The modern reality of identity theft.

Identity theft may seem like something that happens to other people, but it’s far more common crime than you might imagine. These days, anyone with a digital footprint is vulnerable — including over 1 million kids each year.

For example, in 2017, a perpetrator used stolen identities and Social Security numbers (SSNs) to open credit cards, bank accounts, and loans. He even bought homes and cars with stolen funds before he discovered.

The kicker: Most of the identities he stole belonged to children.

Over $3.3 million in fraud had taken place before under the radar, mostly because neither kids or their parents are likely to check the credit reports of minors. This makes them prime targets, since we don’t usually think about credit until the late teen years when it’s time to rent an apartment, apply for a credit card, or head to college. 

The good news is, there are some simple steps you can take to help protect each member of your family from identity theft.

First, know where your kid’s data is stored (like doctors’ offices and school), and check that their records are safe. Double check your school’s directory info policy and consider opting out. 

You also might want to think about a Credit Freeze for minors — this makes opening a new account with your kid’s SSN much more difficult.

To proactively safeguard your family’s sensitive data, Life360 now offers ID Theft protection, including Credit Monitoring, Data Breach Alerts, White Glove Restoration, and up to $1M in lost funds coverage — for each Circle member. 

We’re all spending more time online these days, but there’s plenty we can do to look out for loved ones of all ages. 

Learn more about ID Theft Protection included in our Life360 Gold and Platinum plans to explore the right amount of protection for your family.