{"id":37330,"date":"2014-08-18T06:00:47","date_gmt":"2014-08-18T13:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.mcafee.com\/?p=37330"},"modified":"2025-08-17T20:34:53","modified_gmt":"2025-08-18T03:34:53","slug":"sweet-sixteen-rule","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/family-safety\/sweet-sixteen-rule\/","title":{"rendered":"The Sweet Sixteen Rule"},"content":{"rendered":"

Your child is turning 16! As a parent in the US, your mind is occupied with planning the big sweet 16 party and preparing for a new driver on the road (and the crazy high insurance that goes with it). During this exciting time, there\u2019s something else you should be thinking about\u2014your child\u2019s credit score.<\/p>\n

Child identity theft is more common than we want to think it is. According to a study by Identity Theft Assistance<\/a>, 1 in every 40 households with minor children has been affected by child identity theft. Thieves love this kind of identity theft because1) it gives them a clean slate because kids don\u2019t have a credit history, and 2) it usually takes years before the crime is discovered\u2014and it\u2019s a lot of time to do some extensive damage. Many kids who have had their identities stolen don\u2019t find out until they are adults trying to buy a car, apply for a college loan, or rent a place and they are denied due to low credit scores. At that point, it could take years to undo the damage and build a respectable credit score. No parent wants that for their child!<\/p>\n

So when your child turns the big 16, start a new tradition and check to see if your child has a credit report. If your child does have a report, check to make sure there are not any mistakes on it and also check in why he or she would have a credit report (since most wouldn\u2019t). You\u2019ll not only save your child tons of headaches later on, but you\u2019ll have a head start on clearing this up before it becomes a big mess.<\/p>\n

Tips to Protect Your Child’s Identity<\/h2>\n

But the best way to fix child identity theft is to prevent it in the first place. Here are a few tips to protect your child\u2019s identity.<\/p>\n