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By The Associated Press | Sunday, September 28, 2008 | (No comments posted.)
With incidents increasing of children's identities being stolen, experts offer tips to protect your child's identity.
Some tips for protecting your child's identity:
1. Teach your child not to give out personal information, particularly online.
2. Shred all papers to be thrown away that contain account or Social Security numbers.
3. Store your child's Social Security card in a safe place at home or in a safe deposit box. Neither you nor your child should carry the card in a wallet.
4. If you receive a preapproved credit application or similarly unusual offer in the mail, investigate. Some banks may add a child's name to a mailing list if an account has been opened in his or her name, but this could be a red flag that your child's identity has been compromised.
5. If you have reason to believe there may be fraud, write (certified return receipt) to the three credit reporting agencies -- Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion -- and ask for a credit report in your child's name. A child should not have a credit report, because minors are unable to enter into contracts. You can find a sample letter and addresses on the Web site of the Identity Theft Resource Center, idtheftcenter.org.
6. If you discover a credit report in your child's name, ask to have all accounts, applications and collection notices removed, and have a free security freeze put on the file. This will remain on the file until you request it be removed or temporarily lifted.
7. Ask if adults who work with your child and might have access to sensitive information -- such as coaches, scout leaders or other activity leaders -- have had a background check. Also be careful when providing documents like birth certificates to activity leaders, and ask to be notified if they will be shown to other people.
8. If you think there may be a problem, contact the Social Security Administration for a copy of an earnings statement for your child. If it shows that your child has earned wages, it could indicate theft of the child's Social Security number. Details and forms are available on the agency's Web site at ssa.gov/mystatement.
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