Identity theft red flags rule

Another day, another data breach. Most recently, Quest Diagnostics, a major medical-testing company, reported that a breach may have compromised not just financial and medication information but also the Social Security numbers of nearly 12 million patients. It’s a battlefield out there, but it’s important to try to keep hackers from accessing your private data, because it can turn into a payday for identity thieves. I recently invited Jeni Rogers, author of “200+ Ways to Protect Your Privacy,” to answer reader concerns about identity theft during a live online chat. Here are her answers to some of the leftover questions she got from readers. Q: We have a 1-year-old. Should we freeze his credit now? Rogers: Unfortunately, young children can be victims of identity theft, and it can often go on for quite a while before it’s noticed since children don’t typically have bank accounts and credit-monitoring profiles set up to watch for red flags. … [Read more...] about Yes, you probably should get a credit freeze for your child