One danger to avoid going back to school

As students head back to school there is a warning to parents to protect their child's identity.

1 in 40 families, with children under the age of 18, have at least one child whose personal information has been compromised, according to a recent survey by The Identity Theft Assistance Center.

Thieves often steal children's social security numbers since young kids seldom have the credit histories that adults have.

Fred Elsberry with the Atlanta area Better Business Bureau says, "Children under 18 are even more vulnerable than other people to identity theft because they have got obviously great credit."

When filling out all the paperwork for back to school do not give away any social security numbers, parent or child.

WSB Consumer expert Clark Howard says, "There should be no reason that a school needs to have your social security number."

Howard says here in Georgia parents can now put a credit freeze on a child. That means their credit will be frozen until they turn eighteen.

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Sabrina Cupit

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