Measure proposed to combat child identity theft

NEW YORK -- Sen. Charles Schumer is proposing a measure to fight what he calls the growing trend of child ID theft.

The New York Democrat told a news conference Sunday that children under 18 are easy targets because their credit reports have mostly clean histories.

He's proposing legislation that would automatically freeze credit cards for kids until a parent or guardian unfreezes them. In addition, credit companies would not allow people to open accounts for children unless the account openers prove they're the children's parents or guardians.

Schumer says many youths learn that their identities were stolen long after the fact, when they check their credit reports for the first time and realize they're blemished.

He plans to introduce the proposal in the Senate next week.