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Here, you will find information and helpful resources on identity theft and identity fraud. Videos, websites and informative infographics will teach you the signs and symptoms of identity theft, how to prevent it, what to do should you suspect it's happened to you, hear real-life stories of Canadians who have fallen victim to identity fraud, and more! Click along to learn and be informed on this important issue that is, unfortunately, happening more and more often.

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In this CTV News story, Michael Wood, of Ottawa, tells his story of identity fraud. Essentially, someone stole his personal information by redirecting his mail, through Canada Post, to another address and opened 7 credit cards in his name. Eric Longley, the CTV reporter in this video, tells us that tax season is a popular time of year for identity theft, as lots of mail includes people's personal and sensitive information, and they take advantage of this.
I wanted to include this video because it shows just another practical and realistic way that thieves can steal our personal information for their financial gain. I felt it was important to include two of these examples because it happens so much more than we might think!

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Ottawa man says his mail was diverted and identity stolen

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In this CTV News story, we hear the story of an Ontario couple who's identities have been stolen. The thieves took out a $100,000 mortgage on their house, and have to pay back the money taken by the thieves, move out of their house, and are fighting to get back their belongings. This video was important to include because it shows the reality of what falling victim to identity theft/fraud can do to you, your family, and your finances.
In this video, we also learn about title insurance.
Title insurance covers:

- Title fraud

- Unknown title defects

- Existing liens against property

- Encroachment issues

- Errors in surveys

It often costs $300-$500 to purchase title insurance. It is not mandatory, but is often included in the costs of closing a sale of a property, and is as valid for as long as you own the property.

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Ont. family loses home after falling victim to $100K title fraud

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5 Types of Identity Theft:

1. Criminal Identity Theft

A criminal steals the identity of someone else to hide from their criminal punishments and/or charges.

2. Financial Identity Theft

Stealing someone’s identity for financial gain

3. Identity Cloning

Stealing another’s identity to keep their own secret.

4. Medical Identity Theft

Stealing someone else’s identity while seeking medical care

5. Child Identity Theft

Stealing the identity of a child

In a similar way to the "Tips for Protection" video, this video about the types of identity theft is especially helpful because of its format. The 5 types are clear, concise, and make sense. I personally found this video intriguing because I did not realize there were so many types of identity theft. As I have mentioned before, this is a scary reality, but it is important to be aware of the different types of identity theft because it really could happen to anyone.

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Top 12 tips to protect your identity from identity theft, according to MetCredit Canada:

1. Use biometric protected wallets like Apple Pay.

2. Remove any ID from your wallet that you don’t regularly need.

3. Swipe/tap your own debit/credit cards - don’t lose sight of them.

4. Don’t open suspect emails, never click on links within them.

5. Never give out your date of birth, bank account number, or personal information to someone you don’t know or isn’t authenticated.

6. Always question the need for photocopying your license and offer less invasive options.

7. Shred all personal information before discarding.

8. Update your info with your bank.

9. Routinely check credit reports and bank statements.

10. Get proactive credit alerts.

11. Security-Check websites before you provide personal information. Look for "https://" and/or the padlock icon next to the URL - this indicates that the information is encrypted in transit.

12. Protect pins and passwords.

I chose this video because the breakdown of 12 steps to protecting your identity makes this issue feel more manageable. Identity theft is a scary reality, but it is possible to take proactive steps towards your privacy and protection! I personally found tip #11 especially interesting and helpful. I did not know that the "s" in "https" stands for secure. This is helpful to internet users for their own peace of mind that they are using a secure website.

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Tips to Protect Yourself from Identity Theft (captioned)

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I felt it was important to include this infographic because it talks about child identity theft, which, after studying identity theft more closely, I feel is not discussed enough in this conversation. I was shocked to learn that children's information is stolen more than adults' information; this, however, does make sense when you take into account the fact that adults are typically much more aware of this issue than children are when browsing the internet, etc. This is a wake-up call to parents: it is important to be aware of where your children are sharing their personal information!

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We are a generation who are almost all actively contributing to social media; therefore, it is hard to avoid sharing personal information with these sites when creating our profiles, etc. This website is a helpful resource from the Government of Canada website for safely using social media while preventing identity theft. It shares important tips and information, such as the types of scams that are commonly found on social media:
- Clickjacking (using catchy headlines)

- Fake polls

- Phishing (creates fake pages for you to sign into with your information)

- Phony messages (“Urgent!”)

- Requests to wire money

- Fake friend requests

- Fake pages (set up for phishing)

- Fake apps

- Popular scams (fake software updates, lottery scams, for example)

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Practice safe social networking

Social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter are a great way to stay in touch with family, reconnect with friends, share news and photos and broadcast what's on your mind.

They're also a great way for cyber criminals to find out information about you. After all, most people provide a lot of personal details like where they work, who they're related to, when they're on holiday, their address and so on without giving it much thought - making it easy for just about anyone to learn what they want to know about you.

Tips to keep your private information private

Fortunately, it's just as easy for you to protect yourself and enjoy the experience by keeping these social networking safety tips in mind:

Check out the privacy and security settings of your social network and use them to control who sees what. Most have default settings which likely provide more access than you'd like. You can adjust settings to the highest possible level to protect your information and control who can see personal details (rather than "everyone" or "friends of friends").

Read the privacy policy carefully. Sometimes the wording can be confusing and you may allow the site to use your information without realizing it.

Never include your phone numbers, email address, home address, work details, your child's school or any other personal information on your profile page.

If someone you don't know tries to "friend" you, ignore it. There's no way to be sure they are who they say they are.

Before you post pictures, think about whether or not they're appropriate or give away too much information about you. For example, does that shot of the family barbeque show your street name in the background? Can you see your car's licence plate in the photo of you beside it?

Avoid geotagging photos. Most smartphones and many digital cameras automatically attach the exact location where a photo was taken - and when you share it online, the geotag can give away your address or let criminals know that you're on vacation, which could make your home a target for break-in. Check the manual of your device to turn off geotagging, and remove geotags from older photos with photo editing software.

Remember the more personal information you provide, the easier it is for a hacker to access it and potentially steal your identity (or for other criminals, like stalkers or sexual predators, to learn more about you). It's always a good idea to be discreet.

Ignore links that look suspicious, even if they're from friends. Your friend may not be aware of it, which means the link could be part of a phishing scam or contain malicious software.

About those suspicious links - don't be fooled by links that say things like, "You have to see this!" Chances are it's a hoax and you'll probably spam your entire friend list.

Don't mention things like going away on vacation, big purchases or events that include your address in your status updates. You may also want to delete messages from friends who mention these things to avoid the possibility of someone robbing your home while you're away.

Always log out at the end of a session, close your browser and clear your cache. Here are examples of how to do this:

In Firefox, go to Tools > Clear Recent History

In Internet Explorer, Go to Tools > Delete Browsing History

In Chrome, go to the wrench icon in the top right hand corner. Under the Bonnet > Clear Browsing Data

Never include banking information - not even the name of your bank.

The only one who should know your username and password is you. Once you give them to someone, they have total control of your account and can say and do things that could impact you.

Set up a separate email address just for your social networks, and use unique passwords.

Kinds of scams on social networks

New scams pop up on social networking sites every day, promising easy money, freedom from a 9 to 5 job, and amazing boosts to your social status. While they look tempting, many of these offers turn out to be schemes to spread viruses and spyware. The best advice? Click with caution.

Here are some of the most popular scams to be aware of:

Clickjacking - using catchy headlines like "find out who's looking at your profile" to get you to cut and paste a link into your browser, which then infects your computer and spreads spam to your contact list.

Fake polls - links that take you to a page outside of the social network and often ask for your mobile number. These are probably scams. (Check your bill for racked up charges!).

Phishing - attempts to get your username and password and may even set up fake pages to get you to sign in.

Phony message - often messages from the social network that say "urgent".

Money transfer - requests to wire money to someone you may or may not know.

Fake friend request - accounts that are set up just to send out spam.

Fake page - sometimes set up as a front for clickjacking and phishing, offering prizes for forwarding to friends.

Fake apps - often a cover for phishing, malware, clickjacking or money transfer schemes. When you "Allow", spam is spread through your network.

Popular scams - contain a link with a fake software update that downloads malware that infects your computer, hijacks your online profile and spams your friends. Lottery scams and "Nigerian 419" are popular examples.

While all of these scams exist, it doesn't mean you have to be nervous about social networking. The most important thing is that you think things through and use your intuition when it comes to anything suspicious.

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Social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter are a great way to stay in touch with family, reconnect with friends, share news and photos and broadcast what's on your mind. They're also a great way for cyber criminals to find out information about you.

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This website has so many important facts, statistics, and information on this topic. We can especially trust this source because it is on the Canadian government's website. It also offers helpful Canadian  resources to report identity theft/fraud. We can learn what information identity thieves are looking for, how your information might be used by them, and how to prevent it from happening to begin with. This website is a great resource that has it all!

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Identity Theft and Identity Fraud - Royal Canadian Mounted Police

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In 2009, the CACF received identity fraud reports from 11,095 Canadian victims, totaling a loss of more than 10 million dollars. This represents an increase of more than 1 million dollars of what was reported in 2008. Payment card fraud was the most commonly reported incident, and yet, many instances of identity theft and fraud go unreported.

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Identity theft can start with just your name.

In this interview on CBC News, Claudiu Popa discusses identity theft and synthetic identity. He clarifies just how easy it is for identity thieves to steal personal information and/or create false information. Popa explains the concept of synthetic identity, which happens when someone uses your first and last name as a starting point to create a false identity. They might create certificates, open accounts, or borrow money in your name without you knowing. In the same way, identity thieves might also use a fake name but accompany it with a real address, taken from a phone book or map, to make the fraud more believable.

Popa continues on to explain how this is still happening today; banks are often concerned about the damage that identity theft/fraud might have on their reputation, so this issue is often not publicized. It happens more often than we might think!
I chose to include this video because Popa explains identity theft and synthetic identity very clearly and in a relatable way. Having concepts explained in an interview format also offers a different perspective to the conversation, which I see as valuable.

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Claudiu Popa discusses identity theft and synthetic ID fraud on CBC News Now

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Identity theft in Canada is a growing problem due to the lack of proper monitoring, failure to report identity crimes and low awareness levels among organizations and individuals. Synthetic identities are turning up at banks, hospitals and on credit cards, making it much more difficult for law enforcement to detect and stop cybercriminals - usually organized criminals - from committing cyberfraud.

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This photo gives us a visual of the alarming reality that identity theft is, and the rate at which it is growing. Can you believe an average synthetic ID loss is about $6000?

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AVOIDING AND RECOVERING FROM IDENTITY THEFT

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AVOIDING AND RECOVERING FROM IDENTITY THEFT

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This section of the Ontario website is helpful for information on avoiding and recovering from identity theft. It defines the issue, tells us how identities are stolen, signs of identity theft, and how to protect your identity.
In the case of a suspected identity theft, this site tells us we should:
"- keep a log of all your phone calls (write down the name of anyone you talked to, what he or she told you and the date your conversation occurred)
- follow up in writing with contacts you’ve made on the telephone or in person to make sure you have a record of all agreements
- make copies and keep all originals of supporting documentation, like police reports and letters to and from companies
- keep old files even if you believe the case has been resolved, in case errors reappear on your credit reports or if old issues arise."
I thought that this website was important to include because it offers practical advice on how to move forward if we think there is a chance that our identity has been stolen. They also recommend to put an alert on your credit report.

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Types of ID fraud

Identity theft is when someone uses your personal information without your knowledge for criminal purposes.

They may use the stolen information to gain access to your financial accounts, hack into your online accounts, and/or defraud others. Once they access your personal information, identity thieves can also:

spend money from your accounts

open new bank accounts

change your passwords and contact information for your online accounts

apply for loans, credit cards and benefits in your name

rent an apartment or car

commit other crimes using your credentials

Another form of identity theft is when someone sets up accounts on social media channels or websites using your name, image and/or other information. While this may not cause harm to your financial accounts, it can harm your reputation.

If this happens, check the terms of the social media site or website to find out how to take action against the account that is falsely using your name or likeness. If criminal activity is involved - for example, if someone is creating fake online accounts in your name to harass you - take screen shots of the online activity and file a report with your local police.

How identity is stolen

Common methods include:

stealing your mail

looking for personal documents in your trash

tampering with ATMs or card machines in shops to steal your banking information

taking personal information through public sources (e.g., telephone books and social media)

Identity thieves generally look for:

Your identity may also be stolen from your online transactions. If you don't change your passwords and strengthen your web security features regularly, it can become easy for someone to access your:

email (to steal personal and financial information, schedules etc.)

online shopping accounts (to steal credit card and address information)

banking accounts (to transfer funds, open new accounts or apply for loans)

credit card accounts (to shop and apply for new cards)

government accounts (to change your contact information on government IDs, access benefits, etc.)

Signs of identity theft

Your personal information can be stolen without your knowledge.

Many people find out they've been the victim of identity theft when they're denied a loan, job or rent unexpectedly because of a credit check. This is why it's very important to check your credit report once a year for errors or strange activities.

Others signs of identity theft include:

bills and statements don't arrive when they are supposed to - they may have been stolen from your mailbox or someone may have changed the mailing address for your accounts

you receive calls from collection agencies or creditors for an account you don't have

you receive notification from your bank, credit card or online business about a new account in your name, or added charges

financial account statements show withdrawals or transfers you didn't make

a creditor calls to say you've been approved or denied credit that you haven't applied for

If identity is stolen

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) have step by step advice on what to do if you have mistakenly provided your personal information to an unknown person.

If you think your financial accounts have been breached, you can pay to put an alert on your credit report. This can alert those checking your credit to make sure they are dealing with you and not an imposter.

To minimize any further incidences and to begin the process of clearing any harm done, you should:

keep a log of all your phone calls (write down the name of anyone you talked to, what he or she told you and the date your conversation occurred)

follow up in writing with contacts you've made on the telephone or in person to make sure you have a record of all agreements

make copies and keep all originals of supporting documentation, like police reports and letters to and from companies

keep old files even if you believe the case has been resolved, in case errors reappear on your credit reports or if old issues arise

Protect your identity

empty your mailbox daily (if you're going away on vacation, ask friends or trusted neighbours to pick up your mail or you can also opt for Canada Post's "hold mail" service)

store ID cards and documents, such as birth certificates, social insurance numbers and passports, in a secure place such as a locked fireproof safe

shred any documents and items with personal information once you no longer need them (e.g., expired ID cards, credit card offers and financial statements)

check balances on your statements from banks, credit cards and companies regularly

report any strange activities in your bills and statements, however minor, right away (fraudsters often steal in small amounts from many cards to evade detection)

check your credit report once a year for errors or strange activities (you may also wish to consider purchasing a credit monitoring service that alerts you when there are changes to your credit report or score)

avoid giving out any personal information over the telephone unless you've placed the call yourself or know the business

avoid giving out sensitive personal information like a SIN number or credit card number over the telephone when you're in a public place (you never know who may be listening)

don't put more than your name and address on your personal cheques

When shopping, you should:

carry as few cards and documents as possible, and always check to see the credit card you get back from the cashier is your own

never tell anyone your banking PIN or credit card PIN

make sure no one is watching when you use a banking machine or ATM

avoid using banking or cash machines in isolated or dimly lit areas

avoid giving out too much personal information (you're not required to provide stores your full mailing address, email address and date of birth)

If you're online or on your mobile device:

change your passwords often and make them strong

avoid posting personal information online such as your date of birth and mailing address

make sure you review and understand the privacy settings on all social media sites you use before posting any update (you should review the privacy settings regularly as they often change)

disable the "geo-tracking" option on your phone before posting public photos on social media sites (by default, this option is enabled on most phones and it allows someone to figure out exactly where your photos were taken)

before you sell or dispose of your computer, phone or tablet, completely wipe its hard drive or have the hard drive or device destroyed

consider setting up email alerts that notify you each time your name is used somewhere online

avoid online shopping and banking when using public Wi-Fi as the connection may not be secure

before giving your credit card number or other financial information to a business, make sure that it's a secure website (look for a lock symbol located somewhere on the web page or make sure the URL begins with "https")

after completing a financial transaction online, make sure you sign out of the website and clear your browser's cookies and cache

make sure your computer's anti-virus and other security features to detect malware are up-to-date

don't download apps or software on your phone or tablet unless they're from official app stores or libraries

know that government organizations, financial institutions and police will never email or text to ask for your passwords or PINs

never click on a link from a spam message, especially when it promises rewards, prizes or any exclusive information

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How to avoid or recover from identity theft

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Identity theft is when someone uses your personal information without your knowledge for criminal purposes. They may use the stolen information to gain access to your financial accounts, hack into your online accounts, and/or defraud others.