Theft of children's identities often goes unnoticed for years: Social Security numbers can make kids easy targets.

Byline: Diane C. Lade

Dec. 1--Randy Waldron Jr. deposited his first paycheck when he was an infant. By the time he was in elementary school, he had bought and sold property, cars and restaurants and racked up tax liens because of financial problems.

He had a felony record at age 7.

At least so said credit reports, property records and court documents. But the true culprit, Waldron said, was his estranged father, Randolph Waldron Sr., of Loxahatchee, who covertly used the boy's Social Security number for 22 years, beginning shortly after his birth.

Consumer advocates say the Waldron case is a classic example of a serious problem: child identity theft.

The Federal Trade Commission estimates about 500,000 identity theft incidents annually involve children under age 19, with the …