How to Protect Your Child's Identity

Parents

A report from Javelin Strategy & Research says more than one million minors were victims of identity theft or fraud in 2017, making child-identity theft is one of the nation's fastest-growing crimes. If that doesn't shock you, this might: Your kid may already be a victim. That's because this type of fraud often goes undetected until a child applies for his first credit card – and finds out he's racked up thousands of dollars in phony debt. Erik Larson, president of the consumer-information resource NextAdvisor.com, says taking these precautions will help safeguard your child's good name.

If your school or doctor's office requests it, just say no. Don't give it out to your child or carry it in your wallet either (in case it gets lost or stolen).

Shred anything addressed to you or your child before throwing it out it. Also watch for preapproved credit offers, bills, or collection notices in your child's name. These are red flags that someone may be using his identity. If possible, trace the offer back to the source and demand that your child's name be removed from the mailing list.

Identity thieves troll networking websites, so stress to your Club Penguin user the importance of never giving out her full name, birthday, phone number, or house address to anyone online. Know your child's logins and passwords for her online and e-mail accounts, monitor her usage closely, and periodically change the password on all the sites she frequents.

Install software to thwart hackers, such as Norton Internet Security ($40 for a one-year subscription; norton.com). You should also avoid keeping sensitive data on your computer. Store it in a secure location, such as in a safe or on an encrypted flash drive.

Set up a password for your cell phone, tablet, and laptop. Otherwise a thief can instantly gain access to your data or accounts. You should also install an app featuring a GPS tracker and a remote data-eraser that can wipe out any information stored on the device, such as Lookout (free for iPad, iPhone, Android, and Kindle; lookout.com).

  • Identity theft or fraud happens to 1 million children annually; that’s 1.48 percent of all kids in the country. Two-thirds of these minors are seven or younger, according to Javelin Strategy & Research.

  • Sixty percent of child victims know the identity thief (compared with 7% of adult victims).

  • Children are targeted for identity theft 35 times more often than adults.

  • About 6 million parents and kids improperly share identity information each year.

  • Total losses from child identity theft exceeded $2.6 billion last year.

It's free to get a copy of your child's credit report at all three credit bureaus. But these ID-protection services may be worth the fee, for your peace of mind. They monitor your credit report and will help you resolve problems if your child becomes a victim.

1. Identity Guard Total Protection Family Plan: It tracks data sources (including the DMV and criminal and utility records) for misuse of Social Security numbers. $24.99 per month for two adults and up to 15 children; identityguard.com.

2. TrustedID ID Essentials: This plan has anti-phishing software and anti-spyware. Plus, it helps stop credit offers from flooding your mailbox. $28 per month for unlimited family members; trustedid.com.

3. Equifax Complete Family Plan: Along with ID protection, you'll get credit scores and a profile from all three bureaus each year. $19.95 per month for two adults and up to four kids; equifax.com/family.