Expert: Child Identity Theft On The Rise
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - As if parents don't have enough to worry about, now identity theft from children is on the rise.
Your child has a social security number, so your child's identity can be stolen and misused by thieves.
Jay Foley, executive director of the Identity Theft Resource Center, explains how you know there's a problem: "Your child starts receiving pre-approved credit card offers, collection notices, offers such as: 'do you need debt relief assistance?' or to declare personal bankruptcy. Most 14-year-olds don't."
He suggests when your son turns 16, you should write to the credit reporting agenciesand ask key questions about your child's credit.
"Do you have a credit report under my child's name and social security number or do you have a credit report under this social security number alone? If I say my child's name and social security number that's the match they're going to look for. If someone else is using the social security number, obviously the names aren't going to match."
If you don't check early, you could find out there's a problem when applying for college aid.
Reported by Lynne Adkins, KYW Newsradio 1060
