TIP Wayne State Advisory Board Member Cavagnagh
Introduces Foster Care Identity Theft Legislation
Transition to Independence Program at Wayne State University (TIP Wayne State) students and program partners often hear stories of former foster care youth who have devastatingly low credit scores due to caregivers who fraudulently use the youth's social security number to secure loans and other purchases. This has led to many youth entering adulthood with credit scores so low that even the simple act of opening a bank account is next to impossible. Students are finding it difficult to obtain loans for college, housing, and transportation due to former caregivers using the youth's social security number without their knowledge.
In 2013, the TIP Wayne State Advisory Board began discussing the need to protect foster care youth against identity theft. These discussions led the board to work with State Representative Phil Cavanagh of Michigan's 10th House District who authored, sponsored, and in early September 2014 introduced House Bill 5775. If passed, The Foster Child Identification Theft Protection Act would:
1) Require case workers to annually request a credit report from a consumer reporting agency on each child who is in foster care and assigned to the caseworker.
2) If the credit report indicates the appearance of fraudulent activity in the foster child's name, the caseworker will submit a copy of the credit report to the court at the child's next 90- day review of the foster child's case service plan.
3) The court will then order the lawyer- guardian to contact the consumer reporting agency and request that the consumer reporting agency immediately remove the fraudulent activity from the foster child's credit report.
In 2013, the TIP Wayne State Advisory Board began discussing the need to protect foster care youth against identity theft. These discussions led the board to work with State Representative Phil Cavanagh of Michigan's 10th House District who authored, sponsored, and in early September 2014 introduced House Bill 5775. If passed, The Foster Child Identification Theft Protection Act would:
1) Require case workers to annually request a credit report from a consumer reporting agency on each child who is in foster care and assigned to the caseworker.
2) If the credit report indicates the appearance of fraudulent activity in the foster child's name, the caseworker will submit a copy of the credit report to the court at the child's next 90- day review of the foster child's case service plan.
3) The court will then order the lawyer- guardian to contact the consumer reporting agency and request that the consumer reporting agency immediately remove the fraudulent activity from the foster child's credit report.
Help Foster Care Youth Reclaim Their Identity!
You can help foster care youth to reclaim their identity! Call your legislator and tell them that,
"I am calling as a voter in your district and I support House Bill 5775 sponsored by Representative Cavagnagh. And I would like my legislator to support "The Foster Child Identification Theft Protection Act."
It's That Easy!
Find your legislator by clicking on the photo of Representative Cavagnagh.
"I am calling as a voter in your district and I support House Bill 5775 sponsored by Representative Cavagnagh. And I would like my legislator to support "The Foster Child Identification Theft Protection Act."
It's That Easy!
Find your legislator by clicking on the photo of Representative Cavagnagh.