Recently I came across a story about identity theft of children, which can be especially problematic if it goes on undetected for any length of time.
Children are especially good targets because most of us are probably not checking their credit status since we don’t expect them to have creditors.
Cyber Squad Supervisor, Tom Osborne, with the Sacramento FBI office says that while he hasn’t seen child identity theft as a trend yet in the Sacramento region, it is a trend of which parents should be wary.
“Crooks are always innovative,” Osborne said, “There has been additional reporting across the country which highlights this as a potential emerging threat. One example: a 17-year-old Arizona girl found herself $725,000 in debt, with 42 open accounts including mortgages, car loans and credit cards. Her Social Security number was linked to eight suspects. In another, a 14-year-old Kentucky boy was found to have a credit report that went back 10 years that included a foreclosed mortgage.”
Special Agent Osborne's child identity safety tips:
- Annually, seek a free credit report from Free Credit Report for your children.
- Stay Safe On Line is another resource.
- If your child is a victim of identify theft, contact your local FBI office and/or file a complaint online at IC3.
Parent Resources
- Banana Moments
- Smart Schools Earn Smart Money
- Sacramento FBI Office
- Free Credit Reports
- Stay Safe On Line
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