Children are enticing targets for identity thieves, thanks to their clean credit histories, and because parents rarely check their children’s credit reports. There are some situations in which a parent is required to disclose a child’s social security number, such as claiming the child as a dependent on a tax return or applying for medical benefits or government services. There are other situations, however, in which a parent should be careful about giving out his or her child’s social security number, for example enrolling a child in school.
Key Takeaways:
- Children have a clean slate to start with and this is attractive to thieves who would want to use the social security number to open multiple lines of credit.
- An event where parents can reveal their child’s social security number are when they want to open a bank account for them.
- According to Experian, if you are being asked to provide your child’s SSN and you are unsure of the reason, ask the source why you have to do so.
“Having a child might mean that you’ll be asked to fill out numerous registration and signup forms as they grow up — some that may ask you to provide your child’s Social Security number (SSN).”
Read more: https://blog.allstate.com/child-social-security-number/
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