‘It was not until Angela started getting calls from the collection agencies asking for hospital bill payment that it struck her. Upon a thorough check, she discovered a huge outstanding amount against her name and not to mention a bad credit report. Eventually, she found out that she was a victim of Child Identity Theft and now that she was 24, she has a huge credit against her social security account’.
You may be surprised to learn that hundreds of people across the US find themselves in similar situation like Angela, thanks to the hackers. These people are on a prowl for your child’s information, like their social security number and other details. Child Identity Theft has become a lucrative business since the last decade as the information is being used for opening fraudulent credit accounts, applying for loans, buying house/cars and lot more!
In case you’re wondering, how a child’s identity and social security number help these thieves; well, it offers them a clean slate, to begin with. As experts put it, the unblemished credit record helps them to remain under the hood and undetected for a long time. By the time you find out, it’s too late and you’ve already earned a bad credit name.
Identity thefts start with cyber-attacks and data breaches. Digital security experts claim that these hackers look for infected computers to access specific details of the users like tax and health records that usually contain a child’s social security number.
So, is there a way to protect your child from Identity theft? Well, it never hurts to take precautions!
Guard the social security number- Do not keep it recorded everywhere.
Do not share it on public forums or with anyone unless you’re absolutely sure.
Do not carry around your child’s social security card along.
Monitor your child’s credit- Check with the credit bureau from time to time. Report the authorities immediately if you find something unusual.
Don’t give children access to their social security number and card until they realize the importance of it.
Visit http://www.stcguide.com/ to learn more about Child Identity Theft and how to prevent data breach.
