Letter of Transmittal
[Professor’s Designation]
[Institute Address]
Dear Mr. /Mrs. /Ms. []:
Enclosed herewith please find the requisite formal report on the topic of “Identity theft happening to our children” duly completed in all aspects as per laid down requirements.
[Writer’s Name]
Executive Summary
This report describes a specific type of identity theft which is related to children. This report is organized in such a manner that a brief introduction is followed by various signs of identity theft happening and then a comprehensive discussion about the impacts of identity theft on children. There are three exemplary situations are given to show different impacts in three different situations of identity theft in children. This is followed by the safety measure to be taken by parents in order to ensure the safety of the identity of their children. At the end the paper is concluded by a brief and concise conclusion.
Introduction
When a person’s name and his Social Security Number is used illegally in a way to benefit from it then it is called identity theft. It is not known to majority of people, that applicant’s age verification is not the job of credit issuers nor they do it. However some credit issuers ask the applicant to prove his / her identity, for example they ask to present the driver’s license. However, majority of staff is not trained and they cannot distinguish between the real and fake documents of the applicant presented to them, and as a matter of fact the issuers in majority cases don’t know applicant’s exact age. Hence it is a big loophole in the system which needs attention for rectification.
There is a misconception that if the minor comes to credit reporting agencies then they will assume that the applicant’s age information is fake, but in reality there is very little information shared between the Social Security Administration and credit reporting agencies about the applicant’s age. When the applicant give his credit application for the first time, then his age becomes official, according to the existing rules. For example, when the applicant gives his first application and it is mentioned that he / she is 24 then by rules credit agencies are bound to accept that information as correct, till the time when somebody challenges it and proves that the person has given wrong information in the application .
Moment of discovery
Close relatives of victim / child, like their parents normally notice it for the first time that something is going wrong with their children’s personal data. In some cases, it is clear in the history, that split families are involved in identity theft i.e. some member(s) of the family who are not living with the victim are also found involved in this crime.
The unaware and unoffending family of the victim or the victim by-self discover the crime when he for the first time opens a college fund or saving account etc., that with the same SSN, an account exists already. Therefore they cannot open a new account with the same SSN i.e. their request for opening the college fund or the saving account is denied for the reason of terrible and poor credit record. Following are signs to watch out for the suspected child identity theft :
- When checks, many credit cards, bank statements, offers for credit card even not being approved, bills are received by the child’s or victim’s name.
- When letters comes or calls received from collection agencies about account by the name of the child, whose don’t have any account history so for.
- When a victim’s (teen aged) right of driving license is denied by giving the reason that with the same SSN ID there is already a record of driving license.
- When a needs comes for the documentation in divorce or house straightening purpose.
- In extreme case, when the Police visit home of the child’s to arrest him with arrest warrant having in hands.
Child victims normally come under similar category as adult victims of identity theft :
- When they are denied of mortgage, loan or credit for college tuition or vehicle
- When the person is not able to check his account or open an account.
- When collection notices received by telephone or/and by the mail.
- When denied to use phone service, utility or tenancy.
- When denied to renew his driving license.
- When denied from employment without any explanation or discharged from job.
- When received credit cards or bills without any request.
- When arrested without knowing about the activity he has blamed of.
- When denied by welfare service or SSI.
Potential impact:
Situation One: Child/Adult Victim
The perpetrator is a stranger or a relative in this case. A teenager doesn’t know about it, till the time when he / she apply for driver’s license, college loan, a job, credit or an apartment. Crime discovering may be as late as ten to fifteen years when the personal information is being stolen, with so long duration of time importance of crime will be not as of importance as to the damage done to the credit record of the child. Nearly all accounts will pass through collection. It is possible that the same account may already have passed through several peoples with company unions and may be sellouts. This makes the problem complex to find out transaction records and original application. Usually criminals used the victim personal information till the time the history of credit id destroyed and there is no chance that he / she get further credit by using the same identity. At the same time child / adult don’t checked his credit report as he / she believe that there is no such credit card existed on their name.
Potential impact: Person will not be able to get driver’s license, car, apartment, house, credit card, college loan or may be to spend some time in jail to prove himself innocence.
Situation Two: Child Victim
The parent or guardian comes to know about the unwanted problem and they faced the boring task to prove that their child personal information was used in the fraud without their knowledge. In reality they prove that he / she is just a child and he / she cannot do that. Police start their investigation to know that whether breach of law has occurred or not, and the parents or guardian have to face all uncomfortable situation.
Situation Three: Parental Identity Theft and the Child Victim
When the parent destroyed their own driving record or credit card and then they use the information of their child for the same purpose, come in this case. After destroying their record they need to give attention to repair it but unfortunately, parent use the personal information of their child, whereas their responsibilities is to protect their children record. It is possible that the person using his children record may have convinced himself that as they will be using their child’s data in the legal way, so there will be no bad effect on their child. In realities it happened very rarely. If they don’t able to clear their own bills then how it is possible that they will keep clean the bills of their children, and in reality they go for away with the new faked identity.
Both the emotional impact and ultimate financial burden on the child are great. Very sadly, majority of the law enforcement agencies are not read in involvement of those cases.
Remedial / Preventive Measures
There are very strict rules of Social Security Administration about giving Social Security Number. In this regard it is recommended that one must read Fact Sheet of ITRC.
In majority of cases, ITRC hesitate and discourage the victim from apply for new Social Security Number. Child theft victims are, however, welcomed by the ITRC .
Warning Signs of Child Identity Theft
Identity theft of child risk can increased with personal circumstance, like an example a person may think that by taking the child identity is good for him to start. Although, it is a crime to use some ones else identity, don’t matter what is the reason behind it. A person gets credit card bills, medical providers, collection agencies, bank account checks or credit cards offers in the name of child. It is not important that the child or dependable has used it or applied for it .
• A family or children is denied from benefits of government, as someone else takes these benefits and using Social Security Number of family or children.
• If the child does not have any job and still Internal Revenue Service, Social Security Administration or any other government or not government agency request the parents to give details to them about the child’s employment.
• When parents give information about dependent children name on tax return and Social Security Number, and they are informed that the information they have given to them are listen on some other tax return.
• If children have no income and the parents received a notice in which it is mentioned that the children have not paid the taxes.
Sharing Safety Tips with Child
There may be a good amount of data in the computer and it is vital that the computer remains secure. Educating the family and especially children about how to use computer in the best safe way is essential which includes :
• Passwords must be strong comprising of symbols and numbers as well as of at least ten characters.
• Password must be kept secret and not to be shared with anyone.
• When a person shares files with software through peer to peer connection then he / she must know the risks involved with it, e.g. it can give more access to someone about information.
• Using updated software as anti-virus.
• Alertness needed to scams and phishing. By phishing scam criminals send text, e-mail, pop-up messages as same as from legitimate organization. Recipient is requested by the phishing message to call on the number given or they were ask to single or double click on the given link, and give personal information as in the requested format for benefits like prize bonds etc. These messages normally come to minors and the minors should delete these types of messages without responding to them or even opening them.
• Share with children regularly how to use social sites and set the privacy setting. Educate them about which kind of data may be shared on social site and which kind of data may not be shared. For example, sharing show photos of team or school in uniform, list specific locations or birth dates, or illustrate background setting of nature that are easily identify, are not good idea. From the information shared on the social sites it may be possible for someone to guess the password of the account.
Conclusion
Identity theft of child happens when a person uses child’s personal information in illegal way or to commit scam. Thief can use child’s information for medical care, car loans, utilities, a mortgage, to get a job etc. Discovering, undoing and avoiding child’s identity theft which creates damage to the victim is a challenge
Adults should monitor their reports periodically to check that there data i.e. personnel information is safe and is not being used in any fraud by someone. Most guardians and Parents don’t think that their children to have credit files, and as in outcome the parents or guardians don’t request for the child’s report or make sure that their data is in safe place. It is also possible that the person, whose data is being theft, come to know about it after several years. He will know about the crime when he have a need of loan, job, apartments etc.
References
Britt, P. (2006). Identity Theft: Targeting Younger Victims. Information Today, 50-50.
Equifax Provides Tips on Preventing Identity Theft in Wake of the. (2013). Professional Services Close - Up.
Mincer, J. (2007). Identity Theft Targets Children. The Wall Street Journal.
Stolen Futures: A Snapshot on Child Identity Theft. (2011). PR Newswire.
Totty, P. (2009). Hard Times Boost Identity Theft. Credit Union Magazine, 56-57.
Yip, P. (2008). Children are appealing targets for ID theft; parents can guard them. Tribune Business News.
