Be wary of identity theft

In 2025, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre received more reports involving identity theft than any other type of fraud.

When someone steals your personal and banking information, they can transfer money from your bank account, make credit card purchases or take out a loan in your name, among other crimes.

How identity theft occurs

A fraudster may phone or email you to request personal information, claiming to be a bank or government representative. Some scammers tamper with point-of-sale terminals to steal data. A hacker may steal personal information from a company’s computer. There’s old-fashioned physical theft, stealing mail, recycling papers or a purse or wallet. Unfortunately, these are just some of the scammers’ tactics.

Protecting your identity

Here are a few key ways to protect yourself, but there are many more, so remain vigilant.

At home. Shred any documents and items with personal information you no longer need, and consider signing up for electronic statements. Before recycling old phones or computers, clear your personal data.

Out and about. Make sure no one is watching anytime you use an ATM or enter your PIN. Avoid online shopping or banking on public Wi-Fi.

When online. Be wary of emails from unknown sources, and don’t click on suspicious links. Use a different password for each account, make passwords strong and change them regularly.

Monitoring is also helpful. You can sign up for credit card transaction alerts and fraud alerts from your financial institution, if available. Also, you can request your credit report from Equifax or TransUnion to look for evidence of fraud.