Stealing From Our Kids

I don't know if I am naive or just blind. I would not have done anything like this or expected anyone to do this to anyone. I was brought up in a home where your word and honor was valued above all else. I went without for my kids and took some rotten jobs to take care of them. I know what it is like to be poor, but I would not do anything to bring shame to the family.

I know there are prob more negative stories that positive out there. But my Mom took out a credit card with my soc when I was 14. She made minimal charges and paid them off resposibly. At 18 she told me what she had done. She made it so that getting the basics would be easier for me. I had a positive credit rating instead of being a "ghost:" as many of my friends were. I was able to finance a car without a co signer and able to get my apartment on my own while my friends had to beg their parents to co sign for apartments and cars. I was allowed to either stand on my own two feet or fail without dragging anyone down the credit drain with me.

how that even be done? They ask you for a D.O.B. and that needs to match the SSN given...I would say if whoever is just taking a SSN and not verifying it then they should be SOL on collecting any debt that is in the kids name...they should have to seek legal action against the parents and in addition to that the parents should be charged with identity theft and fraud! How does it even get to the point where the kids credit is in dispute? They can prove that they where a minor easy enough....minor children cannot enter into a contract so wouldnt the parents be liable at any rate? If my kid throws a rock threw your window I have to pay to replace it...I have the option to make my kid pay me back by doing chores or whatever but where the liability is between you and I where the window is concerned.

Wow some of these stories are heart breaking to know a parent would be so selfish to jeopordize thier childs future for thier own personal gain like that. I am really happy to know that never happened to me. my parents once told me that they rather struggle and fight for thier own pay check to pay for the things they buy then to ruin thier childs future. I am so greatful.

Reading this article makes me wonder why my credit is so important to the big three, if they aren't thoroughly checking MINORS that they are issuing credit lines! The parents are not just at fault here! It is sickening though that a parent could put such burdens on their children when they are going through rough times. I'd go anywhere and borrow from anyone before my children.

I'm not so sure about this. I sold Real Estate for 21 years and retired just 2 years ago. I had to have SSN, address, birthdate to run a credit report...

Reading this story really brought back some rough memories for me. Like April and MingMing this was also done to me before I was of age without my knowledge and I did not find out about it until went to apply for an auto loan. As MingMing said years ago companies did NOT care or even bother to do more detailed checking so I also A LOT of problem credit wise due to this. Sadly, I know others - younger than myself who also have gone through or are going through this same thing. It is becoming more and more common these days...I do agree with what was written in this article.

That is absolutely terrible that parents would do that to their own kids. My wallet was stolen when my oldest was an infant and her Social Security Card was in there. They stole both of our identities. The police said that it was easy to do and it happens all the time, especially to children. I have had real fights on my hands with creditors trying to say that my 14 month old child had a cell phone and store credit cards. Thankfully, the people were eventually caught but it was still a couple years of time, effort, and emotional damage for me. I never carry anything around now that I don't absolutely have to have on me, and I pray that my kids are safe from scum like that.

This is such sad news to me. I know some people are really down on their luck but doing this to their kids just isn't right. I couldn't live with myself.

My friend's parents did this to her. She applied for a car loan and when the bank pulled her credit report, they discovered a $22,000 credit card bill from an account opened when she was 12. The account was in good standing, which explains why she was not told when she co-signed on a new house for her parents 5 years ago. But the fact is that now she "appears overextended" on paper, meaning that in the eyes of the bank she cannot repay the loans. This means that even though she *can* easily afford to make loan payments that the bank will not give her a loan. She's basically in a hole... the bank manager told her that she will pretty much never be able to get a loan for a car or a house. She was going to get married last month, but she and her fiancé decided to call it off as to keep their finances separate and circumnavigate the mess her parents made for her. It's so sad that the courts don't throw the book at people like this instead of letting them off with a slap on the wrist.

wow. I had no idea. this is sooo sad :(

My mother put the electric in my name without my knowledge and never paid it. I was 22 and creditors were calling me and I had NEVER had an account in my name, they gave the address and the year the account was opened and it turned out that year I was only 14. They didnt believe me and I went through months and months of harassing phone calls, until I finally changed my number and had it unlisted. I CANNOT imagine doing that to one of my children.

I got a better one. My mother did that to me, without my knowledge. I guess back in the days companies did not check much, if they did they would of found out that my social said I was a minor. Therefore I was not legally able to enter in any kind of contract with anyone. Including having a phone service. When I got married and was applying for basic services I found out how far I was in debt. I had to fight to prove that it was done without my knowledge there for I was not responsible, and by law, I was not.

This is really sad. I love my children and would never harm them in any way shape or form including their credit... My flaws are my flaws and not theirs.

I think this is a disgrace. Maybe even a form of child abuse. People call in the Suze Orman show all the time talking about their parents doing this to them and how it's ruined their financial lives. I'm not sure what to "do"...but definitely the kids' credit histories need to be made clean. I would say that the parents should be jailed, but I'm not sure this helps anyone either.