Greg's Corner

Child safety kits can actually put your child at risk

By Greg Collier

If you’re not acquainted with child safety kits, they serve as a means of compiling essential identifying information about your child in the unfortunate event that they go missing. These kits enable parents to promptly provide investigators with the necessary details to aid in locating their child. The information typically includes a DNA sample, such as strands of hair, recent photographs, and fingerprints, among other pertinent details. Numerous child safety organizations, such as the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), collaborate with local law enforcement to offer these kits to parents free of charge. Alternatively, you have the option to create your own kits at home, though it is advisable to have your children professionally fingerprinted by your local police.

Regrettably, scammers may exploit a parent’s anxieties by attempting to peddle fake kits. These deceptive kits are essentially schemes designed to pilfer your child’s personal information for the purpose of identity theft.

Families in Texas were recently targeted in just such a scam. During a Christmas parade, a man was approaching families and asking for their address and phone number to receive a free child safety kit. The man allegedly clammed to be associated with the local police department. When the man called the families for more information, some of the families caught on that this was a scam after being asked deeply personal information about their children.

Children’s personal information is highly sought by identity thieves. With a child’s Social Security number, identity thieves can open many lines of credit or take out loans in the child’s name. These transgressions may not even be noticed until the child turns 18.

To safeguard your child’s identity, exercise caution when sharing their information. Consider refraining from disclosing every detail of their lives on social media platforms. Additionally, it is advisable to routinely monitor their credit history. If you discover that your child’s identity has been stolen, it’s imperative to take swift action by freezing your child’s credit history. Freezing the credit will restrict unauthorized access to their financial information and help prevent further fraudulent activities. Contact the credit bureaus and follow their procedures to initiate a credit freeze for your child, adding an extra layer of protection against potential identity theft. Additionally, consider reporting the incident to the appropriate authorities and working closely with them to rectify the situation.