Experian's Maxine Sweet has this advice for parents to safeguard their children's identity:
* Educate your children about the importance of keeping personal information private. Teach them to come to you should anyone ask for their Social Security Number and address.
* Closely monitor your child's online activity. Many sites ask for personal information, which can open the door for identity thieves.
* Monitor the type of mail your child receives. Credit card advertisements, unexplained merchandise or collection notices could all be indications of identity theft. Whenever possible, sign up for items like magazine subscriptions under your own name rather than your child's name.
* Think twice before giving out your child's Social Security Number. Giving your child's Social Security Number is voluntary even when directly requested--even when filling out medical forms at a doctor's office you do not need to provide SSNs.
* Don't give out even the last four digits of your child's social security number. These last four numbers can be easily used to obtain the full social security number, creating numerous opportunities for a child's identity to be stolen.
* Do not let your children carry their SSNs in their wallet.
