Child Credit Freeze Tool

Child identity fraud happens when someone uses your child’s SSN to open credit cards or loans — building debt in a file your kid doesn’t know exists. It’s shockingly common: 1 in 50 U.S. children is a victim each year, and 73% of the time, the perpetrator is someone the child knows. If you want to learn more: Federal Reserve, FTC.

The fix: freeze their credit at all three bureaus. It’s free, it’s permanent until you lift it, and parents have had the right to do it since 2018.

The catch: the process is genuinely annoying. Each bureau has different forms, different documents, and different mailing addresses, and most of it still requires physical mail. This tool walks you through it step by step.