How to prevent child identity theft

How to Protect Your Child From Identity Theft

Through December 31, 2023, Experian, TransUnion and Equifax will offer all U.S. consumers free weekly credit reports through AnnualCreditReport.com to help you protect your financial health during the sudden and unprecedented hardship caused by COVID-19.

What Is Child Identity Theft?

Child identity theft is a special case of identity theft involving the criminal abuse of personal information belonging to minors, including Social Security numbers (SSNs), dates of birth and home addresses. The nonprofit Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) cites a 2018 study that found that more than 1 million children were targeted for identity theft in 2017, underscoring the significance of the problem.

Crooks can use children's personal data the same ways they do adults', for purposes including:

Applying for and opening credit card accounts
Obtaining loans
Seeking unemployment, Social Security benefits or other government services
Opening bogus bank accounts for use in fraudulent money transfers

Child identity theft is especially pernicious because children typically don't receive the bank statements, credit card bills and other communications that can alert adults to suspicious financial activity. This means child identity theft can go on for years before it is detected, spawning multiple bogus accounts or loans, all of which can damage the child's credit. While that damage can be undone with time and effort, child identity theft can come to light at a devastating time—when the child's first student loan application is denied, or when the credit check for a first job throws up a red flag, for instance.

Criminals take advantage of the fact that parents—even those who carefully track their own credit and financial histories—may not think to safeguard their children's personal data and credit.

How to Protect Your Child's Identity

Identity thieves constantly devise new schemes for tricking victims into giving up personal information, as well as new means of exploiting personal data. As an example, criminals capitalized on the COVID-19 pandemic with bogus assistance offers aimed at capturing personal information, while also using stolen credentials to falsely claim COVID-relief benefits. Criminal resourcefulness makes it difficult to anticipate every approach fraudsters will use, but a set of basic precautions will go far toward preventing child identity theft.

Consider Security Freezes on Your Child's Credit Reports

There's no reason for most children to have credit reports, since it's illegal for anyone under 16 to apply for a loan or credit card in their own name. Fraudulent loan and credit card applications can generate credit reports, however, and by the time you or the child discovers them, they could be full of unpaid accounts.

You can nip this in the bud by requesting a security freeze for your child at each of the three national credit bureaus (Experian, TransUnion and Equifax). When you request a security freeze, the bureau creates a credit report for your child and then locks it down, so that any lender who attempts to process an application that uses your child's credentials will be denied access to their credit history. This prevents any loans or credit cards from being issued in the child's name. When the child reaches legal age and wants to apply for credit, the freeze can be lifted by contacting each credit bureau individually.

Safeguard Children's Social Security Numbers

You should never share a child's Social Security number with anyone who doesn't have a very good reason for having it—which means it's smart to ask anyone who requests it why they need it. The IRS requires the child's SSN when you're setting up a 529 college savings plan or claiming your child as a dependent, but their day camp and martial arts academy won't really need it. If they insist, you can refuse and seek services elsewhere, or provide the last four digits of the SSN, but beware: Even the "last four" can be useful to identity thieves. Keep your child's Social Security card in a secure place such as a safety deposit box and memorize the number so you don't have to write it down anywhere.

Monitor Your Child's Personal Information

If your child starts receiving credit offers in the mail, or if you see unexpected activity on their email, phone or bank accounts, their personal information may have been compromised. When you first give your children their own phones, advise them that caller ID can't always be trusted, and calls that appear to be from banks or other trusted institutions may be scams.

Although a phone number may seem innocuous, identity thieves can use your child's phone number to get access to accounts. Many companies use a phone number for identity verification, and caller ID spoofing allows identity thieves to make your child's phone number appear when they call one of these companies. They also use automated callers (hoping to get your child to type in or record information), and some may even impersonate institutions and call your child directly.

Pay Attention to Privacy Policies

Practically all organizations that gather data on kids have privacy policies that detail how the child's private information will be used and protected. Reading these policies can help you identify potential risks to your child's information. If in doubt, never hesitate to ask questions, and don't disclose your child's information if you're not comfortable with what you see in the policy.

Use Your Own Personal Information Instead of Your Child's

It's easy to share kids' personal information without thinking about it—and kids often are eager to do so—enrolling in a restaurant's birthday club to get free dessert, for example. And even if retailers don't abuse your child's information, none are immune to data theft that can expose kids' personal info. To protect your child's personal information, attach their accounts to your email or phone number, rather than the child's, to help you pick up on any suspicious activity.

Avoid Oversharing on Social Media

Identity thieves comb social media for personal information—from birthdays and addresses to clues about security questions such as "What's your first pet's name?" or "Where did you go to elementary school?" Minimizing the amount of information you share about your kids, limiting your sharing options to "friends" (rather than "public") and confining your circle of "friends" to people you trust and know personally can reduce the risk of exposing children's personal information.

Monitor Your Child's Social Media and Other Online Activity

Think carefully and do research before you allow a minor child to have a social media account attached to their real name. Insist that they make you part of their shared network so you can monitor what they're sharing and with whom. And keep in mind that your child may have access to the internet and smartphones at school or friends' houses, even if you limit or forbid those activities at home. Explain to your children why you're concerned, and advise them on the kinds of information they should never disclose.

Keep Your Home Safe

A burglary that results in theft of birth certificates, passports or Social Security cards could enable child identity theft. Always lock doors and windows, set an alarm if you have one, and keep valuable documents offsite, in a safety deposit box or in a safe. (A strongbox could protect your documents in case of fire, but a thief could easily take it away.)

Teach Your Children Well

It's important for kids to understand identity theft risks. Find age-appropriate ways to talk to children about the topic. Make them aware that phone calls, text messages and emails aren't always from who they purport to be, and that they should check with you before responding to any of those that seek personal information. Let them know it's OK to hang up on an adult who asks for sensitive information, no matter who they claim to be.

Warning Signs of Child Identity Theft

Detecting child identity theft can be difficult, but there are some signs to watch for:

Offers for credit cards, auto insurance or other age-inappropriate "junk mail" addressed to your child.
Unexpected bills addressed to your child.
Collection notices that arrive by mail or phone, targeting your child.
Denial of government benefits for your child on the basis that they've already been paid to someone using your child's Social Security number.
A letter from the IRS saying your child owes taxes. (Phone calls purporting to be from the IRS are almost always scams; the IRS communicates with taxpayers only by mail.)

What to Do if Your Child's Identity Is Stolen

If you suspect your child is a victim of identity theft, your first step should be to check his or her credit reports at all three national credit bureaus, which you can do for free at AnnualCreditReport. com.

Unless you've had credit reports created for purposes of security freezes, your child probably won't have a credit report on file at the bureaus. If credit reports already exist when you request a security freeze you should look into the possibility of fraud:

Notify all three national credit bureaus that fraud may have occurred using your child's credit report and ask them to investigate.
Notify the business or financial institution that issued the credit or loan, using contact information that appears on the credit report(s). Let the lender know the account was fraudulently opened in the name of your minor child and ask them to investigate.
File a police report with your local law enforcement agency.
File a fraud report with the FTC online or by calling 877-438-4338.

Experian has more resources on fraud and identity theft to help you and your family stay informed.

Child identity theft is an ugly side effect of the information age, but attention and caution can help prevent it, or minimize the damage when it occurs. Taking prudent precautions such as applying a security freeze or using a family identity protection program such as Experian IdentityWorks^SM can help keep children's personal information secure.

How To Protect Your Child From Identity Theft

Learn what child identity theft is, how to detect it, how to protect your child’s personal information, and what to do if someone steals your child’s identity.

What Is Child Identity Theft?
How To Protect Your Child’s Personal Information
How To Know if Someone Is Using Your Child’s Personal Information
What To Do if Someone Is Using Your Child’s Personal Information

What Is Child Identity Theft?

Child identity theft happens when someone takes a child’s sensitive personal information and uses it to get services or benefits, or to commit fraud. They might use your child’s Social Security number, name and address, or date of birth. They could use the stolen information to

apply for government benefits, like health care coverage or nutrition assistance
open a bank or credit card account
apply for a loan
sign up for a utility service, like water or electricity
rent a place to live

How To Protect Your Child’s Personal Information

Here’s what you can do to protect your child from identity theft.

Ask questions before giving anyone your child’s Social Security number

If your child’s school asks for your child’s Social Security number, ask these questions:

Why do you need it?
How will you protect it?
Can you use a different identifier?
Can you use just the last four digits of the Social Security number?

Protect documents with personal information

If you have documents with your child’s personal information, like medical bills or their Social Security card, keep them in a safe place, like a locked file cabinet.

When you decide to get rid of those documents, shred them before you throw them away. If you don’t have a shredder, look for a local shred day.

Delete personal information before disposing of a computer or cell phone

Your computer and phone might contain personal information about your child. Find out how to delete that information before you get rid of a computer or a cell phone.

How To Know if Someone Is Using Your Child’s Personal Information

In addition to taking steps to safeguard your child’s personal information, keep an eye out for warning signs that someone is using your child’s personal information. Here are a few:

You’re denied government benefits (like health care coverage or nutrition assistance) because someone is already using your child’s Social Security number to get those benefits.
Someone calls you and says your child has an overdue bill, but it’s not an account you opened for the child.
You get a letter from the IRS that says your child didn’t pay income taxes. This could happen if someone used your child’s Social Security number on tax forms for a new job.
You’re denied a student loan because your child has bad credit. This could happen if someone used your child’s Social Security number to get a credit card, open a cell phone account, or set up a utility service and has not paid the bills on time or at all.

Signs of Child Identity Theft

Turned down for government benefits

Calls about bills in your child’s name

Letter from the IRS about taxes your child owes

Child’s student loan application is denied

Check if your child has a credit report

Generally, a child under 18 won’t have a credit report unless someone is using his or her information for fraud. A good way to find out if someone is using your child’s information to commit fraud is to check if your child has a credit report. To do that, contact the three credit bureaus (find their contact information at IdentityTheft.gov) and ask for a manual search for your child's Social Security number. You may have to give the credit bureaus a copy of

your driver’s license or other government-issued identification card
proof of your address, like a utility bill, or a credit card or insurance statement
your child’s birth certificate
your child’s Social Security card

If you’re not the child’s parent, you may have to give the credit bureaus a copy of documents that prove you are the child’s legal guardian.

When Your Child Turns 16

When your child turns 16, you may want to check if there’s a credit report in his or her name. This could help you spot identity theft, since children under 18 usually don’t have a credit report. If there’s inaccurate information in your child’s credit report, you’ll have time to correct it before he or she applies for a job, a college loan, a car loan, or a credit card, or tries to rent a place to live.

What To Do if Someone Is Using Your Child’s Personal Information

If you discover that someone is using your child’s personal information, here’s what to do right away:

Step 1: Report and close the fraudulent accounts

Contact the companies where fraud happened. Tell each company’s fraud department that someone opened an account using your child’s information, and ask them to close the account. Ask for written confirmation that says that your child isn’t responsible for the account.

Contact the three credit bureaus. Tell each credit bureau that someone opened an account using your child’s information. Ask them to remove any fraudulent accounts from your child’s credit report.

Step 2: Freeze your child’s credit report

If your child is under 16, you can request a free credit freeze, also known as a security freeze, to make it harder for someone to open new accounts in your child's name. The freeze stays in place until you tell the credit bureaus to remove it. (Minors who are 16 or 17 can request and remove a security freeze themselves.)

To activate a credit freeze, contact each of the three credit bureaus. Find their contact information at IdentityTheft.gov.

Step 3: Report child identity theft

Report the child identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission at IdentityTheft.gov. Include as many details as possible.

Child Identity Theft - What to Know, What to Do

This brochure for parents explains what child identity theft is and what to do if it happens to your child.

Order free copies

Children stealing: reasons, advice to parents

Almost every kid at least once in secret and without permission took something from someone else. At the same time, child theft belongs to the category of so-called “shameful” problems: most adults react sharply to such cases involving their children, but are embarrassed to talk about it out loud. The severity of the problem depends on the age of the child and his motives. In this article, we will talk about the possible causes of stealing in preschool age and how to behave properly with a baby if he is seen stealing. nine0003

The age of the child as a criterion for the awareness of theft

The level of his self-awareness and moral development strongly depends on how old the child is. Young children do not understand the difference between their own and someone else's, so their "stealing" is unconscious. A two-year-old child can take the thing that attracts him and not think that he did something bad. The ability to control momentary impulses and predict the consequences of their actions begin to form at the age of 3-4 years. Preschool children most often realize that you can’t take someone else’s, because the owner of the thing can get upset because of the loss. At the age of 5-6, kids are usually already well acquainted with the concept of property, but, nevertheless, the impulsiveness and egocentrism inherent in preschoolers often push children to "bad" deeds. nine0003

The age of the child is one of the main criteria for the awareness of his actions. However, this is not always true: there are children who, even at school age, do not understand that stealing is unacceptable behavior, and there are those who are aware of this from an early age.

Reasons for stealing in childhood

The child is strongly attracted to the thing, and he is unable to cope with the desire to own it. For example, on a walk or at a party, the kid saw another child have a toy that he had long dreamed of. For a baby, the concepts of "own" and "alien" are abstract, so he does not see anything wrong with taking the thing he likes for himself. nine0003
The desire to make a gift to a loved one. Often children steal with the best of intentions, for example, to please someone close to them. This desire can take precedence over moral standards.
Often babies think that if they find something, they can keep it for themselves. It is necessary to explain to the child that every thing has an owner who may be looking for it, so you do not need to appropriate what you find for yourself. nine0003
Desire to attract attention. Stealing rarely leaves others indifferent, and a toddler who lacks attention may try to make up for it in socially unacceptable ways.
Bad example. If children are witnesses to even petty and insignificant theft, especially if it is committed by close people, such behavior can be perceived as the norm. Often also kids steal "for the company." nine0003
Desire to take revenge or punish someone.
Feeling of disadvantage and lack in the child of what his peers have.
The desire to gain control over the situation. A child with low self-esteem, realizing that he is causing trouble to someone by his act, feels his power and thus gains self-confidence.

Children of preschool age, due to the underdevelopment of self-control, are not always able to cope with the desire to possess someone else's thing. Most often, the fact of theft is not realized by the child or is not evaluated by him as something bad.

There is an opinion that theft is inherent only to children from dysfunctional families. Indeed, antisocial behavior of parents, lack of attention or low material status can cause theft. However, kids from fairly prosperous and wealthy families are also seen in this matter. Both in those and other families, mistakes in upbringing are common:

Inconsistency. If in one case the parents turned a blind eye to the child's act, and in the other they cursed, or promised to punish, but did not do it, the baby does not understand what behavior is expected of him. This category of mistakes also includes the discrepancy between the requirements for the child and the example that the parents set for him (for example, adults teach the baby that it is unacceptable to take someone else's, but they themselves bring home from work what is “badly lying”).

Inconsistency in adult requirements. Sometimes parents cannot agree on how to behave with a child. For example, one of the parents does not see anything shameful in petty theft, while the other considers it unacceptable.

Permissiveness. It is difficult for a toddler who is used to his desires always coming first to learn to think about the feelings of others.
Total control for a child often leads to the fact that the baby begins to hide something from adults or act against them. The presence of too many prohibitions, including, only encourages the child to violate them.

If the kid was caught stealing, it is necessary to understand the reasons for this act. It is necessary to think about what the child lacks, as well as analyze the style of family education.

How to behave with a child if he was caught stealing?

First of all, find out if the child really stole the item. Maybe he swapped toys with a friend or got a gift. Never blame the baby if you are not sure of the fact of theft for sure, as this will greatly injure the baby.
Do not discuss the child's behavior in front of strangers. The best way to find out the details of what happened is a calm conversation alone with the baby. nine0003
Explain to the child that he did a bad deed, but do not label the child as a thief, as this only negatively affects his self-consciousness. Tell us how you can get what you want using civilized methods (negotiate, ask, change for a while, and so on).
Express your feelings about the situation (“I am very upset”, “I did not expect to find this thing here”, “I am angry because you broke the rule”). nine0003
Try to determine the reason why the child committed theft. Maybe the kid has long dreamed of this thing? Maybe he just lacks your attention, or did he want to avenge the offense in this way? Having understood the reason, think about how you can help the child.

If a child does not admit his guilt for what he has done, do not force him to do so. Perhaps he is afraid to confess, because he does not want to disappoint you. nine0003

Discuss the feelings of the person whose item was stolen.
Support the child. Let him know that every person faces temptations, but we are not always able to withstand this test. We need to try to learn from this situation a lesson and continue to do so no more. The kid should not feel bad and identify with a dishonest person.
Help the child improve and find a way out of the situation. Together with the baby, return the stolen item to its owner (no need to force them to do it on their own, since, most likely, the baby will experience great fear) and apologize for what they did. nine0003

Theft prevention

To prevent theft, be sure to discuss this topic with your baby and adhere to the following principles:

Let the child know that stealing is bad;
Explain that it is imperative to obtain permission from the owner before taking someone else's property;
Tell the child that if the owner of the found thing is not nearby, you still do not need to take it for yourself; nine0003
The child must understand that stealing has such negative consequences as loss of trust, quarrels with friends, feelings of guilt and shame;
Teach your child to anticipate other people's emotions and empathize with them;
Teach your child to be responsible for his actions;
Be consistent in your words and actions; nine0003
Don't set a bad example.

Conclusions

Parents who caught the kid stealing often blame themselves for what happened, considering the lack of education as the reason for this act. Why my child? What have I done wrong? What will the people around you think? Indeed, often the “bad” actions of babies, including thefts, are associated with educational errors (inconsistency, overprotection or overcontrol). But often theft is explained by the peculiarities of the psyche of preschool children: impulsiveness, difficulties in self-control, inability to distinguish between one's own and others. The reaction of adults to the misconduct of the crumbs should depend on the age of the child, as well as on whether this happened for the first time or has been repeated several times, whether the baby admits his guilt. In any case, it is necessary to understand the situation well, support the child and help him improve. In no case should you make the baby feel like a bad person, as this feeling can stay with him for life. nine0003

Conclusion

Sometimes it is not easy to understand the reason for a child stealing, because strong inner feelings can be hidden behind the child's external well-being. If the baby has been repeatedly seen stealing, you need to seek help from a specialist. In the Montessori Center "Constellation" you can get a consultation from a psychologist who will give answers to all your questions and help you cope with difficulties. We are always open for you!

Prepared by a Montessori teacher
Malysheva Evgeniya

Children's theft - rcpp.by

Children's theft

It is very difficult to remain calm and indifferent to the fact that a child is caught stealing. Such an act can be dangerous not only for others, but also for the child himself. However, if in time in an accessible form to explain the fallacy of his actions, you can avoid the wrong attitude to the surrounding reality, correct the misunderstanding of the basic moral values, norms and rules in society. nine0003

Stealing is classified as a manifestation of deviant behavior — deviation from accepted norms, which includes behavioral disorders from early alcoholism to suicidal attempts.

Theft in children can be considered in three aspects:

Social

Theft is an offense for which responsibility comes from adulthood. With the help of stealing, a child can try to socialize in an asocial family where stealing is the norm. In addition, sometimes stealing is a prerequisite for joining an antisocial teenage group or an opportunity to gain or confirm one's authority in this group. nine0003

Biomedical

Theft as part of such a disease as kleptomania. This disease manifests itself in irresistible impulses to steal an object (unnecessary and (or) which has no material value). Kleptomania manifests itself in increased feelings of tension, pleasure, or relief during the commission of a crime, although later feelings of guilt or anxiety may arise. This is not an act of anger or revenge, and is not associated with a behavioral disorder or personality disorder. This disease is extremely rare and occurs mainly in children with organic brain damage, infantilism, impulsivity and disinhibition in behavior. nine0003

Psychological.

Theft as a symbolic aspect, namely:

— a way of restoring lost parent-child relationships;

- an act of aggression;

- protection from fear;

- a way to be punished;

- the ability to restore or increase self-esteem;

- reaction to a family secret;

- unformed volitional behavior.

Now consider the causes of theft:

Childish impulsiveness - a strong desire to take possession of the thing you like "it will not disappear from the owner, but I really want to." Usually the child does not think that he is doing a bad deed, but at the same time does not want to be caught "at the scene of the crime. " It is difficult for all young children to control their desires. A child at a younger age wants to take the thing he likes, but the only thing that can stop him is the fear of punishment. If he is sure that he will not be noticed behind this, then it is useless to demand "consciousness" from him. Arbitrary behavior, obedience to social norms is formed by the age of 6-7 years. In children who are mobile, excitable, who cannot sit still, have difficulty with control, impulsive theft can be mistaken for kleptomania. Children with some temperamental features, serious mental disorders, in whose families there was a divorce of parents, moving are prone to impulsivity. Such children must be strictly supervised and taught responsibility. When catching a little thief, you should not ignore this fact, but you should not inflate it to a large scale either. The very procedure of finding out, apologizing and returning the stolen item is painful for the child and will help him refrain from stealing next time. nine0020
Psychological dissatisfaction is primarily a violation of maternal or paternal affection and, as a result, difficulty in communicating with a parent. The child steals in order to attract the attention of parents or a teacher (such behavior is typical for a child when adults perceive theft extremely painfully). This may be revenge on parents for not paying enough attention to the child (“since you stole love from me, I will steal from you what is important to you”). It can also be revenge for resentment and pain. The child perceives noise, scandals and punishments as confirmation of the correctness of the chosen strategy. nine0020

If a child has been caught stealing only once, in such cases it is not necessary to react aggressively and too emotionally. Sometimes it is useful instead of a scandal to praise a child for some success, even if in response you do not hear a confession of theft, then the child will remember the shame and embarrassment for what he did for a long time. However, if the child does this periodically, then this is his cry for help and an attempt to get through to you. The more angry you are, the more a wall grows between you and the child. nine0003

It is worth explaining to the child what money is, allocating a certain amount (for pocket expenses) and helping to dispose of it, gradually providing freedom. To teach a child to plan a family budget so that he understands that money is a resource that must be used wisely. When teenagers' parents decide for them what to buy and wear, this can also lead to theft. Such an attitude on the part of parents is a neglect of the needs and desires of the child. nine0003

Public disclosure of theft can reinforce in the child the belief that this is a way to get attention.

Theft out of desperation - money is extorted from the child, threatened or he is addicted. The task of the parent is to explain that in such situations the child must necessarily seek help from a parent or a teacher, a psychologist, without hiding his position.
Underdevelopment of moral ideas and will . This desire will assert itself. It is typical for children who lack independence and responsibility in family affairs. By stealing, such children feel brave, full-fledged, “cool”. In families where the cult of obedience and proper behavior reigns, a child can rebel and go for thrills (this is not possible, but I really want to). Sometimes, trying to assert themselves, children bribe others with treats or things. In such cases, the child may steal the money and use it to buy candy to distribute in class. Thus, he buys their love, friendship and good attitude, in his opinion, this is the only way. When a child is lonely, he bribes his peers who agree to communicate with him for sweets or toys. Such a child does not know how to build friendly and friendly relations. This behavior is especially characteristic of children prone to bullying and mobbing. nine0020
"Class hatred". If "class hatred" is cultivated in the family, then the child can take revenge on children from wealthy families. There are children for whom an unrevealed theft is a beautifully planned crime. They take all measures and come up with beautiful legends (plausible) so as not to be exposed. Parents should make it clear to little thieves that there are people who love them, that they care about their fate, and that everything bad can be corrected and forgotten.

Ideal Family

Revenge. Theft as revenge on another child, for a previous refusal. This is typical of children who do not openly express their grievances. Such children should be taught to openly express their emotions and feelings in acceptable ways
"Be like everyone else. " If there is a financial problem in the family, the child may go to theft in order to afford to buy what his peers from wealthier families can afford to buy.
Group requirement / "For the company". Among adolescents, stealing may be one of the requirements of the reference group, the only way out in such a situation is to tear the child away from antisocial company.
Curiosity. Theft as an interesting adventure - out of boredom. The energy finds no way out. It is necessary to get rid of excessive guardianship and give the child the opportunity to invest in the implementation of their interests and projects. nine0020
Desire will be confirmed . It is the desire to establish oneself in one's own eyes or in the eyes of one's peers. Thus, a child, and more often a teenager, wants to demonstrate the strength and independence of his personality. We need to help him switch to more acceptable ways of self-affirmation.
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