Child Safety Kit Scam

• Author | Marlee Sacks
• Date | 4/3/2020 3:00 pm

Scammers have yet again created a new ploy that can put your child’s identity at risk, and it is called, “free child safety kits.” You’re probably wondering what this is and how it happens. A child safety kit is in fact a real tool that parents use today. It is a packet of identifying information about your kid that is kept up to date in case of a missing child situation.

While this is a tremendous preemptive safety precaution that safety officials encourage, parents need to be aware of where the information is going and who has access to it. “Free” is the key word here. Anything that claims it is “free” is likely a scam. You, the parent, could be contacted through email, over the phone, or even social media. Fraudsters are insisting that in order to receive your “free child safety kit”, you need to provide them with sensitive information about your child such as, full name, address, birthdate, and social security number.

Never give out your child’s personal information to a stranger, especially online. Legitimate businesses will not contact you unless they have received prior authorization, often through mail.

Parents should be concerned with the security of their child’s identity, and there are actions to take. Freeze your child’s credit with Protect My Kids ID, do not give out any unnecessary information about your child to the school or extracurricular establishments, and if someone requests your child’s personal information – ask them why they need it and what it is being used for.

Scam Alert: Free Child Safety Kits Put Kids' Identities at Risk. (2019, December 16). Retrieved November 12, 2020, from https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/21128-scam-alert-free-child-safety-kits-put-kids-identities-at-risk