MEMPHIS, Tenn. – In September 2022, a Missouri teenager learned someone had filed taxes in his name.
“It was just really a shock,” said the 17-year-old’s mother, Jennifer Sheils. “I didn’t really know what to do.”
Sheils asked that FOX13 not share her son’s name because he is a victim of identity theft.
“I got really scared because I’m thinking, ‘Well, somebody is using a Social Security number for employment,’” she said.
After reporting the fraud, she learned that her son’s credit profile had a report of wages in another Missouri town.
“This place where he was ‘working’ is an hour-and-a-half away from my city,” Sheils said. “There’s absolutely no way, you know?”
Young victims
About one million children are victims of identity fraud every year, according to this annual study.
“I believe criminals target children because it can go undetected for so long,” said LaTina Benson, the founder of Moore Financial Services.
She helps families repair their children’s credit after discovering fraud.
“Parents have contacted me after their two-year-old received a 0% interest rate for a Chase credit card,” she recalled. “And they are two!”
In some cases, families don’t discover the fraud until their child turns 18.
“It can be a huge hindrance because now they’re unable to move forward with their credit goals,” she said.
Stolen futures
The Identity Theft Resource Center is a non-profit founded to help child and adult victims navigate the frightening and confusing world of identity fraud.
“It puts this huge roadblock in front of them,” explained Eva Velasquez, the president and CEO of the non-profit. “So they can’t progress in their life until they clean up this mess that was created by a thief.”
When an 18-year-old discovers that they are a victim of identity theft, they may learn that a criminal has ruined their credit score.
“They’re trying to get their first apartment,” Velasquez explained. “Maybe they’re trying to get a student loan, purchase a vehicle, even get a job, and they discover that they have this identity theft that occurred when they were a child.”
Velasquez has even met a young adult who was denied for student loans because of identity fraud’s effect on her credit score.
“She had to put her education on hold for over a year because it took that long for her to get these things resolved,” she explained. “This young person had to wait an entire year. They are now permanently behind their peers.”
Protecting your child
Every parent has the power to protect their child today from identity theft.
“Go and freeze your child’s credit,” Velasquez explained.
Visit the websites of the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, TransUnion and Experian.
Create a credit profile for your child and then freeze their credit.
You may have to mail in documents, but it’s 100% free.
“It’s worth the time and effort,” Velasquez explained.
Sheils warns parents to do everything in their power to protect their children. As her son prepares to graduate high school, she worries about the obstacles that lie ahead. The mother of six also hopes the fraudulent wages don’t impact her family’s food stamps.
“I’m at a loss because — it’s just I’m worried for his future,” Sheils said. “I don’t know how that’s going to affect him.”
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In September 2022, a Missouri teenager learned someone had filed taxes in his name.
“It was just really a shock,” said the 17-year-old’s mother, Jennifer Sheils. “I didn’t really know what to do.”
Sheils asked that FOX13 not share her son’s name because he is a victim of identity theft.
“I got really scared because I’m thinking, ‘Well, somebody is using a Social Security number for employment,’” she said.After reporting the fraud, she learned that her son’s credit profile had a report of wages in another Missouri town.
“This place where he was ‘working’ is an hour-and-a-half away from my city,” Sheils said. “There’s absolutely no way, you know?”
Young victims
About one million children are victims of identity fraud every year, according to this annual study.
“I believe criminals target children because it can go undetected for so long,” said LaTina Benson, the founder of Moore Financial Services.
She helps families repair their children’s credit after discovering fraud.
“Parents have contacted me after their two-year-old received a 0% interest rate for a Chase credit card,” she recalled. “And they are two!”
In some cases, families don’t discover the fraud until their child turns 18.
“It can be a huge hindrance because now they’re unable to move forward with their credit goals,” she said.
Stolen futures
The Identity Theft Resource Center is a non-profit founded to help child and adult victims navigate the frightening and confusing world of identity fraud.
“It puts this huge roadblock in front of them,” explained Eva Velasquez, the president and CEO of the non-profit. “So they can’t progress in their life until they clean up this mess that was created by a thief.”
When an 18-year-old discovers that they are a victim of identity theft, they may learn that a criminal has ruined their credit score.
“They’re trying to get their first apartment,” Velasquez explained. “Maybe they’re trying to get a student loan, purchase a vehicle, even get a job, and they discover that they have this identity theft that occurred when they were a child.”
Velasquez has even met a young adult who was denied for student loans because of identity fraud’s effect on her credit score.
“She had to put her education on hold for over a year because it took that long for her to get these things resolved,” she explained. “This young person had to wait an entire year. They are now permanently behind their peers.”
Protecting your child
Every parent has the power to protect their child today from identity theft.
“Go and freeze your child’s credit,” Velasquez explained.
Visit the websites of the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, TransUnion and Experian.
Create a credit profile for your child and then freeze their credit.
You may have to mail in documents, but it’s 100% free.
“It’s worth the time and effort,” Velasquez explained.
Sheils warns parents to do everything in their power to protect their children. As her son prepares to graduate high school, she worries about the obstacles that lie ahead. The mother of six also hopes the fraudulent wages don’t impact her family’s food stamps.
“I’m at a loss because — it’s just I’m worried for his future,” Sheils said. “I don’t know how that’s going to affect him.”
