Child identity theft is a growing crime that is causing damage to the credit reports of children. Scam artists are finding inactive Social Security numbers online and selling the numbers under different names to help people establish fake credit. Most of these inactive numbers are assigned to children under the age of 18 who have not started using them yet.
http://liarcatchers.com/identity_theft_investigation.html
Recognizing the need for nationwide consumer education outreach, the Council of Better Business Bureaus is joining government agencies and national advocacy organizations in launching the 4th annual National Protect Your Identity Week (PYIW) October 16 – 22, 2011. During PYIW, BBBs around the country will conduct identity theft protection events in their communities. Your BBB will be holding Secure Your ID Day, a free document shredding event, on October 22.
Identity theft touched the lives of more than 8.1 million adult victims in 2010. According to a report from Javelin Strategy and Research, the theft resulted in the loss of $37 billion dollars. On top of that, children may be 51 times more likely than adults to have their identity stolen, according to a study conducted by AllClear ID.
“We are all at risk for identity theft, but children are particularly vulnerable,” said Toby Barfield, president and CEO of BBB serving Eastern North Carolina. “It is important for parents to teach children how to safely manage personal information so that they do not become a victim of identity theft.”
