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www.snowbirds.org
CSA TRAVEL INFORMATION GUIDE
Identity Theft
Identity theft occurs when someone uses your name and personal information to commit fraud or
theft.
Identity theft has become prevalent in North America as a result of recent advances in technology,
and provides an effective means to commit other crimes.
Vital information such as name, address, date of birth, social insurance number, and mother’s maiden
name need to be acquired in order to complete the impersonation. The identity thief can take over
the victim’s financial accounts, open new bank accounts, transfer bank balances, apply for loans,
credit cards and other services, purchase vehicles, take luxury vacations, and so on.
To protect youself from identity theft:
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Avoid easily identifiable Personal Identification Numbers (PIN) such as mother’s maiden name,
birth date, anniversary date or telephone number.
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Avoid tossing credit card receipts in public trash containers.
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Carry your birth certificate and Social Insurance (SIN) Card only when necessary.
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Check your credit rating at lease once a year.
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Cut down on the number of cards you carry.
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Cut up expired credit cards.
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Do not let your credit card out of sight (i.e., when paying a restaurant bill).
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Only give out your personal information by telephone, mail, or e-mail if you initiated contact
and are confident of the source.
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Never leave your wallet or purse unattended.
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Note billing cycles and follow-up if bills are not received on time.
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If making a payment on-line over the internet, make sure the payment screen is “secured”
typically by displaying https://…and a padlock symbol. If in doubt, pay by an alternative
method.
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Be suspicious of e-mails purporting to be from a financial institution where you do business
that is asking for you verify your personal banking details with them. This should only be done
in person at your local branch or by telephone (using a number you locate separately to any
that may be included in the e-mail message).
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Invest in a portable paper shredder that can sit over a wastepaper basket. Shred any receipts,
credit card information, credit applications, etc. before throwing them out.
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Consider limiting who you allow to use your personal computer and be sure to set-up basic
protections such as timing out your computer if idle for a period of time and set-up a password.
If identity theft has occurred
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Call
Phonebusters National Call Centre
at 1-888-495-8501.
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Phonebusters
provides support and information to victims of identity theft. The information
you provide can be used to identify trends and patterns that assist law enforcement agencies
with possible investigations.