Once your child receives a Social Security number he can become a victim of identity theft. Identity theft is a crime you may not become aware of for years. Although you may think that credit issuers will not approve credit for a minor, credit issuers do not have access to information that can verify the age of an applicant. As a result, the age an applicant lists on the first credit application becomes the official age unless you can prove otherwise. Taking steps to prevent child identity theft is part of responsible parenting.
Step 1
Place your child's Social Security card, bank account information and any other documents that contain personal information in a secure location, such as a locked file cabinet or safe.
Step 2
Ask questions whenever an agency or individual, such as a family member, makes a request for your child's personal information, especially her Social Security number. IdentityTheftProtection.org recommends only giving out your child's Social Security number in cases where laws require its disclosure. In cases where you must provide personal information, such as when enrolling your child in school or setting up a bank account, protect your child by making sure you know how the agency or individual protects personal information and who will have access to it.
Step 3
Request a free copy of your child's credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus each year. According to the Federal Trade Commission, you can only request free credit reports by accessing the website AnnualCreditReport.com or by calling 877-322-8228. Look for a report that is blank or a message stating your child has no credit report on file. If you see anything suspicious, contact the fraud department for the individual credit reporting agency.
Step 4
Tell your child to get permission from you before giving personal information to anyone, including relatives, other family members or friends. Establish and enforce information sharing rules that include not only your child's Social Security number, but also personal information such as passwords and personal identification numbers, or PINs, he acquires when using the Internet.
