I received a letter from a debt collector I am trying to collect. Is there a loan they say your child owes? Alternatively, your child may have received an offer of pre-approved credit. Such things may be a sign that someone else has taken credit in your child's name.

Malicious people, even relatives, can Normally, a child cannot legally enter into a contract and take out a loan, but this type of incident is likely to occur before the child is old enough to pursue credit.

This means that when your child grows up and wants to take out a loan, the higher the credit score, the lower the interest rate on the loan, etc. You will not be able to enjoy the benefits. For this reason, consider freezing your child's credit.

Kids are easy prey to scams

Children, especially those in foster care, are particularly vulnerable to the misuse of their personal information. Scammers use the child's personal information such as name, address, social security number and date of birth to obtain loans in the child's name. They can use that information to access government benefits, rent a place, open a credit card account, and more.

Credit reports are known to include loans dated before the birth of a child, which is not possible. It can be useless if a consumer reports incorrect information on a credit check.

If you learn that your child's information has been compromised, please report the identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission and your local law enforcement. Also, contact the company that extended the credit to close the account. Ask for written confirmation that your child is not responsible for their account. The Fair Credit Bureau Act requires credit bureaus to obtain fraudulent entries from your child's account if you provide evidence.

What parents can do to protect their children's information

Know that your child's personal information can be at risk, and take precautions to prevent this. You can also take action. For example:

• Don't give out your child's sensitive information, such as their social security number, unless it's absolutely necessary.
• Documents containing sensitive information about children should be stored in a secure manner, such as a locked safe.
• If you throw such documents in the trash, remove any identifying information from them (for example, shred them).
• If your device contains your child's personal information, be sure to erase the data before disposing of the device.
• Contact a credit bureau to see if they have a credit report in your child's name. Children under the age of 18 usually do not have credit reports.

How to Freeze Your Child's Credit

By freezing your child's credit, you can proactively prevent fraudsters. Contact the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, TransUnion, Experian) and they should take steps to create your child's credit report (if, as expected, you have a blank credit report) and freeze it .

When you freeze someone's credit, no one can access their credit report. Lenders considering extending credit must verify the credit history of prospective borrowers, so no one else can extend credit in the child's name. Once your child turns 16, the credit can be unfrozen if needed. If you want, you can unfreeze the credits before that.

Freeze setting is free. To request a credit freeze for a child who is considered a “protected consumer,” you must contact each of the three major credit bureaus separately. You will also be required to provide documentation proving your identity, your child's identity, and your relationship with minors.

Please mail your request to freeze your child's credit along with the necessary support to Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion.

Conclusion

Kids start with a blank credit slate. Scammers can take advantage of the original record by using a child's personal information to open a financial account or obtain government. advantage. One way to prevent this is to freeze your child's credit.

If you find that your child has already been discredited, you should file a report with the appropriate authorities and take steps to clean up the damaged records.