There are several reasons for the increasing numbers of child identity thefts but by and large it’s due to the attractive nature of the crime.  Kids have unblemished credit records because they rarely need to actually have a credit record.  It’s only when they go to college that most kids do need credit.  The other reason why it’s so attractive to criminals is that the crime can go unnoticed for quite sometime.  Most kids won’t have to apply for various credit based facilities or for their drivers license until they’re at least 16 or above – Giving the criminals the ability to use the identity theft for multiple purposes for a length period of time.

The first moment that you’ll probably discover that your child’s identity is stolen can occur when your child first applies for a driver’s license.  The process of picking up a driver’s license requires that certain checks be made and a notification of a bad credit history will pop up in that event.

In order to protect your child from identify theft there’s a number of different things you can do to ensure its security.  First and foremost never reveal to anyone your child’s social security number. Never reveal it to anyone unless you have to by law and certainly avoid putting it on any paper work that in actual fact doesn’t even require it.  Ensure that even if the school or similar organization requests it, ask why, and ensure that in real terms you don’t have to reveal it.  Next, ensure you never reveal the number to anyone including grandparents, other relatives or family friends.  The sad part about this is the fact that most times when a child’s identity is stolen, it’s done by someone you or the child knows.  Make sure you destroy and shred all papers pertaining to the child’s identity that aren’t required anymore.  This is important; do not just throw them in the bin.  Shred and destroy.  Do not carry around the child’s social security number in your wallet or purse.  If the wallet or purse get’s stolen, you can pretty much say goodbye to your child’s credit rating.  Disallow you child from entering any marketing contests online, or divulge any personal information to anyone in any chat room, internet forum or in any similar environment.  This has to be drilled into the child so that they understand the importance of personal data and information.

If you think even for a moment that there’s a slight chance of your child’s identity being stolen, contact the Federal Trade Commission Theft ID Hotline:  877-438-4338.

1. Do you really need to fill that out? Don’t automatically answer every blank portion of every application form. Ask questions about any suspicious information-gathering activity of creditors, merchants, educational institutions or employers. Ask if sensitive portions can be left blank.

2. Who needs to know your number? Stop telling people your credit card number. If someone calls you asking for it, be sure that you are talking to a legitimate agency first before revealing any financial data. Remember that unless you made that call, it difficult to determine is the person you’re talking to is for real.

3. Is your statement accurate? Every time you receive your credit card statement, carefully check for fraudulent charges. Don’t automatically pay the amount you see on the first page. Also, if you’re no longer receiving the bill or are receiving it late, it is possible that someone might be using a fraudulent address. In this case, call your credit card company immediately.

4. Should you ask for a credit report? The answer is definitely yes. Under federal law, everyone can get a free report from the three credit reporting agency including Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian. After you ask for your copy, check for fraudulent information.

Identity theft is a fact of life. Never think that “it can never happen to me”. Those who had been victims of this scam had the same line of thinking. Start taking precautions now to protect your identity.

Internet shopping is quite a general trend, where most times it is more convenient and often cheaper to shop online than go elsewhere for the same product.  However, this makes identity theft a very easy game for criminals who seek easy targets.

As an internet shopper, you need to beware of the phishing scams that take place.  It can save you from a lot of heartache from disputing with banks in an attempt to prove that you did not make fraudulent transactions over the internet.  You can be liable for losses if you are unaware of tips that can help reduce your risks of identity theft taking place.

Your email account, user ID, credit card, bank account, social security and driver’s license numbers are common targets for identity theft to begin.  To ensure that you do not make the mistake of providing criminals easy access to your personal details online while you shop, ensure you are dealing with legitimate organizations first.  This can extend to email scams that can ask you to respond to confirm account details, pretending to be popular organizations.  If you have a gut feeling that it is false, then do not respond.  The best way to ensure it is legitimate is to call the company yourself.

Internet shoppers need to beware that email shopping scams generally occur mostly close to Christmas, offering cheap or heavily discounted popular gifts or toys.  Most times, criminal activity is underway with these ‘special offers’, in the form of computer viruses that enables them to hack into your personal accounts with access to your computer with the goal of identity theft.  They can also use your information to pass on the scams to your friends or colleagues- this easily spreads their opportunities of identity theft on a larger scale.

The best way to shop online and reduce your potential of identity theft is not to use debit cards for online shopping, as there is less protection by law in comparison to credit card laws.  Other methods include deleting emails that ask for personal information, and instead contact the organization that you use in person or via phone yourself.  If there are companies you have not heard of, do not click on the email or links on their sites, as this can lead to downloading computer viruses that can hack into your personal details online, leading to identity theft.  Keep track of all your account details, and receipts of internet purchases, this way you have proof of purchase, and a copy of the businesses you have dealt with online.  If you suspect any criminal activity, refrain from shopping online immediately.  Last, but not least, shop online with organizations that you are familiar with or referred to by trustworthy friends or family.

Identity theft can take a criminal only a few minutes to achieve, in contrast, it can take months to settle a credit card fraud dispute, so it pays to check your own credit card report for a few minutes or to get a professional service to do it for you, especially if you use credit cards often.  Credit card reports can be accessed free of charge from banking institutions at least once a year.  The things to look out for are any charges on your credit card that you did not incur, or any odd locations or companies you usually do not purchase from.  Most times you may not be liable for the losses, however, debit card accounts generally have less protection against identity fraud, and may be liable for any losses.

There are two types of identity theft, account takeover and application fraud, in which criminals access your account and information and use it to their monetary benefit.  Victims usually learn of the credit card fraud upon checking their credit card report.  Therefore, checking your credit card statement can be a great strategy to ensure you and your loved ones are limited to victimization by criminals and paying their bills for them.  You need to catch the criminal’s identity theft early.

If you have online debit card or credit card accounts, it is wise to check them regularly.  Monitor your transactions and activities, and keep a document of your receipts for at least a few months.  This way you can have proof of your purchase and any overlapping dates wherein you did not make the fraudulent transactions.  Keep copies of your account statements, and shred all account details well.  Receipts should never be thrown away; they should be taken with you, as a growing number of untrustworthy employees from companies that you may have shopped with have been found to use customer receipts to access customer’s credit card or debit card account details.

By reducing the amount of credit cards you own and keep on you, can reduce the risks.  The more accounts you have, and the more careless you are with your credit cards, the more potential there is for identity theft.  It pays to be conscientious with money at all times, especially when shopping online.  Do not use debit cards online, as you are less protected by law.

However, it is important to protect your identity in the internet no matter how ‘friendly’ the site is. It is critical not to put sensitive information on the site. When you make use of the internet in chat, emails and the like, your information is virtually exposed to anyone who cares to look. Your exposure to people will increase as you increase your number of friends. Take note that you will not be protected from people who have other intentions other than being friendly. The story of people having stalkers is proof enough that social networking site is a playground for all kinds of criminals.

To prevent the most dangerous things from happening, think first and check if the site is reliable before deciding to join one. You can find sites that only limited defined users to gain access to posted content. Some sites allow everyone to see the postings. When you post information, restrict the access to your page for people you personally know. Never post your social security number, phone number, address and bank and credit numbers. Do not expose yourself by providing the information about your school, workplace or the place where you spend most of your time.

Be careful in meeting personally the “friends” that you meet online. If you decide to do it, it will be a good idea for you to meet him or her in public place and with a chaperone. Tell someone in your family where you are going as well as the time they can expect you come back. Practice safety in everything so that social networking on the internet will be a good experience for you.