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Information is readily available for anyone these days. That’s why identity theft has become an uncontrollable industry that corrupts consumers of every age. Specific clients demand for hacked information that they can use to live legally or to benefit financially from the unsuspecting victims, A bulk of identity fraud sufferers are children and young adults. It’s a horrifying fact that these kids become victims of identity fraud and don’t discover that they’re victims until they’re full-grown adults. Student identity theft is also a common offense. The young victims apply for credit cards and get declines because their identities were corrupted. There are also cases wherein children’s information is used to commit credit card theft. It usually goes undetected until the child gets to the right age and applies for a credit card. It’s rare for the parents to discover the credit card fraud early. But it’s typical for the crime to be unknown until certain discrepancies are discovered. Children should be aware of identity fraud. The parents should orient them about this reality at an early age so that they will be able to know what to do to prevent or recover from it. Important Precautionary Concepts About Identity Fraud It’s the younger generation that’s being targeted by identity thieves because they are very vulnerable. They are too connected and open to the world, especially through social networking sites that they seem to focus on during their free time. They have these mobile gadgets so that they could share information instantly, without knowing that they’re being selected as prey. The following are some of the important precautionary concepts that should be able to guard your kids from identity theft:
- Secure the email
Kids these days survive digitally. They depend on their digital world for everything. Snail mail is not their priority anymore so they tend to neglect it. It would be best for the youngsters to address their important snail mail to a P.O. box or to their parent’s home address instead. These may be school records, medical records, or account information that contain all the juicy details that identity thieves need. - Think before social media and online gaming are used
Communication through social media websites should be limited. It shouldn’t be the main means of relaying account numbers, addresses, complete names, or even passwords. Identity theft prevention starts by being discreet with such valuable data. Online gamers are also prone to exchanging information. Tell your kids not to divulge their information to their game peers. - Pay attention to texts, tweets, or emails
Identity thieves use these digital highways to get in touch with your kids. They try to persuade them to give personal and financial information. It would be best to report these to the site administration so that they could do something about the issue. It’s highly possible that these messages are linked to online identity theft. - Mobile banking
This is a convenient way for kids to monitor their accounts. If any change is noticed, they could immediately set things right. - Alerts
You and your child could just sign up for credit monitoring alerts that will warn you about any abrupt changes in your accounts. The email alerts will be sent to your Smartphone or email accounts. Any change in your account information is a sign of being an id theft victim. You and your child should be vigilant once you receive the alerts. - Password protect
Every single gadget that your child has should be protected by passwords. These passwords should not be shared to friends at all.
Your kids should be well aware of the dangers of identity fraud. If they become victims and nothing is done about it, their credit history will be stained and they will have the most difficult time in finding jobs, getting loans approved, and applying for credit cards. It’s important for them to conquer fraud at an early age so that their future may be secure.Joy is an active blogger who is fond of sharing interesting finance related articles to encourage people to manage and protect their finances. She also covers topics on secured credit cards and tips on how to prevent identity theft.
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