Children and ID theft

Friday,
November 03, 2006
Girl Scout leader admits plot
From The Pensacola News Journal
SANTA ROSA COUNTY - A Girl Scout leader has reportedly confessed to stealing
the identities of several of her scouts as part of a scam to get more than
$50,000 in tax refunds.
Holly Barnes said she used the
identities of 10 to 15 girls to fill out 1040ez tax return forms in order to
collect illegal refunds.
Police were tipped off when one of
the girl's mothers saw her daughter's name on a tax form on Barnes' computer.
 
 
October 31, 2006
Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) says she
will add protection against the theft of children's identities to new
legislation she is introducing to prevent debit card fraud.
Identity thieves are increasingly
turning to pilfering the information of young children in order to pull off
their scams, Clinton said. The dangerous tactic uses children's personal data
to open up new credit accounts and rack up thousands in debt.
SHORELINE, Wash., April 2, 2005
Cooper Hayes has credit trouble. If
he's not worried, that's because he's just 3 years old.Top of Form


Bottom of Form

Cooper's very first piece of mail
ever was a letter from a county prosecutor telling him his identity had been
stolen.
"No one's going to check their
child's credit history," said his father, Jon Hayes. "We're always
checking our own to make sure that everything is fine for us. But no one's
gonna check your child's credit history to make sure it's safe and OK."Ideal Victim
When 11-month-old Andrew Brooke was only 3 weeks old, someone used his
identity to buy prescription drugs from a clinic. His parents ended up getting
the bill.
"If you're an infant, you're the ideal victim," said Jonathan
Brooke, Andrew's father.
That's because years can pass before the crime is discovered.
This is just a few of the articles
I’ve come across while researching Identity theft.  Not only do we see that children are
targeted, but we also see a myth disproved.
Many People still believe you must
“do something to expose yourself” in order to fall victim.  Now I doubt seriously a three year old or an
11 month old could have done anything to expose them selves, it just
happens.  No matter how careful we are it
happens.
Below is a list of warning signs
that your child’s identity could have been tampered with:

When attempting to open a savings account or college
fund or a child, a discovery is made that there is already an account with
the child's social security number;
 
An attempt to open a new account on behalf of a child
is denied due to a bad check record/credit history;
 
Pre-approved credit card offers arrive in the mail in
the name of a child;
 
Bank statements, checks or bills are sent in the name
of a child (not including those opened by a parent as a joint holder)
 
Collection agency calls or notifications are received
in a child's name;
 
A teen is denied the right to get a driver's license
because another person already has a license with that social security
number;
 
A warrant is made for the arrest of a child.

So what do we do?  Check your child’s credit report at least
yearly to look for evidence that their identity is being used.  If you find any evidence at all consult with
a lawyer to determine the best way to protect your child’s future.  As your child grows, teach them the
importance of safeguarding their personal information.  Teach by example.  Always protect your own personal
information.  Have a family “shred” time
to destroy all old paperwork, credit cards etc that you no longer need.