Any case of identity theft in California and throughout the nation can have devastating effects on a victim with research showing that children have become an increasingly common target. Out of the millions of identity theft victims every year, approximately 140,000 are children, according to The Chicago Tribune.
Frequently, the identities of children are stolen by perpetrators who obtain their social security numbers in order to open a line of credit. Since credit issuers cannot verify the applicant’s age through the social security number alone, criminals can state whatever age they want, creating an “official” age for credit history and all future transactions. Identity theft of children is especially devastating because it can go undetected for many years, building up huge debt and bad credit for children before they even have their first job or credit card. Since parents would not think to check their children’s credit history or set up a CA identity theft fraud alert, identity thieves can have access to these lines of credit for years.
A child’s identity can be stolen by a perpetrator stealing a social security card or determining a child’s number through a government-issued sequence based on place and time of the child’s birth. While social security numbers became randomized in 2011, many children are still at risk.
Having your identity stolen at any stage of your life can be devastating, both emotionally and financially. Those suffering from identity theft and its effects can contact Riverside identity theft lawyer Howard D. Silver for legal representation and the chance to end the effects of identity theft. Call (866) 49-LEMON today for a free consultation on your case by the skilled legal team at the Law Offices of Howard D. Silver.
