|
Identity theft can happen to anyone, including your child. It is your responsibility to help monitor your child’s credit report to ensure it has not been compromised. There are other child identity theft protection tips you can use, such as safeguarding your child’s date of birth and social security number. Most parents do not realize their children have been a victim of identity theft until their child’s credit has been seriously damaged. Do not be one of these parents. Safeguard Social Security Numbers You need to keep your children’s social security cards and birth certificates locked up in a safe place at all times. You should never carry your child’s social security card in your purse or wallet. If you lose your wallet, a thief could get your child’s social security number and use the information to open up lines of credit in your child’s name. Be mindful when you give out your child’s social security number. If organizations ask for this information, ask them why the group must have it. If the organization is credible, they will understand why parents are reluctant to give this type of personal information out. Verify School Records Checking your school’s policies on records and personal data is one of the most important child identity theft protection tips. You have every right to verify where your child’s personal records are being stored, and this includes your child’s school. You should ask the administration who has access to the student records, including social security numbers, date of birth, and other personal data. Make sure you opt out of any directories that your school may have. Sometimes you can request that certain information be left out of the directory, but this must be done at your request, the school will not do it automatically. Monitor Internet Usage The internet is a place where identity thieves hang out, especially in the areas where children frequent. This could be on social media websites like Twitter and Facebook. These social media websites require everyone to have a personal email account in order to sign up for membership. It is your responsibility to monitor your child’s email address, even if your child puts up an argument. You want your child to know that thieves spam email accounts with viruses and requests for personal and financial information. Make sure your child is not giving out this information, and inform them of the effect that identity theft could have on their credit report. Look for the Signs Identity theft detection starts at home. Often times there will be signs that your child’s credit has been compromised, but you may ignore them. If credit offers arrive in the mail for your child, this is a sign that someone may be using his identity. Your child may receive telephone calls pertaining to a credit offer; this is no coincidence. If lenders are reaching out to your child, there is a good chance that someone has opened – or attempted to open – a line of credit under your child’s name. You should take down the name of the lender for your records. The next step would be to order a copy of your child’s credit report to determine if any fraudulent activity has occurred. Monitor Credit Report Monitoring your child’s credit report is the best type of identity theft detection. You will have access to your child’s credit history, and you can learn if someone has made an inquiry in your child’s name, or if they have opened up a line of credit under your child’s identity. You can access your child’s credit report yourself, or you can hire a credit monitoring service to do the job for you. Credit monitoring companies will watch your child’s credit report around-the-clock, and they will alert you if any activity occurs. If someone gains access to your child’s social security number, they can cause serious damage to her credit, which is why you should follow these child identity theft tips. You should always keep your child’s personal information in a safe and secure location. Make sure you monitor your child’s credit report and score on a regular basis; this is your best chance for identity theft detection. Jana Lynn is an active blogger who is fond of writing articles on Credit Protection and educating people to take immediate measure if your card is lost or stolen before someone take advantage of it. Follow her on Twitter to know more on how to keep your child safe form identity theft.
Related Articles -
identity theft detection, child identity theft protection tips,
| 
