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Shiloh Puckett has had 17 credit cards, been approved for a $42,000 loan, and owes thousands of dollars in credit card bills. Shiloh is just 10 years old and has been in debt since she was 5 because her identity was stolen -- in this case by her own mother.

Credit Pacific Service Union This may sound like an extreme circumstance, but child identity theft -- by family members and strangers alike -- is growing at record speeds in the United States. The number of complaints reported to the FTC increased by more than half from 6,400 cases in 2003 to 9,800 in 2004.

Much like a credit report, an identity theft report contains your personal and financial history. Companies like Privacy Matters offer an identity theft report as part of their core benefits, designed to protect your personal information and your peace of mind. Staying proactive is a key to preventing identity theft, and an identity theft report, along with identity theft and credit monitoring, offers you several different weapons to stay in the fight.

Credit First Service Union Meanwhile, child identity theft cases made up just 2 percent of all identity theft cases in 2002. That has since doubled to reach 4 percent in 2004 -- the fastest-growing segment. In all, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) estimates that 500,000 children fall victim to identity theft every year.

By Credit Health We've all heard of identity theft, but what does this term really mean Going far beyond credit card fraud, identity theft is a rapidly growing crime that most people will face at some point in their lives. Credit Health explains the different kinds of identity theft crimes common today and pinpoints new identity theft trends that are emerging.

Card Credit Mobile Service Why Children are Easy Targets

Credit reporting and identity theft protection go hand in hand. Understanding these important, and at times most confusing, topics is essential to effective credit fraud and identity theft protection. The Privacy Matters Resources Center lets you quickly and easily find the credit and ID theft information you need. Just click on any of the following links to see an extensive library of resources on identity theft protection and credit reporting topics.

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Card Credit Discover Service Stolen information is most often used for credit card fraud, to obtain government documents like a driver's license, or to assume a new identity after committing a crime. When an adult becomes an identity theft victim, however, thieves use their existing credit (and other) accounts. With children, new accounts must be created, which makes it easier for the thief.

Credit Public Service Union "They [Children] usually have a spotless record and because they aren't using their credit, the crime can go undetected for years," said Linda Foley, executive director of the Identity Theft Resource Center.

Unused credit cards are putting millions of Brits at greater risk of falling victim to identity theft, according to a specialist credit history firm.

Card Credit Processing Service On top of that, according to a 2003 FTC survey, victims who have had new accounts fraudulently created spend four times more time and nearly five times more money to clear their records than victims whose theft involved an already existing account. Further, new account fraud victims are more likely to be denied credit, lose utility or phone service or be investigated criminally.

Center Credit Service Union Families are Common Culprits

Card Credit Service Wireless In more than half of child identity theft cases, according to the Identity Theft Resource Center, relatives are involved in doing the stealing.

Credit Security Service Union "It is a huge problem. We have seen this for years, and it is not going away," said Diane Terry, senior director of the Fraud Victim Assistance Department at TransUnion, a company that produces credit reports. "It is a very devastating crime for a young person starting out."

Credit Report Service Typically, a parent may fall behind in a bill, have a utility shut off and then call using their child's name as a "new tenant" to establish new service. Often, children don't realize their identity has been taken by their parents until they turn 18 and try to buy a car, rent an apartment or find a job -- and find their credit history has been ruined.

Blogspot Com Christian "They say, 'Well, I needed that and am helping out my child. These are utilities for the house or this is the car to go to school,'" said Terry of many parents' explanations. "They are trying to justify a criminal action."

Christian Counseling Credit In Shiloh's case, her mother spent six months in prison after police found credit cards, unpaid bills and loan applications in the child's name.

Credit Federal Service Union "I did it because I had to, as a means of necessity," said Shiloh's mother, Cindy Puckett. "I feel bad I did it, and I shouldn't have done it. At the time, I didn't really think it was wrong in the sense I was hurting my child."

Credit Monitoring Service Strangers Target Children, Too

Credit Division Service Total strangers can also assume children's identities -- all it takes is a social security number.

Card Credit Online Service "Once they have that number, they can go and open up accounts," said Robert Siciliano, an identity theft expert.

Consumer Counseling Credit Inc One Oklahoma City man, Jeremy Van Winkle, found this out the hard way. When he filed his taxes for the year, the Internal Revenue Service alerted him that he could not claim his children, then 4 and 5 years old, as dependents -- someone else had already done so.

Card Credit Fleet Service "I feel scared," Van Winkle said. "Somebody out there knows about my kids, their numbers and obviously their birthdates; anything their social security number can bring up."

Card Consolidation Credit Protecting Your Child From Identity Theft: Six Tips

Credit Free Online Report Teaching your children to protect themselves from identity theft, and taking measures as a parent, should be just as important as protecting them from physical harm, says Foley.

Credit Federal First Service "I think we have to be as vigilant regarding their information as we are in guarding their physical being," she said.

Consumer Credit Service Arguably, companies that issue credit, as well as utility companies, are incredibly lax when it comes to issuing accounts. Background checks are not done and information is not verified. It may actually cost a credit company less to simply absorb the losses of identity theft than to install precautionary measures. If this were done, many would-be identity thieves would be stopped in their tracks.

Center Credit Family Service As it stands, you simply cannot rely on credit companies or others to notice potential identity scams. But, there are many steps you can take to protect your children from becoming identity theft victims.

• Credit Reporting Service After first applying for your child's social security card, make sure it arrives in the mail.

• Cca Credit Division Service Do not carry their social security card (or your own) in your wallet, where it could be stolen.

• Credit Free Report Service Only give out your child's social security number when absolutely necessary. Many forms, from sports team applications to day care registrations, may ask for it, but that doesn't mean you have to give it out.

  Card Credit Customer Discover "Even if a school asks for your child's social security number," says Foley, "The reality is they have to provide an education for them whether you give it or not."

• Credit Repair Report Service Check your child's credit report at least once a year. All three credit-reporting agencies now give you one free copy per year. Your child should have no report on record. Any activity could be an indicator of fraud.

  Credit Legal Repair Service "It's important that parents not only check their own credit reports every four to six months, but they should also check that of their child, their spouses, even their parents," says Siciliano.

• Cic Credit Monitoring Service Teach your child not to give out their social security number without permission, and not to respond to any e-mail offers.

• Ccs Credit Division Service In the event your child's identity was stolen, ask the credit bureau to print a statement saying so in the child's credit report. You should also file a complaint with the FTC.

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