Stealing from Babies

Identity thieves in this country have hit a new low:  stealing social security numbers from babies and young children.  How can that be, you might ask?  Social security numbers are generated using a certain logic where the first three number identify the state and the last four can be easily predicted using a software that has been marketed for many years.  Thus, these criminals prey on victims and commit crimes that go undiscovered for years.

This morning, the Today Show aired a segment that investigated three specific cases with an emphasis on that of a teenager whose identity was stolen when she was three and now has a $750,000 debt in her name.  Outrageous?  You bet, but what's even more disturbing is that the reporter found two of the people who have been using her number to take out mortgages and auto loans.  He confronted both of them with the evidence, and, at first, they acted as though they didn't know what he was talking about.  When an interpreter stepped in, they avoided further discussion.  Jeff (whose last name I didn't get), the reporter, found one of the men in just two days.  Why didn't the police arrest these criminals?  Good question.  I guess they're a little too busy.

In another case, a two-year-old boy had to declare bankruptcy after criminals accrued thousands of dollars of debt in his name.  A nine-year-old girl's social security number was stolen 11 years before she was born.  Get this, the banks that approved the auto and mortgage loans are not required to ensure that the number and the person's name match.  They would have to pay a fee to do that.  Heaven forbid that they would protect the consumer.  Here's yet another reason to distrust financial institutions.  I can't say I'm crazy about the huge gap in security at Social Security either.  According to the reporter, they will change their number assignment system to one using random order so thieves can't beat the system--at least for awhile.

If you have young children, check their credit reports.  While the reporter discussed three cases, thousands exist.  To check out the video from the Today Show, go to http://todayshow.com.