How Does Child Identity Theft Occur?
Learn the signs and how to protect your child's identity
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Child identity theft happens when someone steals a child’s personal information for fraudulent use. Children’s data is vulnerable to theft because a child’s credit profile is typically empty.
“Thieves covet the clean slate that a child’s identity provides,” explained Thomas Hyslip, an assistant professor in the cybercrime program at the University of South Florida. “Unlike adults, who often have messy financial histories involving existing debts, missed payments or high debt utilization rates, a child’s credit file is typically blank.”
Child identity theft is a growing concern that affects millions of families each year. And since most families don't think to check a seven-year-old’s credit report, this type of fraud can go unnoticed for a decade or more.
Child identity theft often begins with stolen personal information, such as Social Security numbers.
Jump to insightWatch for red flags, such as receiving collection calls in your child’s name.
Jump to insightTake preventative measures, like monitoring and freezing credit, to protect your child.
Jump to insightWhat is child identity theft?
Child identity theft happens when someone gets hold of a minor’s personal information, such as their Social Security number (SSN), and uses it to pose as that child for financial gain. This allows them to build a fraudulent credit score from scratch, using the child’s identity as a fresh canvas for theft.
Thieves can then use their higher credit score to apply for credit cards, take out loans and apply for jobs.
Because of the prolonged period of financial dormancy between the theft and the child's first legitimate use of credit, the theft could go unnoticed for years. When an adult's identity is stolen, they usually find out quickly through a bank alert or a declined card. But with children, the identity theft could stay undetected until the child grows up and realizes their credit is already ruined.
Criminals can also use a child’s SSN for synthetic identity theft, mixing their real Social Security number with a completely different name and address to create a brand-new person in the eyes of credit bureaus.
It can be devastating for a young adult to deal with the aftermath of child identity theft. Imagine turning 18 and being denied a student loan because a stranger spent years racking up debt in your name. That’s why, as a parent or guardian, it’s important to stay vigilant and understand how to prevent child identity theft.
How does child identity theft happen?
Child identity theft occurs because a child’s Social Security number is essentially a clean slate. Since kids aren't using their credit, thieves can use those numbers to build up a history of debt without any of the usual red flags that would pop up on an adult’s monitored account.
Thieves can access your child’s sensitive information in various ways.
- Data breaches: Many organizations have your child’s info, including the school district, the pediatrician’s office and local sports leagues. If any of these organizations have a weak spot in their digital security, that data can easily be compromised.
- Phishing: Phishing is when scammers send out emails that look like they’re from legitimate sources. These tricks are designed to get parents, guardians, or kids to click a link and hand over sensitive details.
- Physical theft: Something as simple as a lost wallet with an SSN card inside or a discarded school application can give thieves what they need to start opening accounts.
- Theft by family members: Because a parent, guardian, aunt or older sibling has easy access to birth certificates and Social Security cards, they can open accounts without having to hack a computer.
Signs your child’s identity may be stolen
Child identity theft can be difficult to detect, but here are a few red flags to watch out for.
- IRS notices and tax documents: If your child receives a tax bill or past-due notice from the IRS, that’s a significant red flag. Because children typically don’t file independent tax returns, the IRS should have no reason to contact them directly about tax-related issues.
- Debt collection activity: Receiving collection calls or past-due bills in your child’s name is a sign that someone has likely hijacked your child's identity to secure credit or services.
- Government benefit or loan rejections: If your family meets all eligibility requirements but the government denies the application, another individual may already be receiving benefits or taking out loans under that Social Security number.
- Preapproved credit offers: Preapproved credit offers typically only generate when a credit file exists with one of the major bureaus. Since minors shouldn’t have a credit history, getting these offers is a sign that a scammer has already used your child's information to build a fraudulent credit profile.
» FIND OUT: How to check for identity theft
How to protect your child from identity theft
Here’s how to protect your child from identity theft.
Gatekeep your child’s sensitive information
To protect your child, you have to be the gatekeeper of their data. Unless absolutely necessary, don’t easily give out your child’s SSN. Many times, organizations like schools or sports teams don't actually need your child’s SSN and can use an alternative internal ID number instead.
Freeze your child's credit
TIP: Consider monitoring your child’s credit report. You can request a free report from annualcreditreport.com each year.
If your child is under 16, contact each credit bureau to request a free credit freeze to make it harder for other people to open accounts in your child's name. The freeze will stay in place until you tell the credit bureaus to remove it.
Educate your child
Start the conversation about digital hygiene with your kids. Make sure they understand why it’s important not to share their full name, birthday, school name or other sensitive information online. And that if an offer online seems too good to be true, it’s probably a scam.
Protect your documents
If you have documents with your child’s sensitive information, make sure to keep them in a safe place where other people can’t easily access them. And when you decide to get rid of those documents, don’t just throw them away in the trash. Shred them first so that thieves cannot scavenge through your garbage to find them.
What to do if your child’s identity is stolen
Follow these steps immediately if you realize your child's identity has been stolen:
- Contact the three credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion: Let them know that your child is a victim of identity theft and ask them to remove all fraudulent accounts and freeze the file immediately.
- File a report with the FTC: Next, head over to IdentityTheft.gov to file an official report with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The report will come in handy when you have to prove to banks and credit card companies that your child didn't actually run up those thousands of dollars in debt.
- File a report with your local police: Though the police may not be able to catch the thief, having a formal police report is often a requirement for many financial institutions before they will agree to wipe out fraudulent charges.
Recovering from child identity theft takes time and a lot of paperwork, so make sure to keep a folder with every letter you send and every person you speak to.
FAQ
How do I check if someone is using my child's SSN?
The easiest way to check if someone is using your child’s SSN is to request a credit report for your child from the three major bureaus. If a file exists, it means someone may have been using that SSN to open accounts.
How does identity theft usually happen?
Identity theft usually happens through a mix of digital and physical means, such as data breaches at schools or doctors' offices, or someone stealing a Social Security card from a home or mail. Once a thief has that number, they can pair it with any name to start a fraudulent credit history.
How often does child identity theft occur?
Child identity theft happens far more often than people think, with roughly one in 50 American children falling victim to identity fraud each year. Since this crime doesn't show up on bank statements, many cases go undiscovered for years.
How to protect a minor child from identity theft?
The most effective way to protect a minor is to freeze their credit with the three major bureaus as soon as possible. Beyond that, keep their physical Social Security card locked in a safe and only share the number when it’s legally required for taxes or insurance.
Article sources
ConsumerAffairs writers primarily rely on government data, industry experts and original research from other reputable publications to inform their work. Specific sources for this article include:
- LSEG, “One in every fifty children falls victim to identity theft each year.” Accessed Jan. 26, 2026.
