Sheila B: I was just wondering how would I know if someone was using my kids social security number? How can I prevent this from happening?

JW: Sheila, it’s hard to believe, but more and more minors are becoming victims of Identity Theft. This is a good scam for fraud artists, because most people aren’t thinking about their kids’ credit until they approach 18. But in many cases kids whose identities are stolen are very young, which means these crimes could go undetected for many years. So, how can you protect your child’s personal information? We found some great tips from researchers at the University of Florida.

Continue reading How Can I Protect My Child From Identity Theft? »

Walking alone at night can be very dangerous if you aren’t taking the proper precautions; safety should always be your first priority. John Walsh has some advice to help you use your “street smarts” to stay alert and aware, and to avoid becoming another crime-related statistic.

• Take note of your surroundings, and who’s around you. Don’t be distracted, and pay attention.
• Use well-lighted bus stops, and try to arrange to have a friend meet you.
• Don’t be embarrassed to yell, “Leave me alone,” if someone hassles you.
• Be aware of who gets off at your stop. If you feel nervous, get back on the bus or walk directly to a place where there are other people.
• Never display cash or valuables like an mp3 player. They may make you a target.
• Walk confidently and stay calm. If you think you are being followed, change direction or cross the street.

Remember, always trust your instincts. If something makes you uneasy, go with your feeling.

There’s likely no one alive who hasn’t been the victim of a cut. Most of the time though, a minor cut or scrape can easily be fixed with a good scrubbing and an adhesive bandage. But for kids, this inconvenience can be a big and scary event. The most important part is to always keep your child calm. Assure him or her that you will make it better.

You’ll need to inspect the cut to know how to treat it. If the cut is deep, bleeding excessively or was caused by an unknown animal or type of metal, consult a doctor or medical professional immediately. If you are waiting for medical help to respond to a large wound, apply pressure to the wounded area over a covering. If bleeding doesn’t stop, apply more pressure. Smaller cuts are much more manageable. Our friends at First Aid Info provide these tips for how to treat a small cut from start to finish Continue reading Tending To A Cut The Right Way »

Congress has always been instrumental in helping to keep America’s children safe. I’m proud to say that I’ve seen members of Congress work in a bipartisan way on child-protection legislation.

Right now the Senate is working on two bills that will significantly improve the tools that law enforcement has to fight child predators on the Internet. One is the PROTECT Our Children/Combating Child Exploitation Act (Senate Bill 1738), which will increase the funding to federal, state and local law enforcement agencies that investigate these crimes. The other is the Securing Our Adolescents from online Exploitation Act (the S.A.F.E. Act). This law will increase the reporting of crimes against children to the CyberTipline, the congressionally-mandated reporting mechanism operated by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.

These bills are necessary to the fight against child predators and I know they can be passed in a bipartisan way. The Senate is deciding whether to pass these bills now. I urge the Senate to do the right thing to help America’s children and pass Senate Bill 1738 and the S.A.F.E. Act.

-John