Casual attitude about taking precautions.

Naive about security and safety.

Trusting (often because they have never been swindled before)

Young people often hang out in higher risk locations: entertainment hangouts, public internet hubs, etc.

Young people are less likely to review their credit report for unusual activity.

Parents should talk to their kids about identity theft and information security. Although the following tips may seem obvious to experienced adults, a surprising number of young people don’t follow some of the following basic guidelines. -Never lend your credit card, debit card to anyone, and never share your password.
-Do not print your driver’s license number, birth date, or social security number on your checks.
-When you write a check at a store, don’t allow them to confirm your check by writing in your credit card number.
-Don’t put outbound mail in your mailbox for your postal carrier to pickup. Take your mail directly to a US postal mailbox.
-If your credit card or ATM card is lost or stolen, alert your bank/credit card issuer immediately.
-Avoid using passwords or PIN numbers that might be easy for a thief to figure out (i.e. avoid birth dates, common names, etc.
-Shred any financial documents or anything containing sensitive information before putting them in the trash.
-Always check your credit card statement for charges you did not make.
-Order a copy of your credit report at least once per year. Look out for creditors on your statement that you never applied for.

For additional identity theft prevention tips along with basic money skills tips that young people need to understand, please visit http://learnmoneybasics.com   The website’s purpose is to explain personal finance basics and money management to teens and young adults.