OTTAWA, March 14, 2007 Fraud can cost
you
both time and money. The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) is
reminding consumers during Fraud Awareness Month the month of March
that there are ways to avoid becoming a victim of identity theft.
Here are 10 tips to help keep you safe:
Keep your credit card in your sight, or in your hands, at all times.
Never give it to anyone.
Cancel any credit card you don't use.
Report a lost or stolen credit card or debit card immediately to your
financial institution.
Check your credit card statements carefully and report any discrepancies
on them to your financial institution.
Shred or tear up any receipts or papers that have your
bank account or credit card information on them, before you throw them away.
Never give out any personal information such as your bank
account number, your social insurance number, your date of birth, your credit
card number or your PIN over the telephone, unless you yourself made
the call to a legitimate financial institution, using a number that you looked
up, yourself.
Do not respond to any e-mails that ask you to provide personal
information.
Memorize your personal identification number (PIN). Don't write it down,
since someone can find it.
Update the firewall and anti-virus software on your home computer, on a
regular basis.
Check your credit report once a year to make sure you haven't become a
victim of identity theft, and get any mistakes in your credit history corrected
promptly.
FCAC has a popular, useful booklet called Understanding Your
Credit Report and Credit
Score that tells consumers how they can obtain their credit
report free of charge,
by mail, from the credit bureaus. This publication helps consumers
understand the information in
a credit report and explains how to get any errors corrected that may
show up on the report.
To view the report on-line or download a copy, visit FCAC's Web site at
www.fcac.gc.ca. To
obtain a print copy, call FCAC at: 1-866-461-3222.
FCAC ensures compliance with the consumer protection laws and monitors
compliance with the codes of conduct
and public commitments that apply to banks and federally incorporated trust,
loan and insurance companies.
FCAC also provides consumers with accurate, objective information about
financial products and services,
and informs Canadians of their rights and responsibilities when dealing with
federally regulated financial
institutions.
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Media Contacts:
John Kane
Martine Bélanger
Manager, External Communications
Communications Officer
613-941-8988
613-941-8982
kane.john@fcac.gc.ca
belanger.martine@fcac.gc.ca
