Buzz
Identity theft can be more dangerous than other types of fraud, as it can go unnoticed for extended periods. In just the first three quarters of 2024, there were 726,396 instances of ID theft, and it’s a crime that can affect anyone—your children included.
You might believe your children are safe from identity theft due to their age and lack of credit history, but that’s not the case. Out of those 726,396 identity theft incidents, 17,559 (2%) involved individuals under 19. The critical factor is your child’s Social Security number—once it’s in the wrong hands, criminals can use it to create financial accounts through what’s known as “synthetic identity theft,” merging your child’s real details with fabricated information.
You may already be taking steps to guard your kids from online fraud and other obvious risks, but it’s equally important to protect them from the threat of identity theft.
Review their credit history
The first thing to do is confirm whether your child already has a credit report. Ideally, they shouldn’t have one unless you've opened a credit account in their name or added them as an authorized user on one of your cards to help build their credit. You can review this by submitting forms to the three credit bureaus—Equifax, Experian—or by filling out an online form at TransUnion.
If you find that your child has a credit report and you haven’t taken steps to establish their financial history, it could indicate potential identity theft. In this case, you must freeze their credit immediately and follow additional steps to protect their financial security moving forward.
Think about freezing their credit
Even if your child doesn't have a credit report, it’s still a good idea to freeze their credit. Depending on their age, they may not need to access their credit score for several years, so it makes sense to prevent potential identity theft from the outset.
All three major credit bureaus—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion—offer a process for parents and legal guardians to freeze a minor's credit. If a credit report does not exist, the bureaus will first create one before freezing it. The process requires submitting a form or letter to the bureaus, along with copies (not originals) of supporting documents to verify your authority to make the request. This includes your driver’s license or another government-issued ID, your birth certificate and your child’s birth certificate (or other legal documents such as a foster care certification or court order), Social Security cards for both you and your child, and proof of address like a utility bill or bank statement.
In certain cases, minors can initiate the credit freeze themselves. Experian will accept requests from children aged 14 and older, while TransUnion and Equifax allow it for children aged 16 and above.
Once a credit freeze is successfully placed, you can leave it in effect until your child is older or needs to apply for credit. The bureaus will send you details on how to unfreeze the credit reports when necessary—be sure to keep this information safe for easy access when the time comes.
What steps should you take if you find that your child has a fraudulent credit report?
If you discover that your child has a credit report, immediately take these three actions:
Obtain a copy of the credit report and reach out to each account listed to inform them that the account is fraudulent. Be sure to get written confirmation that the accounts were opened due to identity theft and have been closed.
Freeze your child’s credit report as previously mentioned.
File a report of the identity theft with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at identitytheft.gov. The FTC will guide you in developing a recovery plan and direct you to relevant government resources—for example, if you need to report a misused Social Security number or need assistance proving that your child was not involved in criminal activities as a result of the identity theft.
