Many people know that identity theft is a national problem. However, did you know that identity theft is more common among kids, teenagers, and college students than any other age group? In fact, a Carnegie Mellon University study of more than 40,000 children found that kids under the age of 18 were twice as likely as their parents to be victims of identity theft.
What is identity theft?
According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), identity theft is when someone uses your person information without permission to commit fraud or scams. For example:
- Buying things with your credit or debit card
- Opening credit cards and bank accounts in your name
- Stealing your tax refund
- Getting medical care in your name
- Pretending to be you if they are arrested
How do identity thieves steal information?
Identity thieves don’t need much information to steal someone’s identity. A name, address, Social Security Number (SSN), and birth date are more than enough for a stranger to pretend to be you. Common ways identity thieves can steal your personal information include:
Social Media Oversharing. Many people share personal details without realizing how that information can be used by identity thieves. Posting your birthday, school name, pet’s name, hometown, or other personal details can give scammers the answers to your security questions. To protect yourself:
- Keep personal details off social media
- Adjust your privacy settings to limit who can see your posts
- Never post photos of documents like your student ID or driver’s license, even if you think the details are blurred/hidden.
Phishing Scams: Identity thieves send fake emails (that look real!), texts, or messages pretending to be from companies or people you trust. These messages often claim there is an urgent issue with one of your accounts, offer a fake prize, or warn of account lockout to trick you into sharing personal details. To protect yourself:
- Never click on suspicious links.
- Verify the sender by calling the company directly or checking the email address/phone number the message came from
- Look for red flags like spelling errors, generic greeting (“Dear Customer”) and urgent language.
Public Wi-Fi. Free Wi-Fi at coffee shops, airports, hotels, or malls is not secure, meaning that hackers can steal your passwords, emails, and credit card information if you log into these accounts while using the Wi-Fi. To protect yourself:
- Avoid banking, shopping, or entering passwords on public Wi-Fi.
- Use a Virtual Public Network (VPN) if you must connect to public Wi-Fi.
- Turn off automatic Wi-Fi connections on your phone.
Data breaches. Even if you protect your personal information, a company you use might get hacked. Large businesses, including banks, gaming platforms, and online stores have been targeted by hackers, exposing sensitive user data. To protect yourself:
- Use unique passwords for different sites.
- Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) to add an extra layer of security.
Lost or Stolen Devices or Wallets. Your license, credit/debit cards, insurance cards, school ID, and any other form of ID are wanted by identity thieves. And if someone steals your phone, laptop, or tablet, they can access your social media, banking apps, and save passwords. To protect yourself:
- Immediately report a lost or stolen wallet or ID to your bank, school, and any other relevant institutions to prevent misuse.
- Set up a strong passcode or turn on biometric unlocking (such as fingerprint or Face ID).
- Enable remote tracking on your devices, so you can lock or erase your phone if it is lost.
- Never save passwords in notes or text messages.
Most people don’t think identity theft will happen to them. Unless you check your credit scores often, identity theft can go unnoticed for a long time. You may not become aware that something is wrong until you apply for a student loan or your first credit card.
What else can I do to protect myself from identity theft?
You can lower your risk of being a victim of identity theft. Here’s how:
Think before you share personal information.
- Never give out your Social Security number, driver’s license, or home address to anyone except your parent(s) or guardian.
- If a website, email, text, or phone call asks for personal information, ask why, and check with a trust adult before sharing anything.
- Keep personal details off social media.
Secure your accounts and devices.
- Use strong passwords
- Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) for extra security
- Lock your phone, laptop, or tablet with a password or biometric security.
- Be cautious on public Wi-Fi by avoiding logging into important accounts.
Protect your financial information.
- Check your bank and credit card statements regularly for suspicious activity
- Pick up your mail daily to precent identity thieves from stealing sensitive documents.
- Shred any documents that contain personal information (such as receipts, credit card offers, and credit card/bank statements) before throwing them away.
Monitor your credit.
- Get your free annual credit report, or ask your parent(s) or guardian(s) for their help to obtain them. The credit reports will show any unusual activity which might mean that someone has created a credit card in your name. There is a federal law, which allows you to obtain a free credit report once a year. You can request credit reports from comor call 877-322-8228.
What should I do if I think I am a victim of identity theft?
- Tell a parent, guardian, or other trusted adult immediately.
- Try to document as much as possible, including dates of when purchases were made, and taking screenshots of bank account information.
- File a police report with your local police department.
- Call one of the three major credit-reporting companies (Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion) to place a fraud alert on your account.
- Call your bank or credit card company if you notice any chargers on your bill that you did not make.
- Close any accounts or credit cards that you know have been used by identity thieves.
File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC has a database that the police use to find identity thieves. The FTC can help you find out what the next steps are. Visit IdentityTheft.gov or call 1-877-438-4338
Our health guides are developed through a systematic, rigorous process to ensure accuracy, reliability, and trustworthiness. Written and reviewed by experienced healthcare clinicians from Boston Children's Hospital, a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital and consistently ranked as a top hospital by Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report, these guides combine clinical expertise, specialized knowledge, and evidence-based medicine. We also incorporate research and best practices from authoritative sources such as the CDC, NIH, PubMed, top medical journals, and UpToDate.com. Clinical specialists and subject matter experts review and edit each guide, reinforcing our commitment to high-quality, factual, scientifically accurate health information for young people.