ARCHIVE - Identity theft

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Identity theft refers to all types of crime in which someone wrongfully obtains and uses another person's identifying information for the purpose of fraud or other criminal activity. Such data may include name and date of birth, as well as social insurance, passport, driver's license and credit card numbers.

Once stolen, the personal information can be used to take over or create financial accounts, transfer bank balances, apply for loans and credit or purchase goods and services. Identity thieves may also present or create documents such as birth certificates or immigration documents to obtain benefits such as health care, education, social assistance and public pensions.


Advice for consumers

Identity theft

Identity theft refers to all types of crime in which someone wrongfully obtains and uses another person's personal data in some way that involves fraud or deception, typically for economic gain.

Canadian and United States law enforcement agencies are seeing a growing trend in both countries towards greater use of identity theft as a means of furthering or facilitating other types of crime, from fraud to organized crime to terrorism. Increasingly, identity theft is a cross-border crime issue requiring collaboration of the international community. This public advisory highlights some of the most significant forms of identity theft in Canada and the United States, and explains how to recognize them and respond if you become a victim of identity theft.

Facts

Identity theft has become one of the fastest growing crimes in Canada and the United States. In the United States, identity-theft complaints to the Federal Trade Commission have increased five-fold in the last three years, from 31,117 in 2000 to 161,819 in 2002. In Canada, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre received 7,629 identity theft complaints by Canadians in 2002, that reported total losses of more than $8.5 million, and an additional 2,250 complaints in the first quarter of 2003 that reported total losses of more than $5.3 million. In addition, two major Canadian credit bureaus, Equifax and Trans Union, indicate that they receive approximately 1,400 to 1,800 Canadian identity theft complaints per month, the majority of which are from the province of Ontario.

One reason for the increase in identity theft may be that consumers often become victims of identity theft without having any direct contact with the identity thieves who acquire their personal data. Simply by doing things that are part of everyday routine – charging dinner at a restaurant, using payment cards to purchase gasoline or rent a car, or submitting personal information to employers and various levels of government – consumers may be leaving or exposing their personal data where identity thieves can access and use it without the consumers' knowledge or permission.

How identity theft occurs

Here are just a few examples of how identity theft is committed:

Minimize your risk of identity theft today

If you are a victim

If you are a victim of identity theft, you should take three immediate steps.

  1. Contact your bank or credit card company if you have had your checks or credit cards stolen or wrongfully obtained.
  2. Report the matter to your local police of jurisdiction. Police authorities often will take police reports even if the crime ultimately may be investigated by another law enforcement agency. In addition, a creditor who mistakenly believes that you are the person responsible for a fraudulent transaction may want to see a copy of a police report before correcting your credit account or credit report.
  3. Report your identity theft case immediately to the appropriate government and private-sector organizations listed below. Canadian and American agencies such as these are compiling information on identity theft to identity theft trends and patterns, and using the information to assist law enforcement agencies in possible investigations.

Resources for Canadian victims of identity theft

Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
Ontario Provincial Police Anti-Rackets
Toll Free: 1-888-495-8501
Toll Free Fax: 1-888-654-9426
Email: info@antifraudcentre.ca

Credit Reporting Agencies
Place fraud alerts on your credit reports by contacting the credit bureaus that operate in Canada.

Resources for American victims of identity theft

Federal Trade Commission
Identity Theft Hotline
Toll free: 1-877-IDTHEFT (438-4338)

Credit Reporting Agencies
Place fraud alerts on your credit reports by contacting the credit bureaus that operate in the United States.

Further information

For further information on Identity Theft and how you can protect your valuable personal information, please consult the following sources:


Advice for retailers

Identity theft

Identity theft refers to all types of crime in which someone wrongfully obtains and uses another person's personal data in some way that involves fraud or deception, typically for economic gain.

Canadian and United States law enforcement agencies are seeing a growing trend in both countries towards greater use of identity theft as a means of furthering or facilitating other types of crime, from fraud to organized crime to terrorism. Increasingly, identity theft is a cross-border crime issue requiring collaboration of the international community. This public advisory highlights some of the most significant forms of identity theft in Canada and the United States, and explains how to recognize them and respond if you become a victim of identity theft.

Facts

Identity theft has become one of the fastest growing crimes in Canada and the United States. In the United States, identity-theft complaints to the Federal Trade Commission have increased five-fold in the last three years, from 31,117 in 2000 to 161,819 in 2002. In Canada, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre received 7,629 identity theft complaints by Canadians in 2002, that reported total losses of more than $8.5 million, and an additional 2,250 complaints in the first quarter of 2003 that reported total losses of more than $5.3 million. In addition, two major Canadian credit bureaus, Equifax and Trans Union, indicate that they receive approximately 1,400 to 1,800 Canadian identity theft complaints per month, the majority of which are from the province of Ontario.

One reason for the increase in identity theft may be that consumers often become victims of identity theft without having any direct contact with the identity thieves who acquire their personal data. Simply by doing things that are part of everyday routine – charging dinner at a restaurant, using payment cards to purchase gasoline or rent a car, or submitting personal information to employers and various levels of government – consumers may be leaving or exposing their personal data where identity thieves can access and use it without the consumers' knowledge or permission.

How identity theft occurs

Here are just a few examples of how identity theft is committed:

What businesses can do to reduce the risk of identity theft

If you are a victim

If you are a victim of identity theft, you should take three immediate steps.

  1. Contact your bank or credit card company if you have had your checks or credit cards stolen or wrongfully obtained.
  2. Report the matter to your local police of jurisdiction. Police authorities often will take police reports even if the crime ultimately may be investigated by another law enforcement agency. In addition, a creditor who mistakenly believes that you are the person responsible for a fraudulent transaction may want to see a copy of a police report before correcting your credit account or credit report.
  3. Report your identity theft case immediately to the appropriate government and private-sector organizations listed below. Canadian and American agencies such as these are compiling information on identity theft to identity theft trends and patterns, and using the information to assist law enforcement agencies in possible investigations.

Resources for Canadian victims of identity theft

Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
Ontario Provincial Police Anti-Rackets
Toll Free: 1-888-495-8501
Toll Free Fax: 1-888-654-9426
Email: info@antifraudcentre.ca

Credit Reporting Agencies
Place fraud alerts on your credit reports by contacting the credit bureaus that operate in Canada.

Resources for American victims of identity theft

Federal Trade Commission
Identity Theft Hotline
Toll free: 1-877-IDTHEFT (438-4338)

Credit Reporting Agencies
Place fraud alerts on your credit reports by contacting the credit bureaus that operate in the United States.

Further information

For further information on Identity Theft and how you can protect your valuable personal information, please consult the following sources:

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