#ReportersNotebook
This one is near and dear to my heart.
A credit freeze is widely believed to be the single best tool for preventing financial ID theft. For the first time, this story reveals the trick to freezing your child’s credit, too!
Read More on CBS San Francisco:
SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX) — It’s called a credit freeze or security freeze and it’s the number one tool to prevent crooks from opening a credit account in your — or your child’s — name. Trouble is, not many people are using it.
It used to be available only to identity theft victims, but now anyone with a credit file can request a freeze.
UPDATE July 2015:
After we aired this story on KPIX in 2014, I set out to create a step-by-step guide to help other parents freeze their child’s credit.
However, as I began going through the process myself, I discovered that the bureaus were putting both parent and child information at risk by using antiquated protocols.
I couldn’t in good faith ask other parents to do things I advise against on TV, so I set out to change those protocols. Six months and countless conversations later, I’ve convinced the bureaus to make a few changes.
Check out “How I Forced the Credit Bureaus to Freeze My Child’s Credit” for details on my journey and for a comprehensive guide to freezing your child’s credit.
For more information on how to detect, repair and prevent child ID theft, see #NewsMom Research & Resources – Child ID Theft
Leave a Reply