Child identity theft is a growing threat that can derail a child’s future before it begins. It happens when a thief uses a minor’s personal information (like their name or Social Security number) to commit fraud. Most kids don’t have credit reports, so the crime can go undetected for years. With the right awareness and precautions, families can spot the warning signs early and take steps to help keep their child’s identity safe.
Picture this: your child worked hard their entire life, earned good grades in school, and has been accepted to the college of their dreams. It should be a time for celebration.
But, when they apply for student loans, they're denied. That’s when you realize they’re a victim of identity theft that’s gone undetected for years.
This nightmare scenario is more common than you might think. Fortunately, there are steps families can take to help protect their children’s identities and futures.
What is child identity theft?
Child identity theft happens when a criminal takes a child’s personal information and uses it to get services or benefits in their name or to commit fraud. For example, identity thieves may use a child’s Social Security number to open a financial account for themselves.
Children—including teenagers—generally have unblemished credit, making them ideal targets for scammers. And because children don’t typically receive bank statements, credit card bills, or even credit reports, it may take years for the issue to be discovered. Often, parents don’t realize a child’s identity has been stolen until the child has difficulty applying for student loans or purchasing their first car or cell phone plan.
When child identity theft goes undetected, it can impact a child’s credit scores and tax records for years to come. In some cases, this can delay the achievement of important milestones, like leasing a first apartment or cell phone plan or getting a student loan to pay for college.
This can also have a negative financial impact on the whole family. According to Javelin Strategy & Research, child identity fraud now costs U.S. families over $1 billion annually, with an average loss of $4,000 per incident. And the emotional toll is real—about 1 in 4 child victims report experiencing anxiety or trust issues as a result.
How child identity theft happens
It’s easy to assume that identity theft only affects adults, but children are increasingly becoming targets because their identities are often untouched, unmonitored, and highly valuable to criminals.
From school forms to social media, kids’ personal information is collected and shared in more places than ever before. And unfortunately, that creates opportunities for fraudsters to exploit it.
School and medical forms: You’ve probably been asked to provide your child’s personal information—like their Social Security number and date of birth—on all sorts of forms, including school records, summer camp applications, and medical forms. Exploiting records like these is one way fraudsters could find—and steal—your child’s personally identifiable information (PII).
Social media posts: “Sharenting”—the practice of posting details or images of children online—can unintentionally expose sensitive information. Even something as simple as a birthday post or a photo of a school ID can help build a digital profile that scammers can exploit.
Online accounts and apps: Children often use apps and websites that collect personal data. If one of these platforms experiences a data breach, your child’s information could be exposed. In fact, an estimated 1.7 million children were affected by data breaches in 2022, according to Javelin Strategy & Research.
Familial fraud: Shockingly, about 75 percent of child identity theft cases involve someone the child knows, such as a parent, sibling, or extended family member.
Tips to protect your child from identity theft
Children who spend unsupervised time online may be at greater risk for identity theft. Scammers have been known to try and trick kids into sharing personal information over email, on social media, or on fraudulent phishing websites.
So, paying attention to your child’s accounts and online activity is key. Here are additional tips to help protect your child:
Keep any shared devices like computers and tablets in a public space in your home. Check to see which websites your child visits and which apps they use.
Make sure that you understand what information is collected from your young children. The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) was updated in 2025 to include stronger protections—like mandatory opt-in for third-party advertising and limits on data retention. Sites geared toward users under 13 must now send parents a plain-language consent notification before collecting data, so stay alert to these communications.
Be smart about your own online activity, too. Sharing children’s special moments and milestones with friends and family on social media may inadvertently disclose their personally identifiable information (PII) and can expose your child to future risks.
Consider limiting public sharing of photos, names, birthdays, ultrasounds, or other personal info (“sharenting”), opting instead for private messaging apps and ensure your child’s consent. Before you share anything online, consider if the information could make your child vulnerable to fraud later on.
Finally, take care when completing forms for school and extracurricular activities. In some cases, the sensitive information that’s requested is not actually required. Don’t be afraid to question why certain details are needed, or to leave fields blank when you’re being asked to reveal more of your child’s information than seems necessary.
How to check for child identity theft
Child identity theft can be difficult to detect, but staying alert to these warning signs can help:
Your child receives mail from financial institutions about accounts you don’t recognize
Your child tries to open an account, but is denied because of their credit activity
Your child has a credit report with unfamiliar activity
It’s worth noting that minors don’t typically have credit reports. When they do, it usually means they’re either an authorized user on a parent’s financial account, or they are a victim of identity theft.
A new feature to check child credit reports is coming soon to select Allstate Identity Protection plans. In the meantime, you can manually request a credit report from the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion). If your search does yield credit reports for your child, carefully review the documents for any irregularities. If you see activity you don’t recognize, report it to the credit bureaus immediately.
Steps you should take if your child’s identity is stolen
If you’re remediating the issue yourself, you can start by visiting the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) official page on child identity theft for guidance on how to address the situation. Here are a few notable highlights:
Send a letter to each credit bureau requesting they remove all accounts, inquiries, and collection notices associated with your child’s name or personal information
Explain to Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian that the victim is a minor, and include a copy of the Uniform Minor’s Status Declaration in your requests
Place a fraud alert, and consider requesting a credit freeze
Contact businesses where your child’s information may have been misused and explain the situation
Report the crime and create an official Identity Theft Report
Update your files with important information, like the times and dates you make contact with companies
Save copies of any correspondence you send to credit bureaus or other companies
Fortunately, if you’re an Allstate Identity Protection member, you don’t have to manage child identity protection alone. Our team of experts will be here to help you until the issue you’re experiencing is resolved. Plus, our monitoring tools can help you keep tabs on kids online, so you can protect what matters most.
