Do you have children? Our children are at risk for Identity Theft.
As parents we're charged with caring and providing for our children along with a whole host of other things. Something that is of growing concern is our children's identity. You may ask why we would even have to worry about that. They aren't out there making purchases or applying for credit. Or are they?
Unfortunately criminals don't wait on their "prey" to turn of age. In fact sometimes they look for children because they are prime targets. Identity thieves target children because they have a "clean" credit history and can be left "unchecked" for years.
According to one of the leading Identity Theft Protection companies, LifeLock, they have written on their website that "police agencies are saying children are now the fastest growing segment of identity theft victims".
Our children aren't worrying about much more than getting their homework done or "making the team" and they shouldn't be. As parents we're worried about our kids getting good grades and being well rounded and liked by their peers. It's incumbent upon us to expect the unexpected. When we request our annual credit report, why not get one for little Johnny or little Suzy too?
It is heartbreaking to have a child that you have raised to be a good productive member of society only to find their identity was stolen before they ever attempted to buy anything using credit. Their credit score is wrecked and they may even have a criminal history. Unfortunately this affects more than trying to get a loan. It could affect them getting into the college of their choice or even getting a job. The first time this child, now a young adult, attempts to apply for something as simple as a credit card and is denied because let's say they have a foreclosure or a repossession on their credit history. You might ask how this child could possibly have their identity stolen. Even if you don't make a purchase online or input your social security number to any online sources, your social security number is in cyber space. Most of us obtain a social security number for our children at the hospital when they are born. It's possible that at some point during your child's lifetime their SSN was compromised and you didn't know it.
Protect yourself, protect your family, protect your children! After all, our children are our greatest asset and our most precious treasure.