Wallingford, CT – October 13, 2011 – Child identity theft is a growing crime that is causing damage to the pristine credit reports of children.
Hundreds of unscrupulous businesses are finding inactive Social Security numbers online – most of which are assigned to children under the age of 18 who have not started using them yet. These scammers are then selling the numbers under different names to help people establish fake credit. Protecting your child’s clean record is something that every parent needs to do.
Recognizing the need for a nationwide grassroots consumer education outreach, the Council of Better Business Bureaus (CBBB) is joining government agencies and national advocacy organizations in launching the 4th annual
National Protect Your Identity Week (PYIW) October 16th through 22nd, 2011.
Identity theft touched the lives of more than 8.1 million adult victims in 2010. According to a report from
Javelin Strategy and Research, this resulted in the loss of $37 billion dollars. In addition, children may be more than 50 times more likely than adults to have their identity stolen, according to a study conducted by
AllClear ID.
“We are all at risk for identity theft, but our children are particularly vulnerable,” said Council of Better Business Bureaus spokeswoman Katherine Hutt, whose son was a victim of identity theft during his first semester in college. “It’s our role as parents to understand how to protect our children, and to teach them how to safely manage their personal information.”
Consumers can find PYIW educational events in their area by going to the website at
www.ProtectYourIDNow.org. The site also features an interactive quiz to help consumers assess their risk of identity theft, videos, blogs and identity theft prevention tips. The website is also available in Spanish at
www.cuidesuidentidad.org.
The PYIW initiative is the result of the work of a nationwide coalition of organizations.
The program is hosted by the National Foundation of Credit Counseling, the National Association of Triads, Inc. and the National Sheriff’s Association.
Other national organizations that lend their support to this initiative include: American Bankers Association Education Foundation, AFSA Education Foundation, American Payroll Association, Consumer Action, Consumer Data Industry Association, Consumer Federation of America, Credit Union National Association, Federal Reserve Board, Federal Trade Commission, Foundation for Financial Planning, Identity Theft Assistance Center, Identity Theft Resource Center, Jump$tart Coalition, Junior Achievement USA, National Crime Prevention Council, National Education Association Member Benefits, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and U.S. Social Security Administration.
You will find tips for protecting your child’s personal information in a news release at:
http://ct.bbb.org/article/connecticut-better-business-bureau-advises-parents-to-secure-their-childrens-identity-28328/.
Founded in 1928, Connecticut BBB is an unbiased non-profit organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. BBB offers objective advice and a wide range of education on topics affecting marketplace trust.
BBB also offers complaint and dispute resolution support for consumers and businesses. Today, 128 BBBs serve communities across the U.S. and Canada, evaluating and monitoring more than three million local and national businesses and charities. For more advice on finding companies and businesses, start your search with trust at www.bbb.org/.
