Protecting Yourself From Identity Theft

Protecting yourself from identity theft has become a necessary evil in the current age. Identity theft continues to be one of the fastest growing crimes in North America with over 9 million people being victim to some aspect of identity fraud in 2007.

Below are some tips to help you guard against identity theft:

Did You Know...

There were 8.4 million U.S victims of identity fraud in 2007.
Total one year fraud amount was $49.3 billion in 2007.
The mean fraud amount per fraud victim was $5,720 in 2007.

Order a copy of your personal credit report on a yearly basis and review the information for accuracy. (You can order one for free every year).
Shred all unwanted documents that contain personal information.
Don’t leave mail in your mailbox overnight or on weekends.
Maintain a list of all your credit cards / debit cards and accounts. Make sure expiry dates and contact phone numbers are included. Do not keep this list in your wallet, keep it somewhere safe.
If your credit cards are lost or stolen, use this list to immediately cancel all your cards.
If you applied for a credit card and didn't receive it when you expected, or if a replacement card has not arrived when expected, call the issuer.
If your monthly statement has not arrived in the mail when it should, call your issuer.
If possible and applicable, use online billing rather than printed bills sent by mail.
Sign new credit cards immediately--before someone else does.
Memorize your Social Insurance number and passwords. Never use your date of birth as your password and don't record passwords on anything you carry around with you.
Do not carry birth certificates or SIN cards around with you. These items, like your passport, should be stored somewhere safe.
Never use your credit card online unless the site you are on is trusted and uses secure transactions.
Never leave transaction receipts at ATM machines, on counters at financial institutions, or elsewhere.
Match all bills against your monthly receipts and card statements.
Never trust an unsolicited phone call or email offering prizes that require you to disclose personal or financial information
When ordering new cheques, ask to have them sent to your local bank branch, NOT to your home.