Identity theft newest online threat to kids

May 22, 2006 (WLS) -- A new warning Monday concerns the dangers of social internet sites like MySpace.com, the second most popular web site in the world. Now, it' is attracting con artists who are looking for information for identity theft.

The message seems simple for little kids: If someone they don't know tries to take them somewhere, say "Get away. I don't know you."

Kids who go online may have to work on their message. This is part of the Chicago Police Department's child safety program warning kids about dangers they may encounter, including the high-tech danger of strangers on line who may also want to harm them.

Kara Bourke is the computer lab teacher at Bateman Elementary School. She says while Chicago Public Schools have many blocks on their computers, she teaches students to not give any personal information online. She has found web sites created to attract kids, but they se really a way to prey on the vulnerable.

"We're on the internet all day .It's here, but we have to be careful," Bourke said.

These students don't even know about identity theft. But with as little information as a name and address, an identity thief could make a lot of trouble for a young person online.

"A lot of people go on line and go to like a MySpace.com and try to get personal information from the children as they are communicating with them in MySpace or provide them with a link to a completely different web site," said Ray Ranne.

Ray Ranne is one of the officer's with Chicago's Child Safety Program, his specialty is internet safety.

He says there is the immediate threat of sexual predators trying to lure young victims on the internet, and there is a far reaching threat: identity thieves who get information and use it for years before the child even realizes the problem.

"They may not realize until they are 17 or 18 and try to get a credit card, and they will find out that there's a history and it is not them," Ranne said.

Officers try to make the warnings appropriate to the age of the children. But it won't be long before these kids are online and innocent entries on the worldwide web could be used against them. If that happens, it will take more than shouting to clear their name.

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