Study finds one in 43 US children had data exposed

Cybercriminals use stolen or publicly shared personal information to target victims, from Varanasi phone scams seeking one-time passwords through phishing links, malware, call-forwarding tricks and SIM swaps to identity theft involving children. Police in Varanasi say fraudsters keep switching numbers and tactics even after thousands of suspected numbers are shut down. Oversharing children’s birthdays, school details and location photos can help criminals answer security questions or assemble a child’s identity; such fraud may remain undetected for years because children rarely have credit or account activity monitored. A cited study found that one in 43 U.S. children had personal information exposed in an online compromise or hack in a single year. The articles advise limiting personal information shared online, using strong passwords and two-factor authentication, checking financial and credit records for suspicious activity, and considering a credit freeze for a child.