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D.C. council member Tommy Wells says foster children are particularly at risk for identity theft. Wells says wants to make it easier for them to start living independently with clean financial slates.
According to Wells, children in foster care are at greater risk for having their identities stolen because they're more transient, they aren't very financially literate, and many people have access to their personal information.
Wells says they sometimes find out about the theft years later. This is why Wells is proposing the Child and Family Services Agency request credit reports on behalf of children, before they "age out" of the foster care system at 21. Wells says that way, if there has been some form of identity theft, they can get the help they need to fix it.
There are about 2,200 foster care children in D.C.
Kavitha Cardoza reports...
Cannes Film Festival Keeps Kenneth Turan Coming Back
David Greene talks with Morning Edition film critic Kenneth Turan about some of the movies at this year's Cannes Film Festival in France. They include a standout from American director Alexander Payne called Nebraska. Turan first covered the movie festival 42 years ago.In Raw Milk Case, Activists See Food Freedom On Trial
Activists say the case against Wisconsin dairy farmer Vernon Hershberger is about raw milk — and much more. His supporters have turned the case into a rallying cry for personal food freedom and the rights of farmers and consumers to enter into private contracts without government intervention.IRS Official's Silence Riles House Committee Members
On Wednesday, Lois Lerner, the IRS official overseeing the tax-exempt organizations office, refused to testify during a hearing on Capitol Hill, and was attacked by some Republicans on the House committee. Her brief appearance was the beginning of a five-hour session marked by angry outbursts and allegations of political motives.How That 'Nigerian Email Scam' Got Started
You've probably seen it in your inbox before: Someone who claims to have come into a fortune needs your help. You can share in the profits — if you send along a deposit or your bank account number. Boston Globe correspondent Finn Brunton talks about the history of the "Nigerian prince" or "419" scam, which actually got its start long before email.Leave a Comment
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