PROTECT YOURSELF AGAINST IDENTITY THEFT

By Millie Reynolds, Home Economist

This article contains general information and is not to be considered a substitute for legal information.

Every year thousands of people are victims of Identity Theft (Identity Fraud). It is the fastest growing crime. Identity Theft can leave you with bills, bad cheques, worries and a tarnished reputation. Re-establishing your credibility can be a difficult and time consuming process.

What is identity theft?

Identity Theft involves the unauthorized use of a victim's identity for fraudulent purposes such as to obtain credit, credit cards; steal money from the victim's bank account(s); apply for loans, utility accounts or jobs; rent or purchase accommodation and/or impersonation. The theft may be due to no fault of the victim. 

What identity items might be stolen ? 

Items frequently stolen include: Social Insurance Number (SIN); Indian Status card; birth certificate; immigration papers; passport; health card; credit cards; drivers license; bank cards; birth date; income tax returns; mother's maiden name and lists of names, addresses and phone numbers.

How could a thief get your identity?

• Sifting through garbage whether it be yours, your employer's or a business with whom you have dealt
• Stealing your purse or wallet containing personal identification items
• Removing mail from your mailbox
• Obtaining information from your personal effects available to others at work
• Obtaining personal information from Internet and/or mail questionnaires. (The documents may look authentic.)
• Posing as a bank official, landlord, or employer seeking personal information from you.
• Searching public sources such as telephone books, newspapers, professional certification documents.
• Reading your R sum with personal information on the internet
• Buying information from dishonest employees
• Stealing computer discs or computers from you or companies you deal with
• Reading over your shoulder as you type in your pin number

What are some signs your identity might have been stolen?

• You receive unexpected bills and statements for articles you have not purchased
• You receive bills on accounts that you haven't opened
• Bills and statements do not arrive when they should
• Financial statements arrive and include expenditures you did not make
• Credit card company phones to inquire about a purchase which you did not make
• Your application for credit is turned down and the reasons do not make sense to you.

Ways to reduce your risk

• If any document such as driver's license, passport, bank or credit cards, Social Insurance Number cards are lost or stolen, notify appropriate issuer immediately
• Shred or destroy any personal identifying information before throwing it in the garbage bin
• Consider having a locked mail box
• Do not respond to door, telephone or computer requests for personal information
• Shield your hand when entering you pin number. Pin numbers chosen should not be easy to remember or identify such as 5555 or 1234
• Do not leave personal information lying around your home, car or place of employment
• Carry only personal cards that you regularly use.
• Have a firewall and virus protection on your computer
• Have your computer on only when using it.
• Do not send personal information via email
• If you sell or donate your computer be sure files are deleted from your hard drive
• Once a year get a copy of your credit report from the major credit reporting bureaus. In Canada call:
  • Equifax Canada at 1-800-465-7166
  • Trans Union Canada at 1-866-525-0262
• Know when your credit card, financial statements and bills arrive. If they do not arrive when expected, contact appropriate organization.
• Keep a list of contact telephone numbers for source of documents such as bank accounts, credit cards, account numbers
• Photocopy the contents of your wallet annually and keep the copies in a safe place.
• When banking online to prevent hackers from obtaining your bank password, cut and paste your password rather than keying it in.

What to do if you suspect something is wrong

• Call your financial institution(s) and the police.
• If you discover mail is missing, call Canada Post.
• Keep records of the actions you have taken. Include dates, to whom you spoke and details of conversations.
• Contact PhoneBusters at 1-888-495-8501or www.phonebusters.com to report the fraud.
• Contact sources of cards that are lost o report the loss and the cards replaced.

You probably can not totally prevent identity theft, but taking certain precautions can lessen the chances of theft. Guard you personal information and be vigilant at all times.

For more information:

Places of interest to Saskatchewan (Canada) residents are:

• your provincial (territorial) and national government. -1-888-374-4636 consumerprottection@justice.gov.sk.ca
• Privacy Commission (Canada), www.privcom.gc.ca
• Public Information Advocacy Centre (Canada), www.piac.ca

References:

Ontario Home Economics Association, "What's in Your Wallet", Newslink, Summer 2007.