1 in 40 American Families Deal With Child Identity Theft www.yourValleyProperty.com
Bill Salvatore YVP Team
Helping Arizona Veterans since 2003 at AZVHV Arizona Veterans Helping Veterans with Real Estate needs! 602.999.0952
Click to read... Millennials Investment Plans Include the American Dream – Infographic
Read more... FHA Eases Condo Regulations
Blog, Thank You Thursday... Thanking Teachers Isn't Just for End of Year
New Home Design? It’s all About Ease and Efficiency.
Click to read... Tips for a Trendy Home in 2017
Click to read... Housing Affordability Still Positive
1 in 40 American Families Deal With Child Identity Theft
Posted by Bill Salvatore- Realtor
August 9, 2017 Credit, Family, Health and Safety, Home Security, Kids, Real Estate Leave a Comment
1 in 40 American Families Deal With Child Identity Theft.
This isn’t purely a homeowner issue but I feel it belongs here nonetheless. It’s a family issue. A community issue.
You protect your children from physical dangers in your home. You protect them from dangers in and out of your neighborhood. Whether it’s screening care-givers, walking kids to the bus, or monitoring their social media exposure, we protect our children from other people. And though most adult Americans take precautions to protect themselves from identity theft, not everyone considers that they may need to protect their child from the same situation.
While child identity theft is not as common as identity theft among adults, it is still a risk. One in 40 families with children under 18 had at least one child whose personal information was compromised, according to the most recent survey by the Identity Theft Assistance Center and the Javelin Strategy & Research group. 1 in 40 may not sound like a lot but that is well over 3 Million households dealing with the issue of Child Identity Theft.
Many people choose to obtain a social security number for their child at birth, but fail to monitor the child’s credit, mistakenly believing there will be nothing documented. Using the newly obtained social security number, paired with a different name, birth date and address, the imposter applies for credit, called a synthetic identity. And, for nearly 18 years, there is typically little risk of detection.
There is one safe and free avenue for monitoring credit and you should check your child’s report as often as you check your own… typically and wisely once a year. USA.gov suggests AnnualCreditReport.com. (please note that other free credit report websites may be deceptive or a path to misuse your personal information) If you note any unusual activity in your child’s file, immediately notify all three credit bureaus. They are: Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax.
According to PNC, there are warning signs that your child may be a victim include:
– Notification by the IRS of unpaid taxes in your child’s name.
– Notification that a child’s Social Security number was used on another tax return.
– Receiving collection calls for a minor child
– Receiving bills in a child’s name for products or services not ordered or delivered.
– Declined for government benefits because benefits already are being paid to another account using the child’s Social Security number.
Parents can be proactive in protecting their child from identity theft:
– Never carry your child’s (or your own) Social Security card in your wallet or purse. Keep it in a safe (and I might add fireproof) place, where it is not at risk of being stolen.
– Pay attention to forms from schools, doctor’s offices and others asking for personally identifiable information about your child. Opt out if you can or use the last four digits only.
– Shred all documents that show your child’s personally identifiable information before throwing them in the trash, just as you do for your own documents.
Worth Repeating: Request a credit report for your child annually, using the child’s Social Security number for reference. Every individual is entitled to one free copy of their credit report once every 12 months at www.annualcreditreport.com. If there is no credit history on record, then typically the child has not fallen prey to identity thieves. If there is a credit history for a minor child, he/she has mostly likely become a victim.
Source: https://www.pnc.com Reprinted with permission from RISMedia. ?2017. All rights reserved.
For more information, Call or Text: 602-999-0952
eMail: [email protected]
Bill Salvatore / Arizona Elite Properties
Residential Sales, Marketing, and Property Management
Helpful Resources for Home Sellers and Home Buyers
Our Buyer’s FAQ page has 9 of the most frequently asked questions from Home Buyers, along with 10 additional resources for Home Buyers at the bottom of the page.
— — —
Thinking of Selling your home? First check out our 9 FAQs for Sellers. Then read on, there are 9 additional resources for Home Sellers at the bottom of the page.
Home Buyer’s Frequently Asked Questions
Home Seller’s Frequently Asked Questions
What’s My Home Worth? FREE Market Analysis of Your Arizona Home
Share this:
- Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
- Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
- Click to print (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)
- 1Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)1
- Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
Like this:
Like Loading...
Related
I suppose if they want to pay my taxes, I don't mind
The Techlicious site confirms our worst tech-related fears... identities stolen via the IRS, where all our personal and economic information is stored and where we "safely submit our tax returns on-line", has reached a critical level. I can only say... well, I have nothing to say. -------------------------------------- by Fox Van…
May 28, 2015
In "Privacy"
HUD Awards $46.5 Million to Make Thousands of Homes Safe from Lead
HUD Awards $46.5 Million to Make Thousands of Homes Safe from Lead. It seems we don't have as much trouble with lead paint here in Arizona as perhaps in other areas of the country. Homes here tend to be newer. Having said that, each town has it's outlying and historic…
July 24, 2016
In "Health and Safety"
Video: 10 Ways to Avoid ID Theft
This video contains suggestions for Seniors but everyone can benefit from this advice. Of course we all would love to escape the nightmare of identity theft, but if you're planning to buy a home it's especially important to be sure your credit hasn't been compromised in any way. Pull a…
January 19, 2016
In "Mortgage and Finance"
Tagged withannualcreditreport.com, Credit Reports, FREE Market Analysis, Free MLS Home Search, Home Selling Tips and Advice, Identity Theft, Keeping Children Safe, Tips and Advice for Home Buyers, What's my home worth
Bill Salvatore- Realtor
Bill Salvatore, Arizona Elite Properties
Realtor / Business Owner / Veteran
Full Time, Full Service, Complete Satisfaction
* Member: Heroes Home Advantage
* Founder: AZVHV, Arizona Veterans Helping Veterans
* President: VAREP Phoenix Chapter
Direct Phone: 602-999-0952
E-Mail: [email protected]
Web site and blog: www.yourValleyProperty.com
Your Valley Property Team at Arizona Elite Properties
Twitter Facebook Google Plus LinkedIn
← Cyndi Lauper Says Sayonara to Stamford