Category Archives: Credit Scores

While many parents will get a Social Security Number for their child, it may be many years before the child uses their identification for financial purposes (e.g., opening a bank account). In the intervening time, the dormancy of children’s information makes kids an ideal target for identity thieves. The children’s underlying data is real, but there isn’t any competing activity that could interfere with the thieves’ use of the information. And theft of a child’s identity can have long-term effects years down the road, from interfering with the ability to obtain student loans to getting a job or an apartment.

So here are some things to be aware of regarding child identity theft.

What Thieves May Use the Data For

The Federal Trade Commission warns that identity thieves will use a child’s name, Social Security Number, date of birth, and home address. They may use this information to fraudulently apply for government benefits, credit cards, or loans. They might even rent an apartment and have their utilities under a child’s name.

What to Do to Protect Your Child

To protect your child from identity theft, be as protective of their information as you would be of your own. Secure documents. Shred papers that you no longer need. Delete data from old computers or phones you are retiring. Don’t give out your children’s Social Security number, even to a school, without first finding out why someone is asking for it and how they will protect children’s data.

Ask if you can use a different identifier or supply just the last four digits of the Social Security number.

And, just as you should check your credit report for errors, you should monitor their credit. There shouldn’t be a credit report until they have an account or record in their name.

Warning Signs to Look Out for

Be on the lookout for warning signs that identity thieves are already misusing your child’s data. For example, if your child starts receiving solicitations in the mail for credit cards or other financial services. Or when you create an account, you are told that one already exists. Another clue is if you are denied credit or harassed for unpaid debts you didn’t know you had.

If you do suspect that your child’s identity has been compromised by identity theft, contact an attorney who specializes in representing clients like you. A lawyer can not only help you repair your and your child’s credit record, but they can also help you obtain compensation for any damages you sustained.

The traditions and symbolism behind Vietnamese names are profoundly meaningful, while individuals’ personal names are often beautiful and inspiring. But having a Vietnamese name in the United States can pose a unique challenge when it comes to someone’s financial security. Let’s explore why this is an issue and what you can do to protect yourself.

Common Vietnamese Surnames

As explained in the web magazine Atlas Obscura, the most common Vietnamese surname is Nguyen. Estimates are that as much as 40% of the Vietnamese population have Nguyen as their surname. Furthermore, people with one of the 14 most common surnames (Nguyen, Tran, Le, Pham, Hoang, Vu, Dang, Bui, Do, Ho, Ngo, Duong, and Ly) total more than 90 percent of the population. By contrast, if you added up all of the people in the U.S. with the 14 most common last names, you’d have named less than 6 percent of the U.S. population.

The reason that Nguyen is so popular is that, historically, in Vietnamese culture, surnames were less used to describe family relationships and more to reveal one’s ties to a political administration. From 1802 until 1945, Vietnam was ruled by the Nguyễn Dynasty, so many families took the Nguyen name to demonstrate their allegiance to the imperial family.

Common Names are More Likely to Result in Mixed Files

In the U.S., financial well-being is largely shaped by someone’s credit reports and credit scores maintained by the three largest national credit bureaus, TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax. These companies compile financial profiles on American consumers, collecting information such as banking accounts, student loans, mortgages, credit cards, and outstanding debts. But with files on more than 200 million consumers, errors in credit reports are common.

One of the most frequent types of errors is a “mixed file,” when a person’s file includes the credit information of someone with the same name. Mixed files are more common when for those who have common names. And they are more likely to occur between family members because they share their names and addresses.

Since most people of Vietnamese ancestry have one of 14 last names, they may be more likely to have a mixed credit file.

Other Vietnamese naming traditions—e.g., ordering the middle name before the personal name, giving siblings the same name, or personal names that are two words long—also may lead to errors in a credit file. For example, one person’s records may be mixed with a sibling, while another may have vital information missing because a second file was created under the latter half of their two-word name.

Given these issues, it’s important for those with Vietnamese names to monitor their credit reports. And if there are errors, make sure to correct them. Having errors on a credit report can lead you to pay higher interest rates and have difficulty obtaining credit cards and loans. It can even make getting a job or renting an apartment more difficult.

While the law requires that the credit bureaus fix any mistakes in your report, studies show that credit bureaus aren’t very good at responding to people’s complaints. That’s why, if you discover any errors with your credit report, contact an attorney experienced in representing clients like you. The Credit Report Law Group can only help you correct your credit record and obtain compensation for any damages you sustained.

While those with Arabic names may be used to having people make mistakes in addressing them (e.g., thinking that “bin” or “ben” is someone’s first or middle name), these errors can be more than a mild annoyance if they are on someone’s credit report. When that happens, it can have real consequences on their financial life by reducing their credit score. And that can lead to difficulty getting credit cards, loans, mortgages, or renting an apartment. Debt collectors may even harass them for debts that aren’t theirs. 

So let’s explain how those with Arabic names are more likely to have these issues, how to protect yourself from these problems, and what to do if errors have occurred. 

Arabic Naming Conventions Can Lead to Credit Report Errors 

As any Arab knows, compared to the English tradition of a personal name and a family name, Arabic names are more complex. And it’s not just that they are longer than English names, with more elements. From an aspirational ism to their nisbah, Arabic names tell a person’s history. But these various elements may be incorrectly captured in a U.S. form with space only for first and last names and the occasional middle initial.  

The result is you may get credit card offers in the mail addressed to “Al” as your first name, or maybe it’s “Dr.,” thinking “Md.” stands for a physician instead of Mohammed. Those solicitations come from a review of credit reports to identify eligible customers. So, when that misaddressed mail arrives, laugh, but then check your credit. It suggests there are errors in your credit report.  

Watching for Credit Report Errors

As many as one-third of Americans have mistakes in their credit reports. 

A common source of errors is a “mixed file,” when one person’s credit report includes someone else’s information.  

Mixed files often occur when two people have the same name. Therefore those with common names such as Mohammed (and its many phonetic variations) are more vulnerable to mixed files. An estimated 150 million men around the world are named Mohammed—and the credit confusion is only heightened since it is used as both a first and last name.  

Sometimes those with a mixed file can be strangers, but family members can have mixed files. In these cases, the people share more than their names. They may have the same addresses, so the information used to verify identities will be the same. So within-family mixed files can be challenging to correct. 

That’s why it’s important to monitor credit reports. Federal law entitles every consumer in the U.S. to have one free credit report every twelve months, and it’s a wise practice to calendar that regular review of your credit. And if any problems arise, such as an expected denial of credit, check your credit report immediately. 

If there are errors, correct them as soon as possible.  

However, fixing these errors can be easier said than done. That’s why if you discover any errors with your credit report, contact an attorney specializing in representing clients like you. The Credit Report Law Group can only help you correct your credit record and obtain compensation for any damages you sustained.