My Spouse Is a Gambling Addict; how Can I Keep Him from Stealing my Kids’ Identities

Addiction sucks, and it’s broken up more marriages than I can count.

Gambling is the second fastest growing addiction in America (porn addiction is #1). Gambling addiction can be really bad because it, by definition, wastes so much of a family’s income.

While drugs can drain resources almost as fast as gambling, usually drug addicts find a way to keep the money aspect of things under some sort of control. Not so with gambling addicts. They bankrupt their families all the time.

People often deal with being married to a gambling addict by divorcing that gambling addict. They assume that will end their money problems because they won’t have to endure their ex’s behavior any more.

I wish that were true.

One tactic gamblers use to feed their addiction is by stealing other people’s identities. And when a gambler has kids, those kids are easy targets for identity theft.

Here are a few suggestions to keep your kids and their identities safe from a gambling addict.

  1. “Freeze” your kids’ credit reports.

When you put a “credit security freeze” on a credit account, it means no one can pull your credit report and score. If creditors cannot see a credit score, they will often (not always, oddly enough) deny a credit application. This means if you ex tried to open a credit card in your child’s name, the credit card company wouldn’t be able to run a credit check. This means there’s a much higher likelihood that your ex wouldn’t be able to open the credit card.

To put a credit security freeze on your kids’ accounts, you will need to contact all the major credit bureaus and work with them to initiate the process.

  1. Purchase identity theft insurance.

Another great idea to keep your kids’ identity safe is to purchase identity theft insurance.

There are some places that sell credit monitoring services, but those don’t do much. Essentially, they tell you when your identity has been stolen (gee, thanks).

By contrast, identity theft insurance will help you not only monitor your credit reports, but will also pay someone to fix everything if your identity is stolen. (It can take tens or hundreds of hours talking to banks and credit companies to set everything straight after identity theft occurs. Having someone do that for you is a lifesaver.)

This insurance is very inexpensive. Zander Insurance has a great plan with up to $1 million in coverage for peanuts.

  1. Tell your ex that if anything ever happens to the kids’ identities, you’ll go to the police and the FBI.

Yes, I know, I’m telling you to threaten your ex. I don’t normally suggest that sort of thing, but if you suspect your gambling addict ex will steal your kids’ identities, go ahead and threaten.

Identity theft is a crime. It’s certainly a state crime, and since it almost always involves dealing with institutions in other states, it’s almost always a federal crime as well.

This means you can go to the local police as well as the FBI. Let your ex you’ll be doing both if your kids’ identities are stolen.

Protect Your Money And Your Family

We remove fear associated with divorce, protect your money & maximize time with your kids!

We're here to help. Let's determine your best options.

Call Us 24//7 at 801-685-9999 to Speak with a Live Representative

Utah Divorce FAQs
Top 100 Divorce Blog
What Clients Are Saying…
BrownLaw icon
Excellent
Brown Family Law
4.8
Based on 918 reviews
Great support, Russell and Connor were amazing and got my case dismissed in only 2 months. Great communication with weekly calls. Easy to work with and were very conscious on not overspending my budget. Great team.
Response from the owner:Daniel, thank you for the kind words, and happy Russell and Connor did well for you.
Anne Greyson long was great to work with she really listens and fights for her clients thank you so much for all your hard work
Response from the owner:Thank you, Heather. Glad Anne-Greyson helped you so well.
You get what you pay for, and the Brown Family team is worth every penny. We truly appreciated their team-based approach, making sure that every detail of our case was thoughtfully handled. They were incredibly easy to work with, kept us informed throughout the process, and made sure no question ever went unanswered. By far the best family attorneys I’ve worked with, and the only ones I’ll call if I ever need legal help again.
Response from the owner:Chris, thank you. Glad we were able to guide you through your process.
Andrew made the whole process smooth and quick! Kept me updated on any changes, and followed up with me constantly!

Made me feel at ease throughout the whole process and made sure I felt seen/ heard!
Response from the owner:Joselyn, thank you for the kind words.
David Handy is my attorney and he is excellent. He understands my cases and is well informed to defend my needs and the needs of my kids. He is supportive and compassionate. Telling me how things are and what to expect. He does very well with my high conflict cases (protective order and divorce). I highly recommend him and the Brown Family Law firm. Everyone I have talked to is helpful. Especially Conor Schetzel who is currently the paralegal on my cases.
Response from the owner:Suzanne, thank you and glad David has taken care of you.
Nathaniel Garrabrandt and Brown Family Law is where I send people who are seeking Divorce. Highly professional and compassionate. Thank you!
Response from the owner:Jaren, thank you for the referrals.
I cannot say enough good about my experience with Brown Family Law. Ray Hingson and paralegal Carren did an excellent job with my case. I will definitely use this firm again for any legal issues.
Response from the owner:Meghann, so glad Ray and Carren took good care of you.
I have worked with Andrew Christensen many times in a variety of situations. I am very impressed with his friendly demeanor in a difficult situation. I would highly recommend him to you without any reservations.
Response from the owner:Thank you, Monica.
Highly recommend Brown Family Law. Life is hard, divorce is harder, and Andrew Christensen is your guy to help you through to the other side.
Response from the owner:Mike, thank you for the kind words and the referrals.
When you’re going through a tough time and need legal help, this firm isn’t just a one-person operation. It’s a team of attorneys who work together to support you every step of the way. So you’re not just getting a lawyer, you’re getting a legal team behind you.

Navigating the legal system was a steep learning curve for me, and my situation was fairly complex. What stood out about this law firm was the way multiple attorneys collaborated to address my case. It wasn’t just one person working in isolation, but a team supporting each other to find the best path forward. That kind of collective effort is a real strength, especially in hard out complex situations like mine.

There was one issue I felt should have had a different outcome with the court. When I brought it up, the team responded in a very professional and respectful manner, which I truly appreciated. It came to my understanding that the legal system sometimes works in a way that is distant than I thought. This was presented to me in a way that someone outside of the legal system could understand.

In my experience, this firm takes the time to not only assist you, but also help you understand why things are happening. That made a big difference for me, and it’s something that really sets them apart.
Response from the owner:David, thank you for our conversation and taking the time to leave this review.
yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7

Categories

Related Posts