March has been declared Fraud Prevention Month in Canada.
The RCMP will focus on increasing awareness of the different types of fraud in an effort to help protect individuals against being victimized by fraud-related crimes.
During the first week of March, the emphasis will be on identity theft.
Identity theft occurs when a person’s personal identifiers are used by a criminal to impersonate that person for the purpose of committing a financial crime. In 2008, Phonebusters received complaints from over 11,000 Canadians reporting a combined financial loss of $9,500,000.
The public can protect itself by taking some simple precautions:
1. Shred or burn your personal documents you no longer need;
2. Don’t disclose personal information to anyone without knowing how it will be used;
3. Lighten your wallet – don’t carry your SIN card or Birth Certificate
4. Obtain a credit report annually
5. Review your bank and credit card statements regularly
6. Be aware of Phishing
7. Use strong passwords and guard them
By managing your personal information wisely, cautiously, and with an awareness of the issue, you can help guard against identity theft.
Contact:
Cst. Ben Doiron
Winnipeg RCMP
Commercial Crime Section
Mass Marketing Fraud Coordinator
ph 204-983-7633
