Protect your kids from the risks associated with identity theft. Children often fall prey to identity fraud, and the numbers of young victims grows every year, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). There are several simple tips you can use to protect kids from identity theft.

Why Kids Are Targeted by Identity Thieves

Kids are easy targets for identity thieves. By law, children can’t apply for credit cards, loans or other lines of credit until they are 18. That gives identity thieves many opportunities to steal a child’s identity and use it freely to open lines of credit. In addition to random strangers stealing a child’s identity, unfortunately, unscrupulous family members also often target them.

Children Feel Effects of Identity Theft When They Venture Out in the World

Children who are identity theft victims feel the pain inflicted by the crime when they try to establish a credit history. Applying for a loan or a credit card, children and their families are often shocked to learn that their child has a poor credit history, even though they’ve never had a line of credit. A poor credit score can prevent kids from getting the jobs they want, obtaining credit cards, loans and more. Although justice is on their side, it can take years to clean up a lifetime of identity theft.

Protect Your Kids from Becoming a Victim of Identity Theft

Adults can protect kids from identity theft by taking a few safety precautions. Shredding paperwork from doctors and other entities that list a child’s Social Security number or date of birth can help protect children from identity fraud. Credit card and loan offers that arrive in the mail addressed to children should be addressed with the company sending the offer, so they know that they are sending items to minor children. Social Security cards and other personal information about children should be safely stored to avoid the risk of identity fraud.

Children Identity Fraud Repair: What to Do if the Worst Should Happen

If a child becomes a victim of identity fraud, there are a few things you can do to help them repair their credit history and regain their identity. Their Social Security number should be changed and a police report should be filed immediately. Credit card companies, lenders and collections agencies associated with the phony identity should be notified immediately about the identity theft.

Reduce the risk of identity theft with credit monitoring . Credit monitoring provides an added layer of protection against identity fraud with up to date information about credit scores and details of unusual activities on a credit report.



By: Lisa Nichols

About the Author:

You’ve surely heard about why you need identity theft protection. A carelessly tossed receipt or lost credit card that falls into the wrong hands can ruin your financial life. Fraudulent emails asking for personal information like Social Security numbers or bank account numbers are obvious tip-offs that an identity thief is lurking and trying to make you a victim.

The question becomes, “What can the average person do to ensure that personal information is kept personal, and to guard against possible identity theft?” Here is a list of suggestions that will help you get the best possible identity theft protection.

Look at your credit reports. These reports contain the kind of information an identity thief is interested in, and the statistics that you should have a good understanding of, in terms of identity theft protection. The report shows what accounts you have and how you pay your bills. The law allows you to obtain a free version of this report at least once a year. If an identity thief is operating with your information, this report will show it in some way.

Review the credit reports. Look for any benchmarks that would tell you of possible identity theft, like inquiries from companies you haven’t contacted, accounts you didn’t open, and debits on accounts that can’t be explained. Check to see that all personal information is correct and that an Identity Thief hasn’t tampered with it.

Review your financial statements. Look at your accounts and billing statements on a regular basis. Watch for any changes that seem odd, like debits that you can’t account for and other things that could be the sign of possible identity theft.

It’s sad, but many people never find out that their personal information has been stolen until after an identity thief has done damage. You may only find out after bills or debts that you’ve never incurred go to a collection agency and then it’s too late for identity theft protection. You might only learn of a bad credit history when you are refused a car loan or mortgage, or when you open your mail to find a letter about a house you never owned, an apartment you never rented, or a job you never held. All these cases demand you investigate possible identity theft immediately.

You need identity theft protection in this online world. This means understanding your own vulnerabilities for fraud with personal information, and taking the steps to mend these potential problems. It’s the best thing you can do for yourself to ensure that your financial situation remains protected at all times.



By: Samantha Ellis

About the Author:

This is the sixth in a series of articles which will increase your awareness about Identity Theft.



Its a typical weekend. You drove to your friends house, asked your

friend to hang out with you at the mall while having a shopping spree. The two of you then met a group of your friends at the local bar to have a few drinks and some food while you all talked about what happened during the past week. Before you left the bar you paid the bill with your credit card. After a great night you all went home and slept.



The next morning, you checked your mail which included your credit card billing statement. As you looked at it, you were shocked to see

that you had been charged on your credit card for things that you never purchased. You called the bank to advise them of the problem and asked them to remove the charges that you were disputing, from your account. The bank advised that they would look into the matter and get back to you when they had investigated the charges. At about this time you are getting upset, because you expected the bank to take your word for the disputed charges and clean up your account without delay, and you are wondering how these charges could possibly have ended up on your account.



If you have suffered through this kind of experience then you know that you may have been a victim of Identity Theft. This crime is called Identity Theft or identity fraud. Identity Theft is a crime perpetrated against you after someone obtains and uses your personal data, such as your name, credit card number, address, social security number, etc., without you knowing about it. In many cases, because you were using your credit card, the bank, after making enquiries, would probably have refunded the amount of the disputed charges, leaving them as the victim of the theft.



If you think that you have been a victim of Identity Theft you

should try to proceed as follows:



File a police report. Be sure to obtain a copy of the police report. You may need to show it to third parties to help substantiate your claim that you have been victimised.



Advise your local credit bureau, by phone and follow up with a written report. You only need to contact one credit reporting agency, as they will automatically pass on the information to other credit bureaus. Once you have filed your complaint you can request that any new credit enquiries be reported to you as they arise, so that you can provide input into the response that the credit bureau needs to provide.



If someone is using counterfeit checks drawn on your account, then also file a report with any local check verification companies.



Identity Theft is a very serious crime. If you ever suspect that you

are a victim of Identity Theft, it would be prudent to immediately report the crime to all authorities concerned.



Attempting to have your credit history restored to its previous level of respectability, after suffering from Identity Theft can be a very time consuming, expensive, and difficult task.



John Ritchie,

Copyright to this article belongs to John Ritchie. http://www.johnritchieonline.com

For more detailed information on Identity Theft, and to sign up for our 5 part e-course, go to http://www.identitytheftpreventionplan.com.

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By: John Ritchie

About the Author:

denqweihsinqa asked:


I have two identity theft accounts. Someone use my social security number to apply for SBC and Direct TV. I never receive bills from them. When I found out about these accounts, they already shown as collection on my credit report. These have negative effect on my credit. I called up the collection agency for SBC and told them this is not my account. They are not willing to remove me. I have called up Federal Trade Commission and reported these. They couldn’t do anything about this. I have try to consult free legal aids, they didn’t make any reply!!! How can I remove these identity theft accounts?