BALTIMORE (AP) — Attorney General Doug Gansler is providing some tips for parents who want to take advantage of a new Maryland law to protect children from identity theft.
The new law takes effect Tuesday.
Parents or guardians can contact the three major credit reporting agencies to place a freeze on their children’s credit.
A request can be made online to Equifax at www.equifax.com , to Experian at
http://www.experian.com/consumer/help/states/md.html
, and TransUnion at
http://www.transunion.com/personal-credit/credit-disputes/credit-freezes.page
Maryland’s law is the first of its kind in the nation. In the past, credit agencies have been able to refuse to lock the credit of those who do not have a pre-existing credit report. That’s a problem for children, because if they have a credit report they’re likely already a victim of fraud.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
