Protect Children from ID Theft

2 months old with bad credit?

Anyone who's ever been a victim of identity theft can tell you that getting it straightened out can be a nightmare. Unfortunately, thieves are going beyond the lowest of expectations and are stealing the identities of newborn babies! Luckily, there's something some parents can do to prevent it.

According to a Florida news station, credit bureaus now allow Florida residents to create credit reports for their children and freeze them immediately. The only way to have them unfrozen is to have the parents' permission.

It's a sad reality that we must check our own credit reports for errors from our creditors as well as fraudulent activity, but the fact that the Federal Trade Commission encourages the checking of your children's credit reports takes the cake. Having a way to defend your child's credit is a great tool. Equifax is allowing parents in all 50 states to put a freeze on their child's records, and Consumer Expert Clark Howard reports that the following states allow a parent or guardian to freeze their child's credit: