Expert: Children are easy targets of identity theft

NEW YORK (FOX5NY.COM) - Identity theft isn't just an adult problem. Kids are victims, too.

More than a million children were victims of identity theft or fraud in 2017, according to Javelin Strategy and Research vice president Al Pascual. And two-thirds of those victims were under the age 8.

Children are by far the easiest targets, Pascual says, and typically, a child's identity is misused by someone they know.

Parents can now monitor their children's credit files. A new law in response to last year's Equifax hack has made checking on and freezing your children's credit files easier.

Parents should look out for some warning signs. A big red flag can be found in the mail: credit card offers or collection notices addressed to your child.

If you believe your child is a victim, the Federal Trade Commission advises you to immediately contact each credit reporting company and each business where the information was used, put a fraud alert on your child's credit report, and make sure to file a police report.