If you're anything like most new moms, you're probably concerned about things like whether or not you're messing up your baby's teeth by using a pacifier, the color, shape, and consistency of his poop, and whether or not you're ever going to get back into your skinny jeans again. Sound about right?

Now you can add one more worry to your list: Your baby may be a target for identity theft.. Yes, I'm serious. Some weirdo out there likely wants to pretend to be your 10-pound bundle of joy.

Identity theft is scary enough for adults, but it's actually way worse for a baby. For starters, adults are usually tipped off that something funky is going on when they realize that there is strange activity on their credit cards, or when a police officer shows up at their door claiming that they are running a drug ring out of their little home in suburbia. Those are usually pretty good indicators that their private information has been tampered with. Duh.

Odds are good that a baby isn't going to check his credit to see whether or not he is in good enough standing to apply for a home loan, right? When crooks get a hold of a new baby's social security number, they can basically take it and run with it and turn the child into whoever they want them to be. And then when the kid turns 18, he figures out that he's not getting into college because he is $50,000 in debt that he never knew he had, and to top it all off, there's a warrant out for his arrest. Not good.

I've always kept my son's social security card in what I thought was a fairly secure place. But does that mean that there is no chance that someone could potentially get their hands on it and turn him into the next Ted Bundy? I guess not. Shame on me.

Bottom line -- Be extra mindful of where you hide that thing, and always pay attention whenever you are asked to give out your child's social security number. Your baby's future (and your sanity) may depend on it.

What precautions do you take to avoid having your identity stolen?

 

Image via kaatjevervoort/Flickr