Protect against ID theft

What is identity theft? Identity theft has been called the fastest-growing crime in North America, and involves the acquisition of information or documents of a living or deceased person.
This information then is used to commit crimes.

Typically, identify theft includes fraudulently obtaining or forging government documents such as drivers’ licences, health cards, SIN cards, and birth certificates.
A compromised identity can have profound consequences on individuals, businesses, and government. Being a victim can affect your job, reputation, credit rating, benefits, or access to your own business and financial accounts,
What can you do to protect yourself from being a victim of identity theft?
•Guard your personal information
—Never give personal information by phone, Internet, or mail unless you initiate the contact;
—Shield your debit card PIN and never lend your cards;
—Report missing credit or debit cards;
—Shred documents with personal information; and
—Your SIN only should be used for employment and tax information.
•Guard your computer and its information
—Select complex passwords combining letters, numbers, and symbols;
—Install firewall, anti-virus, anti-spyware, and security software and update often; and
—Don’t buy and don’t reply to spam or e-mails that ask for banking information.
•Signs of ID theft
—Purchases not made by you appear on your monthly bills;
—Bills arrive on accounts you don’t own;
—Collection agencies call about unknown debt;
—Credit card/bank statements don’t arrive; and
—Your credit report shows mystery debts
•What to do
—Call financial institutions and local police;
—Put a fraud alert on your credit report by contacting Equifax at 1-800-465-7166 and/or Trans Union at 1-877-525-3823; and
—Keep records of steps taken to clear your name and re-establish your credit.
For information on the types of schemes involved with identity theft, visit the “Phonebusters” website at www.phonebusters.com or the Ministry of Government Services at www.ontario.ca/consumerprotection
Fraud . . . recognize it . . . report it . . . stop it.