Protecting your child's personal information

With the start of a new school year, you may be filling out a lot of forms as you enroll your kids in extracurricular activities.

But it's a good idea to limit the information you share, because if it falls into the wrong hands, a criminal could ruin your child's credit.

Question whether it is absolutely necessary to provide all the personal information that you're being asked for.

"As the Better Business Bureau, we just say to use caution," said Paula Fleming, chief marketing and sales officer for the BBB. "Whatever information you're sharing, whether it be online or in person, the more you put out there, unfortunately, the more likely it is for something to happen."

Keep in mind that even school systems can be hacked. In 2019, there were 348 data breaches in educational institutions, and the personal information of more than 2.3 million students was exposed to scammers.

It's wise to safeguard as much information as you can.

If you have young kids, don't write their full name on backpacks or lunch boxes. With middle and high school kids, verify that they aren't divulging sensitive information while using smart phone apps. Talk with them about internet safety and how to protect their personal data.

"If you're online and you see these great opportunities, free giveaways, contests, be cautious on what information you're sharing," said Fleming. "Oftentimes, children will go online to create accounts, and to get access to accounts where there are age limits, they will create false birthdays. So know what your child is doing online to the best of your ability … you want to keep track of their social media sites and all their accounts, if possible -- what they have access to and what they're sharing."

And have a talk with your college-aged kids about safeguarding their Social Security number and other personal information.

"Even if they are, you know, online doing online courses, there's still a lot of information that can leave them open to identity theft, to fraud, to scams that are potentially targeting them," said Fleming. "They will often … complete forms for credit cards. Making sure that they understand that they're using a secure website and a legitimate credit card [company] is important. And that starts at home … with communication and education."

Parents should also be mindful of what information they are sharing on social media. A simple photo may disclose your child's exact location. The BBB warns against sharing back to school pictures with lots of details about your kids.

"We are seeing, on social media platforms, young children holding up signs with a lot of personal information. So we're encouraging people to be cautious on how much information you're sharing online," said Fleming. "But also, before you post those pictures, make sure that you are protected with your settings … because it is important that you're only sharing that information with known family and friends."

Sharing too much information compromises safety and increases the risk of identity theft. If someone is asking for your child's Social Security number, don't give it up unless it's absolutely necessary.

You should also check your child's credit often and consider requesting a security freeze with the three credit bureaus until they get older. It is free and easy to do.