Recently there has been a dramatic increase in identity theft from children.  According to the FTC more than 19,000 children had their identitities stolen last year and this number may be quite less than the true number because often, children whose identities have been stolen do not learn of the theft until, a older teenagers they apply for student loans or car loans.  By then a tremendous amount of damage may have been done and the job of fixing the credit record becomes much more difficult than if the theft had been discovered early.

TIP

A significant amount of identity theft from children comes from family members, baby sitters or others who may have access to personal information about the child that has not been properly secured.  Keep the Social Security cards and numbers secure and away from prying eyes.  Also teach your children not to provide personal information on line unless they are absolutely sure of to whom they are providing the information and it is absolutely necessary to provide such information.