Here are a few ways to protect yourself
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 06/02/2003 (8467 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Are you afraid you might be a victim of identity theft? It’s hard to protect yourself but you can determine whether a stranger is trying to spend your money.
Det.-Sgt Brad Doell and computer expert Marc Rogers offer the following suggestions:
Get a copy of your credit report.
Make sure you don’t have an outstanding car loan in Halifax or a mortgage in Victoria. There are two credit bureaus in Canada.
TransUnion charges $14.99 for an on-line report but will send you one free by mail. You have to prove you’re not a thief by sending them your full name, date of birth, signature, photocopied driver’s license or passport or other form of ID.
TransUnion can be reached at www.tuc.ca or c/o Consumer Relations Centre, P.O. Box 338 LCDI, Hamilton, Ont., L8L 7W2.
Equifax Canada (www.eqifax.ca) can be reached at 1-800-465-7165. They charge $14.50 for an on-line credit report and offer a free report by mail.
Balance your own books.
Check bank statements and credit card bills. Make sure not only that you have spent the money your statement claims you have but also that you’ve only spent it once.
Rogers says people’s credit card numbers can easily be used to charge “extras”, such as cartons of cigarettes at a gas station or a roast at the grocery store.