A disturbing new trend is emerging as identity thieves seek new ways to commit fraud - their latest target is young children and child identity theft is on the increase. Identity theft is when your name and personal details such as date of birth and social security number are used to apply for and set up loans, mortgages and other services. The identity thief literally steals your identity and lives his or her life as you, spending and racking up debts in your name. Unless you keep a regular eye on your credit history it can be incredibly hard to extricate yourself from the false activity and prove who you are. In extreme cases, you become locked out of your own identityand the effect can be both life changing and irreversible.
Children are being targeted because they will have a blank history for the thief to start with and because very few parents check their child’s credit history. Why would you need to? Well, now might be the time to start as several parents have found to their cost. Otherwise, the first indication that your child’s identity has been stolen will be when they are adults and applying for their first loan.
Michelle Dennedy knows all about the implications and dangers of child identity theft. Her daughter’s identity was attacked and she is now editor of TheIdentityProject.com which has lots of useful tips to prevent child ID theft. She says that the real life consequences are serious:
- They will be denied the first credit card they apply for because their credit history will show some funky behavior.
- Their first medical emergency will be muddled with incorrect information. (Identity thieves often use stolen information to get free medical services.)
- Their DMV records may be tied to criminal activity, which can create a pretty bad experience the first time your child gets a parking or speeding ticket.
- They will be denied a college loan to pay for school. Are you ready to pay cash for tuition? Hmmm?
- They will be denied their first apartment and utilities. Most landlords do a credit check on applicants before granting a lease.
Jacob Heller writes on Kmeg14 that:
Thousands of children are victimized each year by a new, growing form of “high-tech” child identity theft.
We aren’t talking about family members swiping kid’s personal info, we’re talking about criminals buying and selling your child’s social security number.
The first time Axton Betz applied for an apartment was shocking: A college student who had never taken out a loan or credit card was thousands of dollars in debt.
“I was devastated,” says Axton Betz, a child ID theft victim.
Axton says a thief stole her social security number when she was a kid.
Now the lowest car loan rate she can get is 18% and the lowest credit card interest rate is 29%.
“It’s been life changing and life defining,” says Betz.
Axton isn’t alone. Recent studies show anywhere from 140,000 to 400,000 children a year are I.D. theft victims.
“The kids were being targeted at a rate of 51 times the adults,” says Bo Holland, the CEO of All Clear ID, an identity protection company.
Thieves take kid’s social security numbers, add fake names, open cell phone or utility accounts and establish new credit histories, borrowing more money.
“They turn 18 and go to start applying for student loans and they find out the credit’s bad, because they were a victim of identity theft years before,” says Officer Jeremy McClure, a crime prevention officer with the Sioux City Police Department.
Sometimes these numbers are sold online!
All clear ID works with police and has special access to black market web sites where kid’s social security numbers are offered for as low as $1.50!
“There are hundreds of these sites unfortunately,” says Holland.
Thieves can get those numbers from your computer with viruses programmed to find financial documents like tax returns and medical records.
Some are also from data breaches and thefts at schools and hospitals.
“Parents should be alarmed this is a very significant problem,” says Holland.
Stay safe: don’t give out your child’s social security number easily. Make sure your computer’s virus protection is up to date, and monitor your child’s number.
“Be proactive, check accounts and credit reports regularly so that way you head off any problems as soon as possible,” says Officer McClure.
Axton’s still cleaning up the mess of a theft that didn’t just steal her social security number, it turned her early adult years into a financial disaster.
“I’m always wondering when is the next collection letter going to arrive when is the next court summons going to arrive?” says Betz.
So what can you do to protect your child’s ID? Well, as mentioned above, be very careful about giving out information about your child’s social security number. Make sure that your computer is well protected against viruses, trojans and spyware. Regularly check your child’s credit history and be alert to any strange unexplained mail you receive especially in the child’s name.
My husband’s identity was stolen about six months ago and we found out when they tried to purchase a three hundred dollar camera lens on our credit card, I guess that is one good thing about having them maxed out. That was bad enough but now to have to worry about this happening to my son as well. And how do you go back and fix something like this when it could have been going on for years by the time you find out about it. Sometimes the immoral actions of people really disgust me and I hope they understand that they will get what’s coming to them for that they can be certain.
This increase in child identity theft does not surprise me because I read a handbook that was published back in the mid 1990′s that showed how to start a new identity by stealing the identity of a person who died as child and establishing your identity from that. Once you order the birth certificate from a deceased person, you can then get a passport and social security. There are other reasons for starting a new identity other than thievery. Sometimes, a person wants to start a new identity to escape overwhelming debt, avoid creditors or child support. Those certainly are not noble reasons either, but I mention them to show that the demand for identity theft is larger than the pool of thieves that exist in the world.
this is an increasingly important issue, children are a prime target for identity thieves as they could potentially get away with their crime for a much longer span of time before potentially being caught or needing to crack someone else’s identity.
I actually saw earlier today someone do the dumbest thing, she just had a child and instead of doing something normal like putting up a picture of the baby for everyone to see and “prove” she had a kid, she took a picture of the new born’s Social Security card and posted it to Facebook. Didn’t black out or blur out the numbers either…..
It is bad enough when you steal an adults identity and it cause a lot of issue then but if you steal a child’s identity that is something that the thief could use for years without anyone being the wiser and then that identity is shot for that child when they grow up. The amount of damage that could be done is horrendous. Is there any way for the child as an adult to correct any of the damage or what do they have to do to continue using their own identity in life and stop the person who stole it? This is just a crazy society when we are stooping so low as to ruin someone’s life from childhood. There has to be a way to protect your identity better and still be able to utilize the modern technology of the internet. If you know of a good way to do that please let me know by replying to my comment.
This rising trend only illustrates the day and age in which we live. The advancement of mobile technology and the overwhelming popularity of mobile phones has created more opportunities for high tech identity thieves and the information age has made all sorts of data, including that of children, more accessible for identity thieves. I believe the rampant occurrence of identity theft and piracy has put the very freedom of the internet at risk as congressmen consider censoring the Internet. Yes, this is really happening now. Congress is considering two bills, both of which threaten free speech on the internet. Stop Online Piracy Act or SOPA (U.S. House bill) and the PROTECT IP Act or PIPA (U.S. Senate bill). If these are passed, the freedom we have online will end and we may as well become China at that point. If you believe in the freedom of speech contact your senator(s) and tell them to Stop PIPA. You can also visit and Tweet on the Twitter hastag for more information: #stopPIPA
I read this post and I just can not wrap my head around how mean and nasty some people out there are. What is the reason for stealing someone’s identity anyway is it just so you can get credit cards in their names and go buy a bunch of stuff. Is the stuff they are buying really that important that they don’t even consider what they are doing to another human being? I mean really, it is just stuff and it is only going to make them happy temporarily but they are ruining someone else’s life. What can we do about it, anything? Please post again if there is a solution to help stop this junk.
Is there nothing sacred anymore? Why would you purposely target a child just for your benefit? These people are going out and getting credit cards, or whatever they do with someone else’s identity, so that they can purchase stuff that means nothing and they are basically ruining that child’s adult life before they even get there. This is absolutely heart breaking, a friend of mine had his identity stolen about six months ago and found out about it when they tried to purchase something. He had to file a report with the credit bureau, the police department and the company that the person was trying to buy something from. So it took us a lot of leg work and phone calls to explain this to everybody and get it set up to block it from continuing to happen. If you catch this happening, depending on how long this has been going on, is there any way at all to go back and fix their identity so that they don’t have to suffer the things you mentioned in your post, like the first time they go to buy a car, that would be so embarrassing for them? Sometimes the immoral actions of people really are shocking and sickening at the same time. Maybe we shouldn’t get an identity until it is time for us to start using it at age eighteen or sixteen when you can get a drivers license and a job for the first time.
It sees to me that crime is becoming more brazen. Maybe it is a sign of the times. I saw a disturbing news report about a 60 year old man who was attempting to break up an argument only to get sucker punched from behind by a young thug known in the neighborhood for his violent reputation. The teen knocked the man unconscious and then, while the victim lay on the floor, the young thug beat him several more times and then robbed him of the cash in the victim’s pocket. The whole incident was caught on surveillance video tape. Thankfully, this had a happy ending as the thug was arrested today and charged with aggravated battery and robbery. Such violent thievery along with those who engage in identity theft, do not belong free. They need to be locked up to protect law abiding members of society.
For many shoppers, the holiday shopping season starts as early as black Friday. This extended period of continuous holiday shopping that lasts through the following year creates more opportunities for identity thieves to steal your identity. There are crooks out there who work smarter and more efficient than their reckless peers and who will research your family tree once they realize you are an ideal credit candidate. Austin, For many consumers, the swipe of a credit card and the cha-ching of a cash register officially rings in the holiday season. It is important, however, for consumers to remain vigilant while shopping to ensure they don’t put themselves at undue risk for identity theft. Use credit, not debit when checking out in-stores or online. It’s best to use a credit card over a debit card, because under federal law, you can dispute the charge if you don’t receive the item you purchased. You also have dispute rights if there are unauthorized charges on your credit card. Just a little tip for those of you who are all caught up with conforming to the whole Christmas tradition.
I could not believe this when I read it. What is the world coming to when you even have to protect your small child’s identity? I am glad that you posted this because it is news that doesn’t get out to the public very often, this is the first I have heard about it anyway. It is truly a shame that this takes place and I am thankful that someone like you cares enough to post the information
I have heard of people getting social security numbers and credit cards in their dogs name so this does not surprise me at all. What does surprise me is that it took so long to publish anything about, you don’t hear about it in the media, which is no surprise, but on the internet I would have thought it would have been out a lot longer.
From what I understand this is a growing problem and child identity theft is even more than adults. Is that statement true? I was reading it in an article the other day and I couldn’t believe it, then I ran across your article and decided I had better do some more digging before I dismiss this. Thank you for putting this all together the way you have it was very informative.
I noticed that one of your readers made a comment about a handbook that was written that taught people how to do this… That is unbelievable. I can understand wanting to disappear and become someone else after all I would like to do that myself, but to steal a child’s identity or anyone’s for that matter is just out of the question. I can’t believe the amount of trouble it causes either.
I think that people can become victims of identity theft in all of its forms (child identity theft, as well as the standard type for adults) more likely from filling out all those types of online offers. I have noticed scrupulous sales spammers calling my house after filling out online surveys. The other common danger is when older persons inquire about male enhancement supplement offers. My father did that once and he was hounded by some oriental company based in the outskirts of the California border who defrauded his credit card with minor transactions and then went on to try and sell him on a larger subscription of a so called natural male enhancer. So folks must be careful about the types of offers they answer on the internet. These can be as dangerous as a thief rummaging through your trash or your drawers.
I was reading all of this up lifting inspirational information today and then BAM I was hit square between the eyes with this. I just can not believe the things that people do to small children and think that it is ok. I would bet never once do they stop and think what if this was my child, who’s life is now basically ruined. Is there anything we as parents can do to prevent this?
A study was just released that indicates that one in three younger persons will get arrested by the age of twenty three, and setting the course for a lifetime of destructive behavior. I won’t even try to understand how they are able to come to that conclusion, but it does make me wonder how it may affect your decision to engage in deviant criminal behavior if you as a teenager, lean that you have become the victim of identity theft. Does this make you feel jaded and more susceptible to break the law? Does it make you bitter or angry and compel you to take advantage of someone when the opportunity presents itself, because you were a victim and want some sort of pay back?
So here we have a bunch of criminals again ruining a child’s adult life before they even get there. This is absolutely heart breaking, a friend of mine had his identity stolen about six months ago and found out about it when they tried to purchase something. How long could this go on before you even found out about it with a child? As a people what can we do to stop this?
We need to do something different as far as our kids are concerned there are far too many ways to prey on them. Is there nothing sacred anymore? Why would you purposely target a child just for your benefit? As you can tell this makes me a little more than angry. These people are going out and getting credit cards, or whatever they do with someone else’s identity to buy stuff that means nothing.
We have been through this before with my husband, he had to file a report with the credit bureau, the police department and the company that the person was trying to buy something from. So it took us a lot of leg work and phone calls to explain this to everybody and get it set up to block it from continuing to happen. How hard will it be to do this for a child?
If you catch this happening, depending on how long this has been going on, is there any way at all to go back and fix their identity so that they don’t have to suffer the things you mentioned in your post, like the first time they go to buy a car, that would be so embarrassing for them? Sometimes the immoral actions of people really are shocking and sickening at the same time.
Maybe we shouldn’t get an identity until it is time for us to start using it at age eighteen or sixteen when you can get a drivers license and a job for the first time. I think that would prevent a lot of this then you wouldn’t have to deal with that problem until you were an adult when you could protect it yourself. As a parent I would really appreciate it if you would post anything we can do to stop this.
This is a sign of the times in which we live. I mean the information age. Never before has the theft of data been so expedient and simple. Today, we have rampant piracy of intellectual property and rights protected media which gets leaked sometimes even before its scheduled release date. And now we have this growing trend. I recall reading a graphic novel back in the early 1980′s which depicted a time when everyone would be identified and completely tracked by their identification number. This comic portrayed an apocalyptic time when the government played god by maintaining a tight reign over its citizens. Back then, it seemed like an end of days scenario, but when I really think about it, that comic was actually describing the world we live in today. And that’s the fascinating thing about imagining the past or the future. When you try to picture a different time, it seems more alarming than the reality as it happens. Change happens so subtly that you don’t see it coming until it is here. And those last days before the end of the world seem to be here.
This just makes me sick to my stomach. I can not imagine why you would do this to a poor child and possibly ruin that child’s life no less. All just so you can buy something that you probably don’t need. How do these people sleep at night knowing what they have done? Their conscience will be seared as with an iron. I guess that is my answer to why and how they can do these things.
It is about time people in general stop being nave about what is really going on in the world. Case and point: I watched an episode of the critically acclaimed investigative show, “Decoded, which airs on the History channel. The episode I saw was jaw dropping as they investigated the state of “the Mob and organized crime. What they uncovered was shocking. No longer is the mob operating overtly by strong arming and extorting local store owners, like what you see in 1930′s and 1970′s movies. Today, the mob is invisible and anonymous and their reach is global because they are at the forefront of all of the most lucrative cyberspace crimes, including the largest type of online crime, identity theft. The investigative team discovered that the mob is paying the most elite computer hackers to find the data by breaking through firewalls of large companies and by stealing individuals’ identities, including that of your children. They don’t just want establish new credit from identities, they could already be stealing from you and you don’t even know it. Consider this: Once a leading criminal organization has your credit cards, they don’t necessarily max those out. They may spend five or ten dollars, which may go undetected. Multiply that by ten thousand victims and you begin to see the kind of money they are stealthily stealing. So the next time you see a small charge on your credit card statement, realize that you may be already be a victim.
An investigative report I watched indicated that identity thieves are not necessarily an isolated incident whereby a mischievous hacker gets your credit card number and then tries to buy all he / she can till the card maxes out. While this may be the case at times, everyone should beware of small innocuous charges on your credit card statement that you do not recognize. The reason is because identity theft is now one of the most lucrative profit streams for organized crime. This includes the Mexican and Russian mafia as well as the other well known mafias. And the way they do it is pretty slick. Instead of maxing out credit cards, they charge small amounts of five to fifteen dollars on hundreds or thousands of credit cards belonging to their victims. That way, they can continue to charge small amounts every month, most of which go unnoticed or ignored and this creates a recurring revenue stream of hundreds of thousands of dollars each month for them. So pay close attention to your monthly statement and change your card if you see even one small charge you did not make yourself.