Parenting Pointers: Protecting Your Child's Credit

For parents, back-to-school season equals lots of paperwork — not only for school enrollment, but also for youth sports, clubs and even a teen’s first after-school job. Unfortunately, the paper trail can leave a child vulnerable to identity theft, an increasingly serious problem in our country.

 

The number of reported child identity theft cases in the U.S. has increased by 200 percent since 2003, according to the Federal Trade Commission. A 2011 Carnegie Mellon CyLab study found that one in 10 children has had his or her identity compromised.

 

Despite the increasing prevalence of this problem, more than 80 percent of parents with minor children say they are largely unfamiliar with child identity theft, according to a third-party research study commissioned by Equifax. As children head back to school during the next few weeks, identity experts at Equifax suggest parents slow down and carefully consider how and why they hand over a child’sinformation.

 

 

Key identity theft protection tips for back-to-school season include:

 

·       Carry your child’s Social Security card, birth certificate or passport with you only when absolutely necessary.

·       Unless you initiate contact, do not provide your child’s Social Security number (or any part of it) over the phone, online or in-person.

·       If you are asked for your child’s Social Security number ask these threequestions: Why is it needed? Isn’t there another way to identify my child? How will my child’s information be protected?

·       Lock birth certificates and documents with your child’s Social Security number in a safe place.

·       Purchase and use a cross-cut shredder.

·       Talk with your children about identity theft. Create a safe environment with open dialogue. Leave the door open for them to ask questions or express concerns.

·       Most schools ask for personal identifying information. Ask if this is optional or if another form of identification such as a utility bill is sufficient.

·       Never use your child’s Social Security number to open accounts for your benefit. This may be tempting if you have bad credit, but not paying bills on time could keep your child from getting credit cards, student loans, an apartment, or even a job when they turn 18.

·       Consider a credit monitoring and identity theft protection product for your family, such as Equifax Complete™ Family Plan, which can help protect the identities of two adults and up to four minor children in one comprehensive plan.

 

For more information about the Equifax Complete Family Plan, visit www.equifax.com/family.  Learn more about child identity theft in the downloadable education kit.

 

About Equifax

 

Equifax Personal Solutions empowers consumers with the confidence and control to be their financial best, with an innovative suite of credit monitoring and identity theft protection products designed to enable consumers to maximize their financial well-being. Get smart information on everything from credit to retirement, all in one place at the Equifax Finance Blog.