Identity theft usually conjures up mental images of desperate adults on phones trying to cancel credit cards or freeze bank accounts, but experts say the prevalence of social media and smartphones has caused children to be increasingly vulnerable to having their identities stolen, often with long-term consequences.
“Fraudsters are targeting children’s identities because they can exploit the information for an extended period,” said Rob Woods, director of fraud and identity for LexisNexis Risk Solutions, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools.
Mr Woods said criminals have learnt that because adults generally do not think their children are vulnerable, it generally takes much longer for them to figure out that a child’s identity has been compromised.
“This often remains undetected for years, as children typically do not engage in financial transactions nor do they or their parents monitor their credit,” he said.
With criminals well aware of the likelihood of the child's identity theft going undetected, Mr Woods said LexisNexis is seeing criminals opening bank accounts, applying for loans and even committing other financial crimes with the fake identity.
The increase in child identity theft, in part, is down to the easy access to a pool of potential victims through social media apps, LexisNexis said. Teenagers often leave their accounts public instead of private, and to make matters worse, they often post their full names, birthdays and other information that can be used for nefarious purposes.
In some cases, Mr Woods said identity thieves will use manipulative methods on social platforms.
“They lure young people into sharing personal details by disguising requests as harmless personality quizzes or fake competitions promising prizes,” he said. “Fraudsters design these tools to collect information from large numbers of people with minimal effort.”
“Parents, he added, may also be unaware their children’s identities have been compromised through more traditional scams such as email-based phishing attempts and what is become known as smishing – phishing tactics using text messages.”
Unlike identity theft involving adults, who can quickly notice and report the problem, the damage from children and teenagers falling victim to identity theft can be longer lasting and significantly more consequential.
“People often uncover the theft only when, as adults, they apply for a credit card, take out a loan for school or a car or attempt to rent their first apartment,” Mr Woods explained.
“By then, the damage has already begun to disrupt their financial independence and daily life.”
How parents can protect their child's identity
According to Javelin Strategy and Research, child identity fraud cost nearly $1 billion in 2021, with that number expected at the time to increase.
Experts such as Mr Woods say parents can take some simple steps to try to minimise the chance of their children falling victim to fraud.
The most obvious but often overlooked way to stop identity theft for children and teenagers, he said, is to make sure social media accounts are set as private.
He also said it is never too early to instil the importance of preserving personal information that comes with the territory of basic computer and smartphone use.
“Teach children to keep their details private, use strong and unique passwords and avoid sharing their login details, even with friends and even for things that might seem harmless like gaming,” he said, before focusing the onus back on adults, who he said must stay on high alert for things that might seem strange.
“Parents can also look out for unusual signs, like bills or even credit card offers addressed to their child – often these are the first noticeable signs of fraudulent activity.”
If caught early, he explained, the damage can be minimal.
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Saturday
Borussia Dortmund v Eintracht Frankfurt (5.30pm kick-off UAE)
Bayer Leverkusen v Schalke (5.30pm)
Wolfsburg v Cologne (5.30pm)
Mainz v Arminia Bielefeld (5.30pm)
Augsburg v Hoffenheim (5.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Bayern Munich (8.30pm)
Borussia Monchengladbach v Freiburg (10.30pm)
Sunday
VfB Stuttgart v Werder Bremen (5.30pm)
Union Berlin v Hertha Berlin (8pm)
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
The%20Afghan%20connection
%3Cp%3EThe%20influx%20of%20talented%20young%20Afghan%20players%20to%20UAE%20cricket%20could%20have%20a%20big%20impact%20on%20the%20fortunes%20of%20both%20countries.%20Here%20are%20three%20Emirates-based%20players%20to%20watch%20out%20for.%0D%3Cbr%3E%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EHassan%20Khan%20Eisakhil%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EMohammed%20Nabi%20is%20still%20proving%20his%20worth%20at%20the%20top%20level%20but%20there%20is%20another%20reason%20he%20is%20raging%20against%20the%20idea%20of%20retirement.%20If%20the%20allrounder%20hangs%20on%20a%20little%20bit%20longer%2C%20he%20might%20be%20able%20to%20play%20in%20the%20same%20team%20as%20his%20son%2C%20Hassan%20Khan.%20The%20family%20live%20in%20Ajman%20and%20train%20in%20Sharjah.%0D%3Cbr%3E%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EMasood%20Gurbaz%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EThe%20opening%20batter%2C%20who%20trains%20at%20Sharjah%20Cricket%20Academy%2C%20is%20another%20player%20who%20is%20a%20part%20of%20a%20famous%20family.%20His%20brother%2C%20Rahmanullah%2C%20was%20an%20IPL%20winner%20with%20Kolkata%20Knight%20Riders%2C%20and%20opens%20the%20batting%20with%20distinction%20for%20Afghanistan.%0D%3Cbr%3E%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOmid%20Rahman%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EThe%20fast%20bowler%20became%20a%20pioneer%20earlier%20this%20year%20when%20he%20became%20the%20first%20Afghan%20to%20represent%20the%20UAE.%20He%20showed%20great%20promise%20in%20doing%20so%2C%20too%2C%20playing%20a%20key%20role%20in%20the%20senior%20team%E2%80%99s%20qualification%20for%20the%20Asia%20Cup%20in%20Muscat%20recently.%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Brief scores:
Manchester City 3
Bernardo Silva 16', Sterling 57', Gundogan 79'
Bournemouth 1
Wilson 44'
Man of the match: Leroy Sane (Manchester City)
Chef Nobu's advice for eating sushi
“One mistake people always make is adding extra wasabi. There is no need for this, because it should already be there between the rice and the fish.
“When eating nigiri, you must dip the fish – not the rice – in soy sauce, otherwise the rice will collapse. Also, don’t use too much soy sauce or it will make you thirsty. For sushi rolls, dip a little of the rice-covered roll lightly in soy sauce and eat in one bite.
“Chopsticks are acceptable, but really, I recommend using your fingers for sushi. Do use chopsticks for sashimi, though.
“The ginger should be eaten separately as a palette cleanser and used to clear the mouth when switching between different pieces of fish.”
