Are Kids Safe From Online Identity Theft?

Identity theft, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, can take three forms, both in person and online: unauthorized use of credit cards, unauthorized use of bank accounts or unauthorized use of personal information to open new accounts or commit a crime. Although adults are the most common victims, children can be prey, too, especially online.

  1. Why Kids Are Targeted

    • Criminals adopt the identities of children because they have little, if any, credit record. The credit card, loan and employment history attached to an adult's identity is missing from kids' profiles. Once a child's Social Security number is pinpointed, it can easily be transferred to another name and birth date. Credit checks on children are highly unusual, so criminals can use their information for extended periods, even years, without raising suspicions.

    What Can Happen

    • Children's online presence is large. According to a 2010 Kaiser Foundation study, the average 8- to 18-year-old is plugged into some form of media -- TV, music, computers, video games, print or movies -- for more than 7 1/2 hours daily. That presence increases the opportunities for cyber criminals to locate children's personal information. In 2010, Norton̵7;s Online Family Report found that more than 40 percent of kids had strangers trying to "friend" them on social media, and more than 60 percent had replied to an Internet scam. Almost 80 percent had accidentally let viruses into their computers.

    Prevention: Passwords

    • In general, children aren't suspicious or wary online, and that opens them up to potential identity theft. Explain to children the importance of choosing secure passwords for websites. Longs passwords are safer than short ones, and personal information or ordinary words are precarious choices. Teach kids to create unique, unusual passwords that can't be determined easily. These shouldn't be shared, even with friends.

    Prevention: Malware and Phishing

    • Security numbers and financial data shouldn't be kept on computers, because it's possible for cyber criminals to access them. Malware is software designed with malicious intent, such as interfering with computer operation or collecting personal information. This software can be imbedded in material kids might download, such as free ringtones, apps, games or email attachments. Help kids learn what online sites are trustworthy. During phishing, criminals try to obtain sensitive information from computer users by posing as a known entity such as a bank, government agency or friend. Teach kids not to provide any personal information online, especially if the request comes out of the blue.

    Prevention: Information Sharing

    • Kids like to send each other music, games and software. Sharing has inherent risks, such as releasing private information to an unintended audience. In addition, if your child downloads shared files, they may contain malware. If you allow downloads, install security software to screen all incoming files. Also, kids shouldn't use credit or debit cards to shop from their computers. Ensuring privacy settings in online financial transactions is absolutely necessary, and children don't have the experience or knowledge to make purchases safely.

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