{"id":11132,"date":"2015-09-25T07:22:46","date_gmt":"2015-09-25T07:22:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hrblock.com\/tax-center\/?p=11132"},"modified":"2020-05-01T19:21:32","modified_gmt":"2020-05-02T00:21:32","slug":"tips-to-prevent-child-identity-theft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hrblock.com\/tax-center\/irs\/tax-fraud\/tips-to-prevent-child-identity-theft\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Tips to Prevent Fraud and Identity Theft for Your Kids"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ed note:<\/em><\/strong> As parents, we spend a lot of time keeping our kids safe. That means holding hands while we cross the street, buckling them into car seats and many other things. But have you considered your child’s financial safety? Here’s what you need to do to stay on top of threats to their future financial wellness.<\/em><\/p>\n

Many people don\u2019t realize that children are over 50 times more likely to become victims of\u00a0fraud and identity theft\u00a0<\/a>than adults. It doesn\u2019t matter if they\u2019re still in diapers or are old enough to ask for the car keys.<\/p>\n

It turns out that kids have something thieves want: clean credit reports. Plus, children don\u2019t check their credit reports the way adults do, so identity-stealing criminals may not get caught for decades.<\/p>\n

You might wonder who would prey on your child\u2019s identity. Unfortunately, criminals can be closer than you think. They could include a family member, neighbor or a worker who enters your home. Or it may even be someone you\u2019ve never met.<\/p>\n

Once a thief has your child\u2019s personal information they might use it to get loans, government benefits, medical care or to file bogus tax returns for illegitimate refunds.<\/p>\n

While it can be devastating to have your identity stolen as an adult, getting it resolved for a child can be even more difficult and time-consuming. That\u2019s because most parents and victims don\u2019t find out about the theft until years later, when the child tries to get a driver\u2019s license, mobile phone, loan, apartment, job or student financial aid.<\/p>\n

By then, your child could have mountains of debt in his or her name, a botched credit report or even a criminal record that no one has a clue about.<\/p>\n

Here some warning signs that your child may be a victim of identity theft:<\/p>\n