Kids and teens can be at risk of ID theft, too; but there’s more protection for them with a federal law that went into effect last year.
The new law allows parents and guardians to request a security — or credit — freeze on behalf of minors to help protect a child’s identity.
You can take other steps to protect your child from ID theft, too.
- Find a safe location for records with your child’s personal information.
- Don’t share your child’s Social Security number unless you know and trust the other party.
- Ask why a Social Security number is necessary and how it will be protected.
- Shred all documents with your child’s personal information before discarding.
- Be aware of events — like a school’s data breach — that put information at risk.
- Talk to your child about protecting personal information.
To find out more, go to ftc.gov and search: child identity theft or ID protection for minors