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Alert!

Identity Theft - Don't Be A Victim

Beware:

Anyone can become a victim of this rapidly rising crime. Identity theft is described as "acquiring key pieces of someone's identifying information in order to impersonate them and commit various crimes in that person's name." According to a Marketplace report aired on February 8, 2000, the Ontario Provincial Police anti-rackets squad is investigating over 200 people who have had their identities stolen.

A typical victim's financial losses have been calculated to be as high as $36,000.00. Generally, it is very hard to undo the damage to your reputation and credit rating.

In order to commit identity theft, criminals need personal information about you such as your Social Insurance Number (SIN), bank account, or credit card numbers. This information may be obtained by stealing your wallet, stealing from mail boxes, or re- directing mail, lurking around automated teller machines and watching the numbers being entered, illegally obtaining credit reports, checking out your blue box recycling, watching your transactions at stores, and even by using computer software to access personal data.

There is a private sector privacy law, Bill C-6, The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act which is expected to come into force on January 1, 2001, which will help ensure the confidentiality of your personal information.

More information on ID Theft is available on the Internet at the following websites:

www.privcom.gc.ca - Privacy Commissioner of Canada (Federal government)
www.cbc.ca/marketplace/files/scams/idtheft - CBC's Market Place files
www.consumer.gov/idtheft - Consumer information on Identity Theft
www.ipc.on.ca - Information and Privacy Commissioner (Ontario government)
www.ftc.gov. - Federal Trade Commission (US government)

Be Wise:

While no one is safe from this crime, there are a number of things you can do to protect yourself and your good name!

Before recycling, shred any papers that have personal information about you. This includes phone bills, pre-approved credit applications, SIN numbers, driver's licenses, tax records, passports, utility bills, credit cards.

At any stores, make sure there is only one transaction record for any credit card purchases. If, for some reason, a purchase was voided and re-entered, ask the clerk to destroy the voided record in your presence.

Do not give out your Social Insurance Number, Birthdate, or Personal Identification Number over the phone.

Carefully review all your bank statements, bills, and credit card statements, If anything is not right contact the companies immediately. If statements do not arrive on time, contact your post office and your creditors to ensure your mail has not been diverted to another location.

Carry as little identification as possible in your wallet. Leave your birth certificate and SIN card at home.

Check your credit rating with both credit bureaus every six months. This is freeof charge. Call Equifax Canada Inc. at 1-800-465-7166 and Trans Union of Canada at 1-800-663-9980. They must provide you with this information, although you can only request and receive it by mail. If there is something wrong with your report, be persistent in trying to correct it.

If you suspect that your identity has been stolen, report it immediately to the police. If credit card or bank statements are in error, call your bank. If you do not receive your bills or statements, or if there is anything unusual about your mail service, call the post office.

For more information on Identify Theft and/or fraudulent activity please contact the following organizations:

Winnipeg Police Department: (204) 986-6222
RCMP's Commercial Crimes Unit (204) 983-2000
Consumers' Association of Canada (Manitoba)
In Winnipeg: (204) 452-2572
Toll-free: 1-888-596-0900

*CAC Manitoba compiles information about scams from various sources, agencies, and publications that are available in our InfoCentre. The issue of ScamWatch was written with the help of information from an Ontario government website, www.ipc.on.ca and the Federal Trade Commission's website at www.ftc.gov.