Tips To Protect Your Child’s Identity

• Tweet
• Pin It

Parents are overly concerned about their child’s intellectual, physical and emotional growth. They go through a lot of pains moulding their child’s character and personality. Many parents are blissfully unaware about financial security for their children.

Many parents are risk averse and do not teach their children the basic nuances of financial planning, money management and management of their financial portfolios. Identity theft of young children’s bank accounts and social security numbers is very common. Impersonation by production of fraudulent birth certificates is also notoriously common in schools and colleges. Children are fast becoming victims of credit card fraud, impersonation and virtual harassment through social networking sites.

TIPS TO PROTECT YOUR CHILD’S IDENTITY

Protection Of Social Security Numbers

A child is very vulnerable especially when he/she gets his/her own social security number. Anyone can gain this number and open a bank account or credit card account on this number and misuse funds on the child’s name. Parents should ensure that barring school records, no one else should gain access to the social security number. Do not store the child’s social security number in your phone or wallet lest it be stolen ad misused. Ensure that the child’s personal details and social security number are being kept at a safe place inside the school

Sharing Of Personal Information At School

Many young children are gullible and fall victim to information dissemination. They inadvertently give out their personal cell phone numbers or parent’s numbers. This can put them at risk of stalking, crank calls and invasion of privacy at odd hours. Ensure that your child gives contact numbers with strict discretion. Phone tapping too is becoming very common. Giving out your residential address may also put the child at risk especially young girls.

Photo Credit: Idt911blog.com/category/child-identity-theft-2/

Online Security

Cyber crime that includes cyber bullying and impersonation is rampant amongst young children. Children often fall victims to hacking of their private email, face book accounts, and may have someone tarnishing their reputation by writing vicious and malicious things. Online bullying has become fairly common and can be very traumatic for the young child.
Ensure that you have some access to the social networking and email accounts your child is using. Have your child’s personal computer password protected so that he/she has strict internet surfing hours. The child should be taught repeatedly not to share personal information with friends and peers.

Also Read

Protect Your Child From Online Threats With These Internet Safety Tips

Apprise The Child Of Phishing Scams

If your child is a bank account holder, apprise him/her of phishing scams that occur on the internet. Phishing is the simplest way through which cyber criminals get hold of the child’s financial details. Your child could incur huge losses because of this.

Restrict The Child’s Access To Credit Cards.

While you may be holding a credit card, it is not wise to give your child one as they may misuse it or cause it to be misused. Credit card imitation and theft has become common at places such as restaurants and gas stations. Get into the habit of giving your child pocket money rather than supplying him/her with plastic money.

Photo Credit: Aerotechnews.com/forthuachuca/mainnews/School-age-children-face-new-threat–Cyber-bullying