Published: February 08, 2008 08:30 pm         

Children, teens more vulnerable to identity theft than adults

Last week I talked about my personal problems with identity theft but this week I want you to look at some folks that are a lot more vulnerable than you and I.

This comes from the Maryland Better Business Bureau, which points out that parents of teens spend many hours teaching them how to drive safely, discussing the importance of an education and warning about the dangers of illegal drugs.

But, as parents, you need to add identity theft to the list of warnings and advice.

Identity theft is a continuing and growing threat and children and teens can become easy targets.

The bureau points out that because they have “unblemished” credit records if their identity is stolen it can go undetected, not just for months as in my case, but for years.

The bureau indicates that as with most of us the first line of defense is to shield their kids from identify theft by protecting their personal information. The bureau says they should question anyone who requests their Social Security number, credit card number or other personal financial information.

I’d take that one step further and suggest they not give that information to anyone without first checking with a parent or guardian as to the advisability of doing so.

Here are some situations to consider:

• Schools, athletic teams ad pediatric offices routinely request children’s Social Security numbers for registration purposes. Before giving that information: Ask if it is required and by whom. If you do not like the answer, then decline to provide the data.

• Don’t carry your child’s Social Security card in your wallet or purse and do not permit your teen to do so. Don’t carry your own card in your wallet or purse.

• When your teen opens their first checking account, discuss the importance of safeguarding their checks and bank account number and advise them to monitor their accounts closely, especially for suspicious activity. Do the same when they apply for their first credit card.

• Limit the copies of your child’s birth certificate. If copies are requested in order to allow your child to participate in sports or other extracurricular activities, find out who will have access to the information and where it will be stored.

• Sometimes parents don’t think talking to their teen makes much of an impression but realize it is your responsibility to explain to them why they should not give out personal financial information in response to phone calls from telemarketers or e-mails from unknown people or businesses or on the Internet.

• Advise your teen to protect their ATM and credit cards at all times. Only carry what is absolutely necessary in their wallets or purses. They should not take debit cards, credit cards or checkbooks with them when they go out with friends.

• If you have a teen going off to college, discuss the importance of safeguarding financial documents, bank account statements, credit cards and other personal records in their dorm room or apartment.

• As a parent, you should check your child’s credit report annually for any unauthorized accounts and requests for credit.

The Better Business Bureau advises that if you believe your child’s identity may have been stolen, contact the three major credit bureaus, immediately dispute any bills with fraudulent charges and visit the ID Theft Resource Center on the Federal Trade Commission Web site at www.ftc.gov.

Additional tips from the Better Business Bureau can also be found on its Web site at www.bbb.org.

Contact Mona Ridder at mridder@times-news.com.