What to Do If Your Child's Identity Is Stolen

Child identity theft is more common than most parents realize. Children are attractive targets for identity thieves because they have clean credit histories and their Social Security numbers go unmonitored for years — sometimes until they apply for their first job, student loan, or apartment. If you suspect your child's identity has been compromised, here's exactly what to do.

Warning Signs of Child Identity Theft

Because children don't use credit, identity theft can go undetected for years. Watch for these red flags:

• Preapproved credit card offers or other financial mail arriving in your child's name
• Collection agency calls or letters addressed to your child for debts they didn't incur
• Government benefit denials — your child is denied healthcare, nutrition assistance, or other benefits because their SSN is already tied to an existing account
• IRS notices — you receive a notification that someone already filed a tax return using your child's SSN, or that your child owes taxes
• Denial of a bank account or student loan — when your teenager applies for their first account and is told one already exists, or their application is denied due to poor credit history

Step 1: Check Your Child's Credit Report

The first thing to do is determine whether a credit file exists in your child's name. Children should not have credit reports. If one exists, it almost certainly means fraud.

Contact all three major credit bureaus:

• Equifax — call 800-525-6285 or use their online Minor Child Security Freeze request
• Experian — call 888-397-3742 or visit their Family ID Theft page
• TransUnion — call 800-916-8800 or use their Child Identity Theft Inquiry Form

You can also request your child's credit report at AnnualCreditReport.com. If a report exists and you didn't create it, proceed immediately with the remaining steps.

Step 2: Place a Credit Freeze

A credit freeze prevents anyone from opening new credit accounts in your child's name. Contact each credit bureau to place a freeze:

• You'll need to provide proof that you're the child's parent or legal guardian
• Provide the child's birth certificate, your government-issued ID, and proof of address
• Credit freezes are free for all consumers, including minors, under federal law
• The freeze remains in place until you (or your child, once they turn 16) choose to lift it

Step 3: File an Identity Theft Report With the FTC

Report the identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission to create an official record:

1. Visit IdentityTheft.gov
2. Click "Get Started" and follow the guided process
3. Indicate that the victim is a child
4. You'll receive an Identity Theft Report and a personalized recovery plan

This report is a critical document — you'll need it when dealing with creditors, debt collectors, and the credit bureaus.

Step 4: File a Police Report

Contact your local police department to file an identity theft report:

• Bring your FTC Identity Theft Report, evidence of fraudulent accounts, and your child's identifying documents
• Request a copy of the police report — you're legally entitled to one free copy
• The police report strengthens your case when disputing fraudulent accounts with creditors

Step 5: Contact Companies With Fraudulent Accounts

Using the information from your child's credit report, contact every company where a fraudulent account was opened:

1. Call each company's fraud department
2. Explain that the account was opened using a stolen child's identity
3. Provide your FTC Identity Theft Report and police report
4. Request that the account be closed immediately and all associated debts removed
5. Ask for written confirmation that the account has been closed and the debt cleared

Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, companies must investigate and resolve identity theft claims within 30 days.

Step 6: Dispute Fraudulent Information on Credit Reports

After closing fraudulent accounts, dispute the associated entries on your child's credit reports:

1. Write to each credit bureau that shows fraudulent information
2. Include copies of your FTC Identity Theft Report and police report
3. Identify each fraudulent entry and request its removal
4. The credit bureau must investigate and respond within 30 days

How to Prevent Child Identity Theft

Prevention is far easier than recovery. Here's how to protect your child:

Guard Their Social Security Number

• Only share your child's SSN when absolutely required (tax filings, medical insurance enrollment)
• Ask if a different identifier can be used when organizations request it
• Never carry your child's Social Security card in your wallet
• Store it securely at home, ideally in a safe or lockbox

Place a Proactive Credit Freeze

As mentioned above, you can freeze your child's credit before any theft occurs. This is one of the most effective preventive measures available.

Be Cautious With Their Information Online

• Limit what you share about your children on social media — full names, birth dates, schools, and locations are all useful to identity thieves
• Be wary of online forms that ask for your child's personal information
• Review the privacy policies of apps, games, and educational platforms your children use

Monitor for Signs of Misuse

• Periodically check whether a credit file exists in your child's name
• Watch your mail for unexpected correspondence addressed to your child
• Consider enrolling in a family identity monitoring service

Protect Your Entire Family

Child identity theft often happens alongside broader data exposure. When your family's personal information appears on data broker and people-search sites, it creates opportunities for identity thieves to piece together enough data to open accounts in anyone's name — including your children's.

PrivacyOn's family plans protect up to 5 household members, including children and elderly parents. The service:

• Removes your family's personal information from 100+ data broker sites
• Monitors the dark web for leaked data including SSNs and email addresses
• Provides 24/7 continuous monitoring and automatic re-removal
• Starts at just $8.33/month

By removing your family's data from broker sites, you reduce the raw material that identity thieves need to commit fraud — making child identity theft significantly harder to pull off.

Key Resources

• IdentityTheft.gov — file a report and get a recovery plan
• AnnualCreditReport.com — check for credit files in your child's name
• FTC Consumer Advice — guides on child identity theft prevention
• Equifax: 800-525-6285 | Experian: 888-397-3742 | TransUnion: 800-916-8800