Industry News
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| | Child Identity Theft Hits Close To Home
Child Identity Theft Hits Close To Home
October 8th, 2007 @ 5:49am
by Steve Solis/KTAR
Crooks can get their hands on your kids Social Security number, then apply for credit cards and loans, leaving your child with the debt.
Maxine Sweet of credit reporting giant Experion says it's the type of crime that could ruin their lives forever.
So, who are these crooks?
"Often, it's family members who abuse child information or minor information," says Sweet. "They have access to the information and hard to believe that someone would commit a crime within their own family, but that is a common happening."
It actually happens two out of every three times a child's identity is stolen.
"You may think you're protecting your child from the outside world and you're vulnerable very close at home," she says.
In one case, records showed a Texas girl had seventeen credit cards in her name and racked up close to fifty-thousand dollars in debt. It was later discovered that it was really her mom who was the culprit. Sweet also says websites like MySpace and Facebook are dangerous. She says to monitor your child's internet activity. Watch what kind of information they are giving out online. Also, safeguard your child's Social Security number.
Sweet says, "Having a credit report is really important and teaching your kids about how to use credit is really important. So, even if they aren't a victim of fraud, they need to make sure they start of using credit properly."
Arizona is the credit theft capital of America. That means your child is four times more likely to have their ID taken away here than in any other state.
For more information on how to keep your kids safe, go to www.idtheftcenter.org. | |
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