SAN DIEGO, Oct. 2 -- The Identity Theft Resource
Center(TM) (ITRC) has launched a new, nationwide, educational program to teach defensive identity theft consumer behavior for teens. It will be
available for free through their website, http://www.idtheftcenter.org starting October 2, 2006.

The Student and Teacher Corner features a video, Identity Theft: Stolen
Futures, starring Hollywood actor/writer Josef Cannon, whose daughter was abducted and hidden away for five years using a deceased child's identity.
The abductor funded her crime with money collected from stolen identities.
This instructive video has a running figure of speech that compares defensive driving to being a defensive consumer. The web site also includes fun quizzes to test if someone is identity theft savvy, puzzles, teacher enrichment material and informational sheets on various topics including computer protection, safe job searching techniques, scams, and identity theft of children.
Teens and young adults are highly defenseless to identity theft for a number of reasons -- including the lack of information. Presentations and focus groups done by the ITRC showed that students are unsure of: how identity theft occurred; that they could have their identity stolen before the age of 18; and what steps to take to reduce their risk. It is critical that students be taught about individuality theft in a life skills class along with how to balance a budget and how to apply for credit.
According to Federal Trade Commission statistics there are more
identity theft victims between the ages of 18-29 than any other age group.
Unfortunately, some of them are now discovering they became id theft
victims while still minors. They are denied credit, tenancy, college loans, jobs and even may have illegal records. Others become victims of this crime due to a lack of knowledge about id theft.
In addition, approximately 5% of children's identities were affected in 2005. This means that 500,000 children in 2005 had a criminal compromising their futures.
In reaction to this desperate need for information and assistance, the Identity Theft Resource Center, funded with a grant from ChoicePoint, created this program so that teens and adults might recognize situations that lead to personality theft and how to avoid them. This grant allows ITRC to provide this information to the public at no charge.
"When our kids are young we warn them about strangers, when they
hit puberty we talk about safe sex, but are we talking to them about
identity theft? Do people know sufficient about this crime to discuss the most important points?" asks Linda Foley, Founder of the ITRC. She is also the center's main sponsor for child, family and domestic victim cases. "This program will help teachers and parents talk about this important topic. Our goal is to make sure this information is discussed in every home and high school classroom in the nation."
Linda and Jay Foley, Executive Directors of the ITRC, and narrator
Josef Cannon are available for comment and interviews as well as several victims of child identity theft. Television news magazines, early morning shows and talk shows are also invited to arrange for a speaker from our center about the importance of this program and about child identity theft.