Ian's social security number had been used by an undocumented worker to get employment and then to open a bank account. As was later discovered, the tot's social security number had been included on a medical record and was stolen by a clerk at the doctor's office and then sold to someone who then sold it to the undocumented worker. Ian's identity was used to buy some furniture at a local retailer and subsequently to secure a couple of credit cards. Over time, the charade was undetected until the person who used Ian's identity quit paying bills and then the real Ian started getting mailed notices about payments overdue. As it became clearer, Brian had to jump into action to get Ian's credit restored and solve this very difficult problem.
So, how can a father know early on if his child may have been a victim of child identity theft?
Watch for unsolicited credit offers. Perhaps one of the earliest warning signs is the one Brian ignored early on. If you are receiving credit card offers mailed in your child's name, you should begin asking questions. If it is coming from a bank where there is an account in your child's name, you should ask the bank to remove his or her name from its marketing efforts. But if not, then you should take the next steps to check out whether there is an identity theft issue going on.
A bill in your child's name is a bad sign. If your child receives a bill or a collection letter or phone call, it would be a good indicator that there is a problem. Don't ignore those as a case of mistaken identity. Take the time to check it out by calling the creditor or collection agency.
Beware of a Social Security Administration account statement. We are all used to seeing these mailed to us annually to keep track of your social security contributions and anticipated benefits. But if your minor child gets one with contribution information, that should be a big red flag pointing to an identity theft issue.
Check to see if there is a credit report. A good indicator of identity theft is if there is a credit report on file for your child's name and social security number. Credit reporting agencies typically do not keep a credit report file on minors, so if there is one, it is better than even odds that someone has been using your child's identity to get credit. Check with all three credit reporting agencies, starting with their fraud divisions. They can tell you if a credit file has been opened using your child's name and/or social security number. The three major credit reporting agencies are: Equifax (800-658-1111), Experian (888-397-3742) and TransUnion (800-916-8800).
