Should I freeze my child's credit?

Reviewed answer

In the US, a free child credit freeze helps prevent new accounts opened in their name.

For a child under 16, follow the minor-freeze process separately at Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
Prepare proof of your identity, the child's identity, and your authority. Use each bureau's official instructions.
For ages 16 or 17, help your teen request their own freeze. Keep the records somewhere secure.
If unfamiliar accounts already exist, report child identity theft at IdentityTheft.gov and contact the companies involved.

Get help if

Your child receives collection notices, credit offers tied to an account, or benefit denials involving income they never earned.