Miami Youngster is Victim of ID Theft
If only he’d requested annual copies of his credit report and gone over his accounts with a fine-tooth comb, Jake LeGette may never have become a victim of identity theft.
And an occasional search on the internet to look for deliberate misuse of overuse of his name wouldn’t have hurt, either.
But the thought of taking such standard precautions never crossed LeGette’s mind.
And it’s not because he’s irresponsible or forgetful. It’s because Jake LeGette is only 11 years old.
Shocking News
When the enterprising Miami, FL preteen attempted to open a bank account as a depository for his chore earnings, he was surprised to find that credit had already been opened in his name—and misused badly enough that he was denied an account of his own..
Although he isn’t yet in high school, LeGette’s credit record is filled to overflowing with expenditures…and his mother Lori can only hope she’ll be able to clear his record so he can start fresh once he is old enough to apply for credit. In the meantime, she’s placed a freeze on his Social Security number so that no one else can use it.
Mom Fights to Clear Son’s Name
Lori LeGette was as shocked as anyone to hear the news that her son was a victim of ID fraud. Nevertheless, she went right to work attempting to clear up the messy matter. Lori claims her job as a police officer hasn’t helped much so far in fixing the problem.
According to ABC News, the bank told Jake LeGette that someone had used his Social Security number in order to open—and use—credit.
Lori LeGette told ABC News that a Florida-based woman had used Jake’s identity to purchase, among other things, a staggering nine vehicles in only four years.
The Implications for the LeGettes—and For Your Child
Why wasn’t fraud suspected due to the unusual number of expenditures in a short period of time?
Frighteningly, banks, car dealers and other companies and institutions may not have anywhere near the “lookout” we imagine they do for suspicious activity. Jake LeGette’s Social Security number was misused for four years before his own bank tried to put the brakes on by denying the real Jake an account.
Another point worth pondering is that had Jake not attempted to open a bank account at such a young age, he may not have known about the crimes and fraud against his name for a decade or even more from their beginning point.
In fact, stealing the identity of a child may be the next insidious step forward in the booming number of ID crimes that have increased year-on-year for close to a decade. Not only do children obviously have a clean credit slate, they also may have no knowledge of any wrongdoing for five years, ten years or even longer, giving the thief plenty of time to take the money and run.
And no one’s child is immune…not even the son of a police officer.
Using LifeLock to Protect Your Child
A few of the most forward-thinking ID protection and credit monitoring companies, such as Arizona-based LifeLock, have already recognized this frightening trend. LifeLock offers additional protection for children up to age 16 for just $25 a year.
LifeLock protects adults, too, taking a proactive approach in order to avoid the mess (and expense) of cleaning up credit that’s already been damaged by fraud.
And the risk to the user is low, since LifeLock also has a $1 million guarantee in the eventuality that a customer’s identity is breached. This means the company will spend up to $1 million to rectify the issues in any way possible, at no expense to the customer.
With ID fraud against children growing at a fast pace, it pays to protect your family. Do your homework on ID protection companies, including rates, guarantees/warranties and what’s covered under the service. The right credit monitoring company can make all the difference for you today…and for your child tomorrow.
