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Checking if Your Child is an ID Theft Victim Can Be Stressful

Posted on May 31, 2007 by Michelle Pastor

Identity thieves target children because odds are they can use the child’s identity for years before anyone will notice.

I originally posted the following blog in January of 2007, but am revisiting it in case you missed it the first time.

Posted on Jan 22, 2007 by Michelle Pastor
Knowing what I do about ID theft and that children are easy and often valuable targets for ID thieves, I was compelled to check my youngster's credit file...just to make sure his identity hasn't been hijacked. I know that unless a child has been an identity theft victim, a check into his credit file with TransUnion, Experian or Equifax will come back with no information found because he can't get credit until he is 18.

So, to get the credit report of my son who is under 13, I had to mail the credit bureau information my child's complete name, address, date of birth and a copy of the his birth certificate and social security card. I also had to send a copy of my own driver’s license with my current address, and a current utility bill.

That's a lot of stuff in one, easy to steal, envelope and placing all of that vital information of his and mine through the mail, made me feel really uneasy. If it landed in the wrong hands, I could have created the very problem I was trying to avoid. It took me a couple of weeks to muster up enough courage to mail the envelope, but eventually I sent it and found that my son, up to that point, was not an identity theft victim.

I understand why it’s difficult to obtain the credit file of a minor but the whole process made me nervous. Next time I'll send the information by way of certified mail or a package delivery service so that if it does get lost, I’ll know right away and can take action immediately.