How to Prevent Child Identity Theft

Child Identity Theft: How to Freeze and Protect Your Child’s Credit

Because kids don’t use credit, identity theft can be hard to spot. A credit freeze is one of the best ways parents and guardians can protect them.

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What child identity theft is — and why kids are easy targets

What child identity theft is — and why kids are are easy targets Child identity theft is when a minor’s personal information is used to open fraudulent accounts in their name. A child's identifying information, such as a Social Security number or birth date, can be used to apply for credit cards, loans and government benefits and open bank and utility accounts. Kids can be easy targets for identity theft because their personal information is rarely monitored and they have clean credit histories. Fraudsters can get away with using a child’s information for years without anything suspicious being detected because parents don’t think to check their credit reports until their child is older. Identity theft can damage a child’s credit, making it difficult for them to get loans, jobs or apartments in the future. » Learn what identity theft is and how to prevent it » Learn

How child identity theft happens

Child identity theft can happen when someone obtains a kid’s information through stolen documents, data breaches or phishing scams. "Credit bureaus don't knowingly create credit files for minors," says Eva Velasquez, president and CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center, a nonprofit that helps with ID theft prevention and recovery. "However, child identity theft continues to occur because the verification system for Social Security numbers continues to have challenges." Thieves may even “create” a consumer by blending a child’s Social Security number with a different name, address and birth date, a practice called synthetic identity theft. Because parents have little reason to check whether a credit record exists for their child, the crime can go undetected for years. Velasquez recommends that parents freeze their children’s credit, as it is one of the most proactive actions a parent or caretaker can take. A freeze will prevent criminals from using the child’s personal data to take out credit. The Social Security Administration also has a verification system, called the eCBSV, that will stop someone who is trying to use a child’s Social Security number from opening a new financial account. Velasquez says that as more financial institutions adopt using the eCBSV, there is hope that child ID theft rates will go down. » Learn what a credit freeze is and how to place one » L earn

How to protect your child from identity theft

Freeze your child’s credit

To help protect against child ID theft, parents or guardians can request the three major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax and TransUnion) freeze the credit of a child younger than 16. If no credit file exists for the child — which should be the case — the credit bureaus will create one and place the credit freeze. Teens ages 16 and 17 can request a freeze on their own. Some bureaus allow this even earlier. Experian allows minors age 14 or older to place their own freezes. You can freeze the credit of one or more minor children using the following steps: The credit bureaus have slightly different requirements for freezing a child's credit. But to make the process simple and streamlined, send the same set of documents to each one. Each bureau will disregard extra documentation. Here’s what you need to cover all three bureaus’ requirements. Make three sets of copies to cover each bureau. Don't send originals: Your government-issued ID (usually a driver’s license). Your birth certificate. Your child’s birth certificate or other document showing you have the authority to act on the child’s behalf (foster care certification, power of attorney or court order). Your Social Security card. Your child’s Social Security card. A utility bill or bank or insurance statement with your name and address on it. Sort the copies into three piles, one for each credit bureau. If you're requesting freezes for more than one child, you'll need to fill out a form for each one. You can download the necessary forms from Equifax and Experian. TransUnion has a child ID theft inquiry form you fill out online to see if your child’s Social Security number is attached to a credit file. You will send each form or letter, along with copies of documents, to each credit bureau. Equifax and Experian list their mailing addresses on their freeze request forms. You can find TransUnion's address on its freeze center page. Because you are mailing sensitive personal information, use certified mail to get delivery confirmation. Within three business days of receiving your mailed request, the credit bureau should place the freeze. The bureau must also send a notice by mail confirming the freeze within five business days of the request, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says. This letter should include information about how to lift the freeze (whether that's using a password or another method). Keep this information in a safe place. The freeze will remain in place until you or your child unfreezes it later to apply for a credit card, car loan, student loans or other credit.

Other ways to prevent child identity theft

Freezing your child’s credit reports will keep a criminal from opening credit in your child’s name, but it doesn't protect your child from identity theft entirely. You can adopt habits to guard against child identity theft and teach your child to do the same. ? Protect Social Security numbers. Many forms ask for a Social Security number without much explanation of how that information will be used, such as a doctor’s office, school forms, daycare paperwork or job applications before you’re hired. Unless you are told why that field is necessary and how the information will be protected, leave it blank. ? Protect Social Security numbers. ? Pay attention to mail. What's in your mailbox can provide clues about potential fraudulent activity in your child's name. For example, if you get a notice from the IRS about your child’s unpaid income taxes, this is a sign that someone may have used your child’s Social Security number when applying for a job. ? Pay attention to mail. ? Keep your child’s documents locked away. Birth certificates and Social Security cards shouldn't be in your purse, wallet or car. Safeguard anything with that information in your home. That means keeping paperwork with Social Security numbers inaccessible, possibly in a home safe or locked file cabinet, out of reach from service people and visitors. ? Keep your child’s documents locked away. ?Be careful about what you and your child share on social media. Fraudsters use even the smallest nuggets of personal information to piece together potential bank and other passwords. ?Be careful about what you and your child share on social media. ? Wipe all electronics before disposing of them. Erase computer hard drives and reset phones to factory settings before recycling or reselling them. Most of these electronics contain private information and passwords that you don’t want to share. ? Wipe all electronics before disposing of them. ?️ Consider using an identity theft protection service. Some identity theft protection services monitor your child’s credit or the dark web for use of their information, and they may help you create a fraud recovery plan if needed. ?️ Consider using an identity theft protection service. » Learn how to protect your Social Security number » Learn

Recognize the signs

A credit pre-approval offer in your child’s name doesn't necessarily indicate identity theft, but it's worth investigating. A credit pre-approval A notice about a new account being opened in your child's name may be identity theft. A notice about a new account A credit report in your child's name is suspicious. Most minors don't yet have a credit file. A credit report A medical claim that doesn't make sense to you can indicate that your child’s personal information has been used to access health insurance benefits. A medical claim A collection agency correspondence addressed to your child is a huge red flag. A collection agency correspondence A collection agency correspondence Letters from the IRS about unpaid taxes, or a request to confirm employment, are also warning signs. Letters from the IRS

What to do if your child is a victim of identity theft

If you’re preparing to freeze your child’s credit and find an existing credit report, receive a suspicious bill in the mail or discover another red flag, it’s important to take immediate action. Here’s what to do: Contact the companies where fraudulent accounts were opened in the minor’s name and close them. Some companies have fraud departments you can work with directly. Be sure to ask for written confirmation that your child never opened the accounts, which might be useful in the future. Freeze your child’s credit with all three credit bureaus and dispute any incorrect information that appears on their credit reports. Report the identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission. » Learn how to dispute credit report errors » Learn Explore more on Article sources NerdWallet writers are subject matter authorities who use primary, trustworthy sources to inform their work, including peer-reviewed studies, government websites, academic research and interviews with industry experts. All content is fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness and relevance. You can learn more about NerdWallet's high standards for journalism by reading our editorial guidelines. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. What does it mean to put a security freeze on my credit report?. Accessed Feb 11, 2026. New York State Department of State. What You Should Know About Child Identity Theft. Accessed Feb 11, 2026. About the authors Amanda Barroso, Ph.D., is a writer and content strategist helping consumers navigate budgeting, credit building and credit scoring. Before joining NerdWallet, Amanda wrote about demographic trends at the Pew Research Center and earned a Ph.D. from The Ohio State University. Her work has been featured by the Associated Press, Washington Post and Yahoo Finance. Published in Lauren Schwahn is a writer at NerdWallet who covers credit scoring, debt, budgeting and money-saving strategies. She contributed to the "Millennial Money" column for The Associated Press and managed a team of writers producing content for the series. Her work has also been featured by USA Today, MSN, The Washington Post and more. Lauren has a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She is based in San Francisco. Published in What child identity theft is — and why kids are easy targets How child identity theft happens How to protect your child from identity theft Recognize the signs What to do if your child is a victim of identity theft How to Prevent Identity Theft: Warning Signs, Protection Services and More How to Freeze and Unfreeze Your Credit with All 3 Bureaus By Amanda Barroso, Bev O'Shea How to Prevent Identity Theft: Warning Signs, Protection Services and More By Amanda Barroso, Bev O'Shea Fraud Alert vs. Credit Freeze: What’s the Difference? By Bev O'Shea, Amanda Barroso How to Stay Safe From Financial Scams By Kimberly Palmer, Lisa Mulka Free Identity Theft Protection You May Already Have By Amanda Barroso, Lisa Mulka, Bev O'Shea