Requesting Your Child's Credit Report

As you know, there are rules that keep young people from doing certain things until they reach a set age. Accessing credit reports is among them. These restrictions - whether they take the form of laws, guidelines or more informal rules - are in place to keep minors safe from potential identity theft.   Because minors are not eligible for credit to be legally extended to them, they should not have a credit history (credit report) unless one of the following circumstances occurred.

• They are an authorized user or joint account holder on a parent or guardian's account.
• They opened a line of credit in his/her name by altering their date of birth to suggest they were older.
• They have been a victim of identity theft, and someone else opened an account in his/her name.

Although it may create headaches for you and other parents, the bureaus need proof that you aren't trying to access your child's credit report with malicious intent. Those rules and ages vary somewhat by bureau.  Below are the guidelines for each bureau when accessing a minor's credit report. . Remember, it is very important that when sending in sensitive information, such as copies of birth certificates and Social Security cards, that you mail your documentation in a registered, return-receipt envelope or package.    

TransUnion requires consumers must be at least 17 years old before they can obtain a copy of their credit report. The bureau says it doesn't create reports for anyone it knows is under 17.  If you feel your child has been a victim of ID theft, or has obtained credit fraudulently you can request a report using these guidelines:

Send an e-mail request to childidtheft@transunion.com , requesting the agency to check to see if a credit file exists under your child's name or Social Security number. The agency then investigates and if a credit file does exists. If there is no credit file, then the parent will receive an e-mail stating there is no credit file, but if there is one, the parent will be instructed to send in more information, including:

• A copy of the child's Social Security card.
• The child's address.
• The child's full name.
• The child's date of birth and a copy of the minor child's birth certificate.
• The parent's government-issued proof of identity, which includes your current address.
• A copy of current utility bill that also reflects your current address.

TransUnion's mailing address is:

TransUnion, PO Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92834  

Experian allows anyone 14 years or older to request their own report online, by phone, or through the mail.  Send Experian a letter requesting a copy of your child's credit report, accompanied with the following materials:

• A current copy of the parent or guardian's driver's license.
• Proof of the parent or guardian's address (such as a bank statement, telephone bill, credit card statement, etc.).
• A copy of the child's birth certificate.
• A copy of the child's Social Security card.
• A listing of previous addresses for the past two years.
• The child's full name (including middle name and generation - Jr., Sr. I, II, etc.).
• Upon receipt of the letter and verification of the items above, Experian will search the database for a file and respond to the parent or guardian with the results.

Experian's mailing address is:

Experian, P.O. Box 9532, Allen, TX 75013 

The steps listed above can be heard by calling Experian at (888) 397-3742 and follow the prompts. 

Equifax asks that the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) send their request to: Equifax Minor Child Department
P.O. Box 105139, Atlanta, GA 30348

As part of the request, parents will need to provide a copy of the child's birth certificate and a copy of the parent's ID or guardianship papers as well as:

• A copy of the child's Social Security card.
• The child's address.
• The child's full name.
• The child's date of birth.

Upon receipt of the documents listed above, Equifax will attempt to locate a file for the minor child and place an alert on the child's Social Security number. Once Equifax's research is complete, they will send a response back to the parent(s) or legal guardian(s).