Learn more about how to recognize signs of child identity theft and steps you can take to respond to it.
What is child identity theft?
You may have considered identity protection measures for yourself. But how about for your children? Children can’t apply for credit on their own until they’re 18, and they likely have few financial assets. However, they do have valuable personal data fraudsters want.
Children, like adults, can become victims of identity theft in several ways, such as by having their data exposed in a data breach incident. Children are a tempting target for identity thieves because theft of a child’s identity may go undetected for years. After their child is born, most parents apply for a Social Security number, which is all that’s required to open most credit accounts. Yet it could be years until a child applies for credit in their own name. If a criminal uses it in the meantime, the identity theft can go undetected and create serious consequences.
- Identity theft could affect your child’s future credit and employment history if the thieves (who sometimes turn out to be family members) obtain credit accounts or get jobs using your child’s identity.
- The thieves could sign up for utility services or apply for government benefits under your child’s name.
- If the thieves are arrested for other crimes, those crimes could become associated with your child’s record.
What are signs of child identity theft?
Whether your child has been a victim of identity theft may not be obvious. The signs can be subtle. However, there are some red flags to watch out for that might indicate your child’s personal information may have been compromised.
If you notice any of these warning signs, you may wish to investigate potential identity theft.
How do I check my child’s credit report?
Your child likely doesn’t have a credit report. But they may already have one, for instance, if you added your child as an authorized user on one of your credit accounts to help them build a credit history. However, if they have a credit report but you never added them as an authorized user, it may be a sign of identity theft.
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After our search is complete, we will respond to you at the email address you provide.
How do I respond to child identity theft?
If your child has a credit report because of fraudulent activity, there are steps you can take to report it and help them recover.
- Report the fraud to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and get an Identity Theft Report on their behalf.
- Notify your local law enforcement agency and ask them to provide a police report. The company or bank where the fraud occurred may request it as they resolve the account.
- Contact the companies related to the fraudulent activity and instruct them to close the account. Their contact information will be on the child’s credit report. Send them a letter that includes the FTC Identity Theft Report.
- Dispute the inquiries and accounts related to fraud with each credit reporting agency. For TransUnion, in addition to filling out the Child Identity Theft Inquiry, you’ll need to provide your child’s Social Security number and a copy of the child’s birth certificate. Disputes are free to file.
To dispute inaccurate information on your child’s credit report, you will need to provide by mail your child's Social Security Number and a copy of the child's birth certificate, along with as much information as you can about the items you need to dispute. This can include the account number the name of the company that reported the item and the reason for the dispute. Send your documents to the mailing address for disputes at TransUnion, which you can find on the Dispute by Mail or Phone page. Disputes are free to file.
What is a protected consumer freeze?
In addition to reporting the fraud to the FTC, companies and the nationwide credit reporting agencies, you may want to consider placing a credit freeze on your child’s credit report to protect them from any fraudulent activity. A credit freeze will prevent lenders or other third parties from accessing your child’s credit report to open a new account in their name.
A freeze for a minor is called a Protected Consumer Freeze. A parent, guardian, conservator or person with a valid power of attorney can place for a minor or incapacitated adult. It is free and will remain in place until a parent or guardian requests its removal, or a minor can request its removal once they are 16 years or older. This type of freeze can also be temporarily lifted.
If you’re looking for more information about protected consumer freezes for medically incapacitated adults or minors, visit our Managing Credit for a Loved One page.
If you are a parent, guardian, conservator or legal representative of a minor or an incapacitated adult and would like to freeze their credit report, you can do this by adding a protected consumer freeze to their credit file. Here's what you'll need to provide:
1. A written request to place a “Protected Consumer Freeze” on the named individual’s file
2. AND a copy of one piece of documentation that provides “sufficient proof of authority” that you have authority to act on behalf of the person such as:
- An order issued by a court of law
- A lawfully executed and valid power of attorney
- A guardianship or conservator document that is current and not expired, includes the protected consumer’s name, and that the name of the person on the court document matches the name of the person submitting the request
- A document issued by a federal, state, or local government agency in the United States showing proof of parentage, including a birth certificate
- With respect to a protected consumer who has been placed in a foster care setting, a written communication from a county welfare department or its agent or designee, or a county probation department or its agent or designee, certifying that the protected consumer is in a foster care setting under its jurisdiction.
3. AND information or copies of documentation confirming your identity AND the identity of the minor/dependent or incapacitated adult. This information or documentation needs to provide “sufficient proof of identification” that you and the minor/dependent or incapacitated adult are who you really are, such as a:
- Social Security number or a copy of a Social Security card
- Certified or official copy of a birth certificate issued by the entity authorized to issue the birth certificate
- Copy of a driver’s license, an identification card issued by a state motor vehicle administration, or any other government issued identification
Please only send copies of documents, not original documents.
Send everything to the dedicated mailing address for protected consumer freezes at TransUnion:
TransUnion
P.O. Box 380
Woodlyn, PA 19094
Please note: Consumers are not able to place a protected consumer freeze via phone or online at this time due to the documentation requirements. We accept either standard or certified mail.
You can learn more on our Freeze FAQ page. You will need to place a protected consumer freeze with each of the nationwide credit reporting agencies individually.
Here are some things to keep in mind if you want to add a protected consumer freeze:
- Even if your child does not have a credit report yet, you can still add a credit freeze as a layer of protection until they’re able to apply for credit on their own.
- If you request a credit freeze for a child who does not have a file already, TransUnion will create a credit file and then freeze it.
- When your child turns 16, they can add a standard credit freeze themselves by mailing a letter requesting it with the same documentation listed in this FAQ.
To remove a protected consumer freeze, you’ll need to submit the following:
1. A written request to remove the freeze on the named individual's file
2. AND a copy of one piece of documentation that provides ‘sufficient proof of authority’ that you have authority to act on behalf of the minor or dependent such as:
- An order issued by a court of law
- A lawfully executed and valid power of attorney
- A guardianship or conservator document that is current and not expired, includes the protected consumer’s name, and that the name of the person on the court document matches the name of the person submitting the request
- A document issued by a federal, state or local government agency in the United States showing proof of parentage, including a birth certificate
- With respect to a protected consumer who has been placed in a foster care setting, a written communication from a county welfare department or its agent or designee, or a county probation department or its agent or designee, certifying that the protected consumer is in a foster care setting under its jurisdiction
3. AND information or copies of documentation confirming your identity AND the identity of the minor/dependent. Information or documentation needs to provide ‘sufficient proof of identification’ that you and the minor/dependent are who you really are, such as a:
- Social Security number or a copy of a Social Security card
- Certified or original copy of a birth certificate issued by the entity authorized to issue the birth certificate
- Copy of a driver’s license, an identification card issued by a state motor vehicle administration or any other government issued identification
If you are the protected consumer and are 16 years old or older, you can mail in a request to remove a protected consumer freeze yourself with the following:
1. A written request to remove the freeze on the named individual's file
2. AND information or a copy of documentation that provides ‘sufficient proof of identification’ that you are who you really are, such as a:
- Social Security number or a copy of a Social Security card
- Certified or original copy of a birth certificate issued by the entity authorized to issue the birth certificate
- Copy of a driver’s license, an identification card issued by the motor vehicle administration or any other government issued identification
Please only send copies of documents, not original documents.
Mail the request and supporting documents to the dedicated mailing address for protected consumer freezes at TransUnion:
TransUnion
P.O. Box 380
Woodlyn, PA 19094
Here are some things to keep in mind if you want to remove a protected consumer freeze:
- You can request to remove the freeze until your child turns 18.
- When your child turns 16, they can remove the credit freeze themselves by sending a letter with identifying information.
- If the freeze hasn’t been removed when your child turns 18, it will remain in place as a protected consumer freeze.
- Once they turn 16, your child can decide if they want to convert it to a standard credit freeze. Once converted, they will be able to place and remove the freeze online and have the option to temporarily lift it for a specific time when they apply for a credit or loan opportunity. To convert a protected consumer freeze into a standard credit freeze, they’ll need to mail in a request with documentation again.
Make child identity theft prevention a habit
Think of identity theft prevention as a family protection habit. You can protect your children from identity theft by considering the following tips:
- Only share your child’s personal information, especially sensitive data like their Social Security number, when necessary.
- Store important documents in a secure location.
- Taking action early to prevent or recover from identity theft on behalf of your child means they’ll be able to confidently and comfortably access future credit opportunities they deserve.
By taking these steps, you can help safeguard them from identity theft and set them up for future financial stability. If you’re looking for more insights on this topic, check out our blog post on what to do if you become a victim of identity theft.
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