| Identity Theft and Your Teen |
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Identity theft is a growing crime that costs victims time and money to correct damage caused. In fact, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC, 2008) reports that as many as 9 million Americans have their identities stolen each year. While this number continues to rise, ID thieves on the lookout for new prey have turned to the next generation—teenagers. Teens are growing targets for fraud, especially since teens typically have little or no credit history. If personal information, such as a Social Security number, is obtained by an ID thief, it can easily be used to establish a new credit card in his or her name or commit other crimes.If your teen suddenly receives credit card pre-approvals or a collection agency contacts you, he or she might have been a victim of identity theft. For more information on how to protect your teen, or if you or your teen have been a victim of this crime, contact the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov. |