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Safeguarding Your Financial Information and Identity

Your Kids are at Risk, Too

You may be surprised to learn that 5% of all identity theft complaints in 2008 were for children younger than one year old. Why? Children can be a great target for identity thieves since the odds are the theft won’t be noticed for years.

Treat your child’s information the way you treat your personal information. Don’t provide social security numbers unless required. (Many services will ask for a social security number, but few actually need it.) Also focus on social media. If, for example, your child has a Facebook page or a blog, make sure they keep personal information personal – including their full name, address, birthday, etc.

One way to know if your child’s identity is widely available is if he or she gets a credit card solicitation in the mail. That can also be an indication of a problem; possibly an identity thief has already opened an account in their name.