Keeping your child’s identity and personal information away from prying eyes is no easy feat. Instead of trying to do it on your own, you can leverage the help offered by numerous institutions.

Seeing as many cases of child identity theft involve fraudulent credit accounts, credit bureaus might help you increase your child’s ID security. If you’re thinking about seeking their protection against child identity theft, Experian’s services are worth looking into.

This article outlines the credit bureaus’ free and paid options, as well as an alternative that goes beyond credit protection.

Experian’s Role in ID Theft Protection

Most child identity theft cases are financially motivated. When a scammer steals a child’s Social Security number (SSN) or other identifiers, they can use them to create a new, fake credit profile and obtain loans.

Considering that a credit check is necessary for loan approval, Experian and other major consumer credit bureaus (Equifax and TransUnion) can help prevent fraudulent accounts in the child’s name.

Each credit bureau has a specific set of security measures, though some of them overlap. If you want Experian’s help, you can choose from the following options:

1. Child identity theft inquiry
2. Security freeze and fraud alert
3. Experian IdentityWorks

Experian Child Identity Theft Inquiry

If you believe your child may have fallen victim to ID theft, the first thing you should do is check if they have a credit profile. Experian lets you do this by filling out the Minor Credit Report Request on their website, which you should print out and mail to them.

If your child is 14 or older, they can request their credit profile independently through Experian’s online portal. If they’re younger, you must do it for them through a written request, as the credit information of children 13 and under can’t be accessed online.

In this case, you should fill out the aforementioned form and gather the following documents:

• State ID card, driver’s license, or another document proving your identity
• Utility bill, bank statement, or other proof of address
• Your child’s birth certificate
• Proof of guardianship
• Your child’s social security cards

Create copies of all the above documents and mail them alongside the form by regular or overnight mail to the following addresses:

Mail	Address
Regular	ExperianPO Box 9554Allen, TX 75013
Overnight	Experian701 Experian ParkwayAllen, TX 75013

If Experian finds a credit profile in your child’s name, they’ll let you know via USPS or the email you provided in the form. The existence of a credit profile without a legitimate credit history is a major red flag, so you’ll need to take immediate action.

Minor Security Freeze and Fraud Alert

When you freeze a child’s credit profile, new lenders can’t do a credit check because they can’t access it. As a result, the application should be rejected by default, which can prevent fraudsters from opening new accounts in your child’s name.

A freeze can be used as both a preventive and remedial measure. If your child doesn’t have a credit profile, Experian creates one and freezes it immediately. If they do, a freeze helps prevent further damage to the child’s financial well-being and credit score.

Unlike a credit freeze, a fraud alert doesn’t make your child’s credit profile inaccessible. It only shows up as a red flag for the lender, encouraging them to be more diligent when verifying a credit applicant’s identity. While it’s not as secure as a freeze, a fraud alert can still reduce the risk of fraudulent loans.

You can request a security freeze or an alert through the same portal used to check for a credit profile. The documentation and filing process is also the same, except you’ll add a note that you want the chosen service in the appropriate field.

Note that your child can’t work on their credit history while the freeze is active. You’ll need to lift it when your child becomes eligible for loans, as a freeze is only a temporary measure.

Experian IdentityWorks

IdentityWorks is Experian’s ID monitoring product encompassing several services, most notably:

• Credit monitoring
• FICO^® score tracking
• Privacy scans
• Experian CreditLock
• SSN Tracing
• Fraud resolution support

Plan	Cost
Family	$34.99/month

The Family plan supports ID monitoring for children (up to ten with one account).

IdentityWorks has a variety of useful features, but its cost might be off-putting to many parents. You’d need to spend hundreds of dollars per year to have your child’s identity monitored, which is far from the most cost-effective solution.

Besides, you might end up overpaying for the services you don’t need, especially if you already have some security measures in place or are using another monitoring product. In this case, you might want to look into an option tailored specifically to children.

Alternatives to Experian’s Services

Unless you sign up for IdentityWorks, Experian doesn’t offer many services that let you keep your child safe proactively. You’re limited to a credit freeze and fraud alert, the drawbacks of which might outweigh the benefits.

For example, it’s not enough to request a credit freeze from Experian alone—you need to do it with the other two credit bureaus as well. Considering the amount of paperwork and mailing time involved, it’s easy to see that a freeze isn’t particularly convenient.

Luckily, you don’t need to limit yourself to the protection offered by credit bureaus. There are many other ID protection services that offer robust security, so you can find the one that suits your needs and budget.

The only problem is that you’ll seldom encounter a service without bothersome monthly fees or one that caters to children without requiring multi-user family plans. To rectify this and let parents keep children safe without hefty investments, Austin Capital Bank created a unique solution—FreeKick.

Use FreeKick To Safeguard Your Family’s Identities

Identity theft is so widespread that a child’s identity is stolen every 30 seconds, making identity protection services invaluable. That’s where FreeKick by Austin Capital Bank comes in—this two-in-one platform protects your child’s identity and builds credit for them. 

How FreeKick’s Protects Your Family’s Identities

FreeKick offers identity protection services for minors, adult children, and parents, making it a comprehensive identity protection package for your whole family. For minors, FreeKick offers the following services:

• Credit profile monitoring
• Social Security number (SSN) monitoring
• Dark web monitoring for children’s personal information
• Up to $1 million identity theft insurance
• Full-service white-glove concierge credit restoration
• Sex offender monitoring—based on sponsor parent’s address

For adult children and parents, FreeKick offers:

• Credit profile monitoring
• SSN monitoring
• Dark web monitoring for personal information
• Up to $1 million identity theft insurance
• Full-service white-glove concierge credit restoration
• Lost wallet protection
• Court records monitoring
• Change of address monitoring
• Non-credit (Payday) loan monitoring
• Free FICO® Score monthly
• FICO® Score factors
• Experian credit report monthly

How FreeKick Builds Credit

FreeKick builds credit for children aged 13 to 25 in three simple steps:

1. Create an Account—Sign up on FreeKick.bank and choose a deposit that suits your budget
2. Set It and Forget It—FreeKick will start building 12 months’ worth of credit history for your child
3. Keep Growing—After 12 months, close the account without any fees (or continue building credit for your child for another year)

These steps give your child the opportunity to have five years’ worth of credit history when they turn 18. This will help them save $200,000 during their lifetimes by giving them access to better loan terms and other financial benefits.

FreeKick Pricing

FreeKick offers two pricing plans:

FDIC-Insured Deposit	Annual Fee
$3,000	$0 (Free)
No deposit	$149

Both plans offer:

1. Credit building for six children aged 13 to 25
2. Identity protection for two parents and six children aged 0 to 25

Secure your family’s identity and financial future—sign up for FreeKick today.