Can you please provide details on where more info can be obtained? How does a parent do this? What needs to happen to un-freeze it? What does freezing a credit report prevent vs. what can still be done under the minor's name? A follow up article with more info would be great!

None of this would be needed, if one of the checks would be to check of person birthdate from social security. There should be a program from social security that checks the birthdate every time the number is used by a employer or creditor.

Why are the lecherous credit bureaus allowed to have any records on anyone under the age of 18? Minors cannot legally sign contracts or obligate themselves in most states for credit. Greedy credit bureaus stop at nothing to fill their data bases with anything they think might make them a dollar. They now issue social security numbers to infants log before anyone needs them, so of course there's going to be abuse by the hordes of thieves waiting opportunities. And it's well known credit bureaus' fies are filled with erroneous information that is inaccruate. American citizens need much better oversight of them and control of what information they possess on everyone!

My nephew's father ran up thousands of dollars in telephone bills when the child was 8. The only way he can get that removed from his credit history is by prosecuting his father. He chooses not to do that, and is thereby financially screwed.

That's right over 75% of the time it is one if not both parents of the child that uses the child's social security number because their credit is so bad that they can't get credit. I checked my 6 yr old granddaughters credit just on a whim and she has over $5000.00 debt but since I'm not her legal guardian I can't do anything about it.

This is outright fraud, and you need to file a police report to get it cleared up. So what if grandpa has to pay up or spend some time in the big house! With a police report you can get the debt erased from your granddaughter's record, and make sure she knows later that her 'loving' grandpa did her very wrong at an early age! The truth can sometimes hurt,but it will be up to grandpa to clear his name with his family!

This happens more often than people imagine. When that child grows up he/she winds up with a poor credit rating because some disonest person had the gall to use their Social Security number. Disgusting, and there should be strong laws in every state to put a stop to this.

People do have legal rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, a Federal Law.
You can demand they correct things, put notes in your file about things they won't go away for 7 years, and you certainly have the right to sue any credit reporting agency to get their attention to remove erroneous information, and through discovery you can find out what happens!

i'm guessing the vast majority of minor identity theft is perpetrated by the parents. i've known people who put their utilities and cable t.v. in their kids name because they had destroyed their own credit...

and this wouldn't happen at all if children didn't need social security numbers like back when i was a kid...you didn't need one until they got a real job.

*you didn't need one until you got a real job.

One day about a year ago two ladies who were friends were ahead of me in line at the supermarket. Both ladies had a baby and one was old enough to walk. I couldn't help but over hear their conversation. They were friends shopping together. They were complaining how each baby's social security number had been stolen and USED already by relatives for fruad. Bill collectors were after the babies to pay bills off. Each of the babies' families sure had some creeps.

Well, where do we think the numbers come from when people "buy" identity packages for $200?

Yes, the Federal Government is as much to blame for all of this as anyone. They want to literally tattoo our implant a chip in everyone from the craddle to the grave so they can track us! You need the child's number for taxes, but nothing else. I realize many data bases contain way too much infomation, but a child's number should be put in safe keeping until they are 18.

Again you have the full backing of the courts to go after the credit bureaus and anyone else who damages you or your child through ID theft. You can ask for court/attorney fees too and you'll probably get it. Once you file suit, you'd be surprised how quickly the credit bureaus will correct the information on file as they know they're about as popular as a skunk at a picnic in a court of law!

This could all been avoided had the "government" bless 'em, enforced thier own regulations concerning the use of SS numbers. It was always my understanding that SS numbers were not permitted to be used for identification except by the SS administration in issueing benifits. Businesses and other government agencies ignored this and demanded the numbers or credit would not be given or other government services denied. Too late now to change things back but once again it's just more proof that you cannot trust government to get anything right in the long run.

A parent or legal guardian can get a minor's credit report. Contact any of the 3 credit bureaus, and I suggest doing all 3 of them, and as the legal parent/guaradian tell them the situation. Be prepared to give them your ID information as you could be a person who is trying to get information to misuse the child's ID. The credit bureaus have to protect the privacy of their records, hence they need to know who is inquiring. Another avenue would be to get your banker or other trusted person or company to 'run' a credit check on the minor maybe for a small fee. If there's no transactions for the minor, they show up as a 'ghost' on the credit bureau database. And if there's a problem with the child's credit report or if it's been compromised, you need to put a freeze on it. You can remove the freeze at any time, perhaps in the future after the problems have been solved. You should also file a report with the Federal Trade Commission, they have a website, to report any and all illegal use of SS numbers and credit fraud. Police reports in your area also help as anyone doing ID theft doesn't just use one or two person's ID, they go after many and often are caught.