While picking out car seats two-and-a-half years ago, my husband and I spent a fortune on the Orbit Baby car seat and stroller system solely because we were led to believe there were no concerning chemicals in Orbit Baby.While researching the product (both professionally and … [Read more...]
Before You Pay for Credit Monitoring or ID Protection…
#ReportersNotebookEvery other day it seems like there's a new breach. Between the Anthem and Premera insurance hacks alone, it's estimated 1 out of 3 Americans have been compromised.As a result, there are a growing number of companies offering a growing number of credit monitoring … [Read more...]
Experian Child Credit Freeze Summary
UPDATE 2018: Experian Child Credit Freeze Warning: Parents Beware of Mailing Sensitive InfoWe recently discovered that Experian will no longer allow parents to use their secure online upload portal. Experian is now requiring that you mail in sensitive documents despite laws … [Read more...]
Equifax Child Credit Freeze Summary
The Equifax child credit freeze process is by far the most consumer-friendly of the three credit bureaus.But alas, the Equifax procedure for requesting a "security freeze on a protected consumer or minor" also presents a couple of significant security risks.Like TransUnion, … [Read more...]
TransUnion Child Credit Freeze Summary
While the TransUnion child credit freeze process is relatively easy, their standard procedure for implementing a "protected consumer freeze" (outlined here) presents a couple of significant security risks.By default, TransUnion asks that you mail the required documentation to a P.O. … [Read more...]
A Step-by-Step Guide to Freeze Your Child’s Credit
When I set out to create this guide for parents, I never imagined it could be so difficult. Several years, several massive hacks and several pieces of legislation later, every parent now has the right to freeze their kid's credit and utilize the single best tool to prevent financial … [Read more...]
You Need My Social Security Number But You Won’t Give Me Your Employee ID?
By now, most people know that their Social Security number is the key to their identity, so they need to be very judicious about who they share it with. Most security experts agree you should even decline to give it to your doctor or your child's school unless it is absolutely … [Read more...]
How I Forced the Credit Bureaus to Freeze My Child’s Credit
When I first began covering credit freezes, I was shocked that the bureaus would not let me freeze my child’s credit.As I've mentioned in several blog posts and broadcast news stories, a credit freeze is widely believed to be the single best tool to prevent financial ID theft. It … [Read more...]
Why My Toddler Has a Credit Card
#ReportersNotebookOver the years, I’ve interviewed both adult and child identity theft victims, security experts and even convicted ID thieves for far too many news stories on the topic. I’ve learned enough to be fairly certain that eventually all of our identities will be … [Read more...]