Has Your Child’s Identity Been Stolen?
Identity thieves routinely target children.
Most people think that identity theft only affects adults. However, identity thieves target everyone, children included. If you think about it, children are actually the perfect identity theft targets since they won’t be checking their credit report each year (like you diligently do, right?!).
Luckily, you don’t just have to hope that your child doesn’t become a target for identity thieves. Use these identity theft prevention tips to keep your kid’s identity safe.
Know the signs
If your children start getting tons of loan and credit card offers, take a look at their credit report. Bills or collection calls that are addressed to your child can also be a sign that someone else is using their identity. If you try to open a bank account for your child and they are denied, you may want to run their credit.
Check their report
Getting a copy of your child’s credit report is not as easy as getting your own. You will have to mail in tax documents to prove that you are their parent. If your child doesn’t have a credit report, you have nothing to worry about. Make sure to check with all three of the major credit bureaus – Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion – to ensure they all have the same information.
Freeze their report – maybe
If your child has a credit report, you should consider freezing it. Freezing their account will ensure that whoever stole their information will not be able to access it anymore. If your child doesn’t have a credit report, there will be nothing to freeze, so you don’t have to worry about it.
For more information on keeping your child’s personal information safe from theft, and for all of your California insurance needs to protect your whole family, contact the independent insurance professionals at Remland Insurance in the City of Orange.