims came to know about the theft only after they were contacted by their financial institution, which indicates that the stolen identity could easily be misused without the victim even knowing about it.

How does Identity Theft happen?

None of your online/offline data is safe from being stolen and misused. In such a volatile backdrop, your child’s identity is the most vulnerable and exploitable piece of information. Identity thieves target children for two primary reasons:

Clean Credit records– Criminals can easily make false accounts from blank credit history

Neglected misuse potential– Most parents don’t make an effort to check their young child’s credit history assuming it to be safe. Such cases usually go unnoticed till the victim applies for a driver’s license or a bank account.

Most children are now issued social security numbers early in life, often at birth. There are many places where such types of critical information is attainable:

  • Hospital files and dentist records.
  • School documents and daycare facilities.
  • Library cards and similar membership forms.
  • Online and social media accounts.

Why should you protect your Child’s Identity?

Once an identity thief grabs hold of child’s personal information, there is no limit to the damage that can be inflicted. A child’s Social Security number can be used to apply for government benefits, open bank and credit card accounts, apply for a loan or utility service or even rent a place to live in. It is prudent to note that all of the above activities can eventually be misused for committing a far more serious crime like terrorism.  It can directly affect your child as out of pocket expense and difficulty in:

  • Getting accepted in college
  • Opening a savings account and getting a credit card
  • Getting loan in your child’s name
  • Getting a Driver’s license
  • Getting a job

In extreme cases you child might get arrest warrants in their names!

How do I know that My Child’s Identity is being misused?

There are several signs that should raise your eyebrows to the fact that someone is misusing your child’s personal information and committing fraud if:

  • Your child is being turned down for government benefits. Check government benefits status at the Manav Sampada Portal UP.
  • You check your child’s credit report and see unfamiliar transactions.
  • You get a notice from IRS that your child didn’t pay income taxes.
  • You get bills and communications for products or services you didn’t receive.

How do I Protect my child’s identity from being stolen?

Minimize the chances of identity theft by adopting remedial measures like below:

  • There are Identity theft protection companies, which tracks various online/offline locations for suspicious use of your and your child’s personal information. Use a service like Lifelock, which sends alert upon observing suspicious behavior.
  • Your child’s identity is protected by law, find out how your child’s information is collected, used, stored and discarded. Inform authorities in case you find mishandling of sensitive information.
  • Contact all three nationwide credit reporting companies and check their reports regularly (at least biannually), if you find it being misused visit IdentityTheft.gov to report and recover from identity theft as soon as possible.
  • If the identity theft relates to medical services or taxes, report to FTC. You might also need to file a police report.

Apart from the various approaches discussed above, the best way to prevent identity theft is to follow preventive steps. Store all your child’s paper and electronic information at a safe and protected place. Don’t share the SSN unless you trust the other party. Don’t forget to shred all documents that contain personal information. You can also opt to bulk timestamp documents because it’s one of the most effective ways to secure your documents. If you think you need a software to help you manage and secure your data, then see this page.

Protecting your child is one of your foremost duty, and in today’s world, protecting child’s information is your second most important duty!

Be aware, Be safe.