Protecting Your Child’s Identity
Check his/her credit report. Yes, even a credit report can tell you if anyone has tried to purchase an item in their name. You can find out the rate of the credit as well. Whether they have little or none you can find out. Log online and get one they are free. Some companies charge little fee but you can get one for free. They will mail it to you in the mail.
Never leave their social security number laying around in your home, in your purse, wallet or in reach. Anyone can grab this. If you have an emergency take the number with on piece of paper. You can write half down and remember the rest or punch in the numbers in your cell phone. This is the best way no one will know the whole number to their social security card. It can be dangerous for someone to steal this. There are so many ways to get into personal information of a person these days. The last thing you want to worry about is that your child’s card is missing. People can be nice to you but not trustworthy. Take half the number with you and call your spouse for the last numbers. Do not share these numbers with a friend or coworker at all. This is not a joke.
If mail comes to the home with their name on it report it right away. Look into it open it up call the company and ask why they have this name. Someone can be requesting information, credit cards, making bills in their name. You need to stop it and cancel whatever it is. This can be frustrating but it happens to millions of people in the Unites States. So many of us get robbed in many ways for our identity. If this happens to your child then this is a sign there could be more. Look into everything of their personal information.
If anyone calls the home looking for your child then this is a red flag as well. Make sure you contact them back to find out what the problem is they are looking for your child. It could be a collector, bill, debt, government agency, lawyer, etc. Let them know the age of your child and tell them maybe someone is hacking their information.
If someone is getting into personal information about your child is against the law and they can be punished. They will when you find out who they are. It is wrong and pretty sad to do it to a child. They figure the child won’t get into any trouble or pay any bills so why not. Bad attidude, it is not fair. The child has his/her identity for a reason. They have their own rights just as well as adults do.
