July 31, 2026
9 min read
Child identity theft can go undetected for years. Here’s what you can do now to help protect your child.
Child identity theft is a fraud risk families often don’t see coming, with problems sometimes surfacing only when a child applies for college, financial aid, housing, or a first job. Wells Fargo cybersecurity leader Sarah Gosler explains what parents need to know.
Key takeaways
- Child identity theft happens when someone uses a child’s personal information to commit fraud.
- It can go undetected for years because children typically do not have active credit or account monitoring.
- Kids are targeted because they have clean credit histories and little routine monitoring.
- Issues often surface later, when a young adult is applying for college, financial aid, housing, or a first job.
- Parents can proactively check for identity theft by seeing if their child has a credit file and can consider placing a credit freeze.
Are you guilty of “sharenting” — oversharing details about your child’s life on social media, like a birthday, pet’s name, school name, or photos of where they live or spend time?
It may seem harmless, but those details and proud moments can help cybercriminals answer security questions, build a profile, or piece together a child’s identity over time. The more details that are out there, the easier that becomes.
“Child identity theft is a serious and often overlooked problem,” said Sarah Gosler, Wells Fargo cybersecurity leader and expert in human-centric defense. “It’s uniquely dangerous because it often goes undetected for years, especially since most parents aren’t monitoring their children’s credit or account history.”
For a broader look at how identity theft starts and spreads, read Identity Theft: What it is and how to protect yourself.
One in 43 U.S. children had their personal information breached through an online compromise or hack in a single year, according to Javelin’s 2024 Child & Family Cybersecurity Study. Once their information is exposed, it can be reused in ways families may not notice right away.
Why child identity theft is easy to miss and hard to detect
Child identity theft is a “sleeper fraud” that works differently than identity theft affecting adults. Children typically don’t have active financial lives, which means no account activity, alerts, or monitoring to flag misuse. That gap, along with clean credit histories and limited oversight, makes them especially attractive targets as more of their personal information is shared and their online presence grows. Children’s information is also collected across apps, games, and websites, often in ways parents may not fully see or control, which can expand the amount of data exposed over time.
“Oversharing details about kids online can be a goldmine for fraudsters.”
Cybercriminals may use AI to capture personal information from sources like social media, online gaming, stolen documents, public records, and data breaches. That information can also circulate on the dark web, where details are bought, sold, and combined with other data to create a usable identity. In some cases, scammers don’t rely on a single identity and stitch together pieces of information from multiple kids to create synthetic identities that are difficult for families to detect.
“Kids have clean credit histories, which can make them prime targets for criminals trying to create a credit profile or open accounts,” Gosler said.
Once a child’s identity is compromised, fraudsters often use it to open accounts, make purchases, and apply for services in the child’s name. Credit and debit cards are among the most common ways stolen identities are used, because transactions appear legitimate when tied to a real person. Other uses include applying for loans and financial aid, accessing government or health care benefits, renting housing, or setting up utilities.
When children’s identities are compromised, it can have a ripple effect through the whole family. According to Javelin, once one family member is targeted, others in the household may also be at greater risk.
How to check for child identity theft and what to watch for
Child identity theft can be difficult to spot because there are few clear early warning signs. Start by checking whether a credit file exists in your child’s name. In most cases, it shouldn’t. If it does, that may be a signal that someone has used their information.
These situations can be signs that your child’s identity is already being used:
- You get a bill in your child’s name for an account that you didn’t open.
- You’re denied government benefits like health care coverage or nutrition assistance because someone is already using your child’s Social Security number.
- You receive a notice from the IRS about income or taxes tied to your child.
- You see unfamiliar mail, account notices, or requests connected to your child’s information.
In many cases, the issue isn’t detected until your young adult is denied a first credit card or bank account due to bad credit or flagged during a job background or credit check. This can happen if someone used their Social Security number to open accounts like a credit card, cell phone plan, or utility service and didn’t pay the bills.
Because fragments of information can be reused across accounts, a child’s data may show up in places you don’t regularly check. More than half of child identity fraud victims had mobile numbers and login credentials reused across financial and nonfinancial accounts soon after their identities were compromised. If you notice anything unusual, act quickly. The next steps can help you protect your child’s information and limit the impact.
How to protect your child
Much of a child’s digital footprint starts early, often by the people around them. By the age of 13, parents will have posted an average of 1,300 photos and videos of their child to social media, creating a presence long before the child can manage it.
See how these schemes work in The anatomy of a scam: How AI and the dark web fuel financial schemes — and ways to stay safe.
When you’re asked for your child’s personal information, pause to consider what’s required. Some requests, like a birth certificate, help verify a child’s age and identity for things like school enrollment, medical records, or registration for extracurricular activities. Others, like a Social Security number, may be used for identity matching, insurance enrollment, or government reporting. If possible, ask if you can provide less sensitive information, such as an alternative document or only the last four digits of the Social Security number.
As children spend more time online, risks increasingly come from real-time interactions, not just data breaches.
- Scammers may use AI to mimic voices or messages from trusted sources.
- Requests may look legitimate, including forms, payments, or account verification prompts.
- Kids may be targeted directly through chats, games, or social platforms.
Simple habits, like verifying requests before responding or sharing personal information, can help reduce the risk.
“Kids frequently spend time online without recognizing the risks of oversharing personal or financial information, such as making unsupervised purchases,” Gosler said. “Teens and college students may overshare online, use unsecured networks, and may not be vigilant in protecting or concealing their personal information or documents.” This is also when new scam risks can emerge.
Also keep in mind that kids who go online unsupervised earlier are more likely to become victims of identity theft. Here’s what protection can look like for different ages:
- Young children: Focus on behind-the-scenes protection. Limit how often you share their Social Security number and store sensitive documents securely.
- Tweens: Start conversations about what details to keep private. Help them understand what not to share online. Monitor their online activities and presence.
- Teens: Expect more independence and higher online exposure. Reinforce good habits around passwords, account security, and sharing. Discuss online risk exposures often.
- Young adults: Watch for key transition moments, like applying for college, jobs, or housing, when identity theft often surfaces.
These steps can help reduce the risk of identity theft:
- Limit how often you share your child’s Social Security number.
- Ask whether personal information is required or optional before providing it.
- Store sensitive documents securely and shred them when no longer needed.
- Check whether a credit file exists in your child’s name.
- Consider placing a credit freeze to help prevent new accounts from being opened.
- Review privacy settings on devices, apps, and accounts.
- Be mindful of what you and your child share online.
- Talk with your child often about what information should stay private.
- Delete personal information before you get rid of a computer or a cell phone.
What to do if something’s wrong
If you suspect your child’s information has been misused, act quickly.
- Contact your bank through a trusted channel.
- Request your child’s credit report and review any activity. In most cases, children under 13 should not have a credit file.
- Place a fraud alert or credit freeze.
- File a report at IdentityTheft.gov.
- Use the Identity Theft Assistance Kit (PDF) as your checklist.
See How to report identity theft.
From security features to advanced AI and machine learning to detect fraudulent or high-risk activity, Wells Fargo invests significantly in fraud, scam, and identity theft protection and prevention, as well as customer education. Learn more about staying on top of your account security.
FAQ
Child identity theft happens when someone uses a child’s Social Security number, date of birth, or other information without permission to commit fraud. That can include opening credit accounts, applying for loans or benefits, or creating accounts in the child’s name.
In most cases, children should not have a credit report. If one exists, it may be a sign that someone has used the child’s information. You can request a check through the major credit bureaus. If a credit file is found, review it right away for unfamiliar accounts or activity.
A credit freeze restricts access to your child’s credit file, making it harder for someone to open new accounts in their name. To place a freeze, contact each of the three major credit bureaus and provide documentation verifying your identity and your child’s identity. Once in place, the freeze stays active until you remove it.
If you suspect your child’s information has been misused:
- Contact your bank through a trusted channel, or report fraud to Wells Fargo.
- Check for a credit file and review any activity.
- Contact the credit bureaus to report fraud.
- Place a fraud alert or credit freeze.
- File a report at IdentityTheft.gov.
Acting quickly can help limit the damage and begin the recovery process.
Child identity theft often goes unnoticed because children typically do not have active credit or financial accounts to monitor. That means there may be little routine activity to flag unusual behavior. In many cases, it is only discovered later, when the child applies for college, housing, or a first credit card.
