MarloElaine

Almost every day in the news, there is a new story of credit card fraud or identity theft. It could happen to anyone. That’s why it is so important to monitor your own credit, as well as all the members of your family, including your children.

Children are perfect targets for criminals because the identity theft can go undetected for a long time. ABC News reported a story which reports incidents of ID theft that happened to two different families. The identity theft victims were a 3-year old and a 11-month old.

For adults, it’s so easy to request a credit report online using the AnnualCreditReport with the website. You are allowed one free credit report from each of the three reporting agencies every year. You can order your credit reports online, by phone, or by mail using the posted instructions. However, if you are under the age of 13, you can only submit the paperwork by mail.

Getting your kid’s credit report

Last fall, I requested reports for both of my children from all three credit agencies. I had to do this because we never received Sophie’s original Social Security Card. It must have been lost or stolen in the mail.

Here’s what I did to obtain my children’s credit reports:

• For each child the following documents are required:
  1. A completed Annual Credit Report Request Form from the AnnualCreditReport website
  2. Copy of the child’s birth certificate
  3. Copy of the child’s Social Security Card
  4. Copy of the parent’s driver’s license
• Mail the completed forms (along with copies of each child’s supporting documents) to:
  Annual Credit Report Request Service
  P.O. Box 105281
  Atlanta, GA 30348-5281

After a few weeks, I received statements of “unable to locate credit information” or “no such file in the database” in the mail. This reassured me that no one has been using my children’s information to open fraudulent accounts.

The process may have changed this year as the AnnualCreditReport site is now requiring parents to contact each credit agency individually along with sending an additional supporting document, a current utility bill.

Here’s an excerpt from their FAQ below:

How do I request a credit report by mail for a child under 13 years of age?

The credit reporting agencies do not knowingly maintain credit files on minor children. If you suspect that your minor child’s information has been used fraudulently, you should contact the credit reporting agencies directly and report the illegal use of your child’s information to law enforcement. Please supply each credit reporting agency with your child’s complete name, address, date of birth and a copy of the minor child’s birth certificate and social security card. Additionally, please provide a copy of your driver’s license or other government-issued proof of your identity, which includes your current address, and a current utility bill containing your current address so the credit reporting agencies may promptly respond to your request. The addresses for the credit reporting agencies are listed below:

Equifax
P.O. Box 740256
Atlanta, Georgia 30374

Experian
P.O. Box 9532
Allen, Texas 75013

TransUnion
P.O. Box 6790
Fullerton, CA 92834

I saved copies of all the supporting documents I sent last year. I will just have to add in a copy of my current electric bill and send the paperwork to all three credit agencies individually.

The initial paperwork to obtain your child’s credit may seem overwhelming compared to the simple questions needed to get your own. An alternative method would be to enroll into a credit monitoring service such as LifeLock.

They have a program which can cover your entire family. LifeLock will regularly monitor your kid’s credit. If you want to save time and have that peace of mind, LifeLock may be for you.

MarloElaine Blog readers can save up to 25% off when you use the LifeLock promotion code: LOCKDOWN. Click to instantly apply the LifeLock Promotion code.