Intersections Inc. Provides Parents with Back to School Safety Tips

CHANTILLY, Va., Aug. 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Intersections Inc. (Nasdaq: INTX), a leading provider of consumer and corporate identity risk management services that has protected over 30 million consumers, wants students and parents to become more aware of the rapidly growing threats of identity theft and to learn how to protect themselves from becoming the next victim.  Identity theft continues to be one of the fastest growing crimes in the country and according to the Federal Trade Commission, 5 percent of all identity theft complaints in 2008 were victims under the age of one.  Younger aged children are often targeted by identity thieves because the crime can go undetected for longer periods of time.

"Intersections believes that education and awareness can help consumers, and in this case, parents of young children, modify their behaviors and minimize the impacts of identity theft and fraud.  Education is one of the most effective weapons against identity theft. We want to help parents understand the risks and know what to do if theft does occur," said Intersections CEO and founder, Michael Stanfield.

The U.S. National Center for Education Statistics estimates that an anticipated 56 million children will embark on their first day of school this fall.  For most parents, the start of the school year brings excitement and apprehension.  It also means having to fill out or update a number of forms required by the school, some of which ask for your child's date of birth, home address, phone number, and even your child's Social Security number.  In an age when child identity theft has become more prevalent, it is ultimately the responsibility of the parents to question how their children's personal identifiable information (PII) is being used, why it is necessary, and if it is being secured against identity theft.      

Intersections has compiled the following list of tips to help parents protect their school-aged children from becoming young victims of identity theft:

1. Remind your children not to share any personal information like their home address, phone number, or Social Security numbers with strangers.  Typically the first day of school is filled with lots of questions from school staff and children need to know to ask their parents first before sharing any of that information.
2. If you are a new parent with a child entering kindergarten, most schools will require a copy of that child's birth certificate.  Do not leave a copy behind.  If they are collecting information for later review, ask them where this information will be stored and who will have access to it.    
3. Most schools still ask for the child's Social Security number; however, it is more of a "like to have" rather than a "must have."  This information is not always handled properly and puts your child further at risk for having their identity compromised should the information be accidentally leaked or stolen from insiders.  Ask to speak to the principal if you are uncomfortable with providing the information.
4. Children are always excited to show off their brand new backpacks and supplies on the first day of school.  And most backpacks nowadays include identification tags that hang on the outside that include the owner's name and home address.  Instead of making your child's personal information easily accessible, writing their name in permanent ink somewhere on the inside of the bag is a better idea.
5. With more and more schools providing students access to computers for everyday use, it is important to teach your children how to be safe online while at school and to familiarize yourself with the school's Acceptable Use Policy for Internet Use.
6. Stay involved with your child's online activities.  Based on a study by Grunwald Associates, an estimated 27 percent of 9-17 year olds maintained weekly blogs, web pages or other online spaces in 2008.  One  in five U.S. children say they do things online their parents would not approve of, according to a recent Norton Online Living Report.  Make sure you monitor what your children are doing online.  Review and explain the privacy policies with your child so they understand how their information can be exposed if proper security preferences are not put in place.
7. Consider using parental control software or services to help monitor what your children are doing online.  Some parental control software can cost around $40 while many websites like AOL, MSN and Yahoo, offer some form of free parental controls included with their services.
8. Keep an eye out for any mail, particularly credit applications addressed to your child, or telemarketing calls asking for your child by name -- this could indicate that someone has used your child's personal information to commit identity theft.  

About Intersections (www.intersections.com)

Intersections Inc. (Nasdaq: INTX) is a leading provider of consumer and corporate identity risk management services.  Eight million consumers are protected by Intersections' consumer and breach remediation services offered through North America's leading financial institutions, directly to consumers under its award-winning IDENTITY GUARD® brand (www.identityguard.com), and through its exclusive partnership with ITAC, the Identity Theft Assistance Center.  Since its inception in 1996, Intersections has protected more than 30 million consumers.

For advice, opinions, and the latest news on identity theft for consumers, visit http://www.IDGuardian.com. Twitter handle: IDGuardian.

SOURCE Intersections Inc.