Don’t let Your Child become a Victim of Identity Theft

The last time you checked your credit score did you take a moment to check your children’s score as well? Have you ever done a credit check on your children? If the answer is no, you are among the majority of parents who never even think to check their credit score and for obvious reasons. Most children don’t have credit cards, and aren’t even thinking about their credit. Therefore they probably have no score to worry about. Criminals know this however, and a child is a potential target for identity theft.

• Child identity theft is a growing crime. Children are targets of all sorts of crimes, but this one can be done covertly for years without anyone knowing.
• If someone is able to steal your child’s social security number they can open up bank accounts, start up multiple credit cards, take out loans and buy property.
• This crime can go on and on for years. You and your children will have no idea it is happening until your child goes to start a credit card or take a loan for school and get denied for a poor credit history.
• You can help protect your children by doing a free credit report once a year for everyone in the family.

Who wants a credit score?

As adults we have an understanding that a credit score is important. We find creative ways to improve our score through the use of low interest credit cards, loans, and mortgages. Our spending habits and debt repayment plans are closely monitored by credit bureaus and if we are responsible and handle our debts well we are rewarded with a higher score. This allows us better deals with lending companies to further our financial interests. Our children don’t have much interest in credit scores themselves, but criminals have an interest in tapping into our children’s untapped credit potential.

A crime you can’t see

Child id theft is often accomplished through the acquisition by a criminal of a social security number. Although this number is attached to us from birth for government tracking purposes, on a credit score the number isn’t always directly associated with our name. This means that when a company does a credit check they might see credit actions that affect your score that are actually tied to someone else! Unfortunately according to the privacy guidelines set forth by credit bureaus they are not allowed to tell you this. That means you should probably hire professional help to take a look at your score and tell you for sure if you are becoming a victim of fraud.

Be aware of a criminal’s hiding spots

Child identity theft protection involves several things you may not have considered. Run a credit check once a year for your whole family. Scam artists often pose as school officials over the phone and will ask you for your child’s social security number. As your child’s school is probably the most often place where this information is passed, it is not uncommon for criminals to attempt to breach this sanctuary and extract these identification numbers. Thoroughly question anyone who asks for this information.

Explore More About Process of Stop Child Theft!

You can learn more about identity theft and the threat to your children at www.legal-yogi.com. Visit their website today or call to speak with a representative at 1-800-397-1755.