FTC Hosts Child Identity Theft Forum

In an effort to help address the problems posed by child identity theft, the Federal Trade Commission is holding a forum this week to come up with ways to help curb the crime.

The FTC has convened a large group of parents, lawyers, advocates and security experts in an effort to rein in the threat posed by child identity theft. This problem can be especially difficult to deal with because many children may be victimized, then not discover the crime for several years at least.

Matt Cullina, chief executive officer of Identity Theft 911, says steps need to be taken to stop the growing trend.

"Child identity theft is a growing issue across the board, and foster youth are particularly susceptible because of the transitory nature of their lives," said Cullina, a foster parent himself. "As a company specializing in this area, we know that simple changes, including educating the caretaker, can reduce the prevalence of this problem."

Experts warn that one way to tell if a child has been hit with identity theft is if they begin receiving phone calls or letters from lenders offering them new accounts.