Childrens Identy Theft

I never thought that was anything to worry about.  As a matter of fact I never thought about it.  I often see the commercials on TV about protecting your identity and the programs they have to help.  Well those programs are just junk.  They can not guarantee your identity will not be stolen they will do the paperwork and leg work for you once it is.

On many blogs, and other social media outlets many people use pet names for their family members to protect them.  Some other have no pictures of there kids on facebook.  People do all different types of things to hide and protect their families identity.  I am not so private.  I have tons of pictures of my kids on my blog and facebook.  I give lots of information about them.  I rejoice in them and can't keep it in.  Maybe I should.

A few months ago one of my  kids started receiving publishers clearing house stuff.  He thought it was cool because his name was all over it.  And month after month they kept coming.  We laughed it off thinking haha what if he really one (does anyone ever really win those?)  What if it was thousands of week for life and they just named a 6 year old there winner.  He would be set.  But other pieces of junk mail kept coming.  Yesterday yet another pieces asking for money for a reputable charity.

I just threw it to the side thinking just another thing.  But my husband chimed in and said I wonder if someone might have stole his identity.  And then all the pieces started whirling through my mind.  Why is this only happening to 1 of my kids?  Why is a 6 year old receiving all these offers, continually.  He is to young to and has never entered his name on any soliciting list.  Any online game he plays is registered to me.  How could I ignore months of this and think nothing of it but as awe look honey you got mail.



We quickly looked at the credit reporting sites.  But found out you can not access a child's credit 13 and under online ever.  You can get YOUR child's credit 14 and older.  Now this does not mean you can not get your very minor child's credit.  Especially if you think there is reason to believe of misdoing.  You have to write to all three credit reporting agencies.  Two of them have online forms you can fill out and 1 you can only send a letter by mail.  They wont give you an answer at the site they email it to you or mail it to you.  So it takes a little time.

I started filling out forms and writing letters.  But my impatient self was still not at rest.  And I wondered if there might have been other ways to find out.  So I called our bank.  My son has a savings account and a CD.there so they have all his information, they know I am his mother, and they can tell me if someone has been accessing his account, and maybe be able to get me the credit report faster.

Well they too could not access his credit.  They had no reason to run his credit and identity theft does not permit the bank to access it.  But they said there has been nothing done to his accounts and as soon as someone would try they would stop it because of his age.  But they put a caution on it and said I am taking all the right steps.

Well the good news is I have heard back from 1 agency and they say there is nothing to alert them to theft.  Some how it seems as his name got on a junk mail list, maybe through a magazine?  He does get a LEGO one.  However this whole ordeal is making me step back and think.  Maybe I should not be so open.  I would hate to think of  someone ever ruining his dreams for him.  You need good credit to get through life.  For college, cars and a home, I can't imagine someone spoiling all of that for him.  Something scary did not happen but reminds you it is all to real and could.