ReclaimMyID

The start of a new school year is a time when parents (and students) have a lot going on. Open houses, school clothes shopping, along with lots of forms to fill out. This is a time when your children’s personal information is most easily accessed by criminals. In order to protect your children’s identities, use these back to school safety tips. Worldwide, over one million children were the victims of identity theft in 2017. Two-thirds of those children were below the age of 8.

Tips For Protecting Your Children’s Information

Understand FERPA – FERPA stands for the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act. According to the US Department of Education, FERPA “is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education.” This act allows parents to view their student’s records at any time and also request a revision of any inaccuracies that may be found. Parents also can request that personal information not be disclosed in a directory by the school.
Use A Shredder – Any documentation with personal information that will not be saved should be shredded. Obtaining information via garbage is one of the most frequent ways that criminals steal personal information.
Protect Your Children’s Social Security Number – Always store your child’s Social Security card in a safe place. Never carry Social Security cards with you unless you know you will need it that day. If you are asked to show a child’s Social Security card, make sure the requesting party is legitimate and use an alternate form of identification if possible.

Children are some of the most vulnerable individuals in terms of identity theft. As a parent, it is your job to safeguard their information. Should their information fall into the wrong hands, it can be an extreme issue later in their lives. Use our back to school safety tips to ensure this doesn’t happen.