Protecting Foster Children From Identity Theft

Children in foster care are frequently the victim of identity theft because relatives or someone else with knowledge of names and social security numbers use that information to open accounts, such as utilities, and never pay the bills. It is only when the youth ages out of foster care and seeks to apply for a credit card, rent an apartment or buy a car that they learn someone has stolen their identity. Unfortunately, many of these youth are ill-equipped to fix this problem on their own. In several cases, Children’s Law Center has advocated on our client’s behalf to secure credit reports and, when necessary, to contact creditors to remove negative reports.

On December 9, 2009, Children’s Law Center testified before the DC Council Committee on Human Services in support of the Foster Care Youth Identity Protection Amendment Act of 2009. If passed, this bill will require the Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA) to obtain credit reports on behalf of older youth in foster care. In doing so, the District join leading states like California, which has enacted a similar bill.

Click here to read CLC's testimony.