Identity Theft Overview Webinar Presentation Slides

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2010, Community Law School
(Sarnia-Lambton) Inc.


About our presenter…
Daniel Chometa is the Community Outreach Manager for
Consolidated Credit Counseling Services of Canada. Dan’s
work is dedicated to generating awareness of personal
finance issues and solutions. He has spearheaded financial
literacy initiatives with the United Way of Greater Toronto
and the Toronto Adult Student Association. Dan is a graduate
of Mount Allison University.


Identity Theft and Fraud

Presented By: Daniel Chometa
Consolidated Credit Counseling
Services of Canada


What is Identity Theft?


The theft, misrepresentation or hijacking of another person or business’ Identity



It is a growing problem in Canada



Fraud



Provides an effective means to commit other crimes using your name.


Two Main Types of Identity Theft
 Account Takeovers

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Card Skimming
Non-Receipts
Card Replacements
Unauthorized Use
Phishing

 Application Fraud


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Loans
Bank Accounts
Credit Cards
Mortgages
Cell Phones


The Facts


In 2002 The Phone Busters National Call Centre received 7629 identity theft
complaints by Canadians. Total Loss = $8.5 Million



In the First Quarter of 2003, there were 2,250 complaints. Total Loss = $5.3 Million



Equifax and Trans Union receive 1400 – 1800 identity theft calls per month.

How Does It Happen?
 Fraudsters are
innovative
 Happens though
computer use, email,
snail mail,
transactions over the
phone, even material
taken from your trash!
 Consumer is not aware
of potential fraud


What Can You Do?


Protect yourself



Minimize the chances of having your identity stolen



Be Aware of what is happening



Be A smart consumer



Stay one step ahead and protect yourself


The Less Information that’s out there
the better!
 Carry only the cards you need in your wallet. Leave
extra credit cards, social insurance cards locked up at
home.
 Make a copy of all of your cards and lock the copy up
in your house.
 Don’t let a store clerk write down your credit card #
 Don’t print your SIN or Drivers License # on your
cheques
 When asked for your SIN always ask if you can provide
another number
 Don’t Use ABM tellers from financial institutions you
don’t recognize.


Protect yourself at work
 Keep your purse/wallet locked up at the office at all times.
 Workplace theft is more common than most people
realize
 Ask your employer for a safe place to lock up your things
if one is not provided for you.
 Ask your employer about security procedures for
personal files
 DO NOT log onto personal financial websites using

company computers.
 DO NOT set passwords to auto remember.
 And do not store personal information in your desk or on
your office computer at work.


Protect yourself at home


Protect your mail, get a locked mail box



Never have new cheques sent to your home in the mail. Pick them up from the
bank



Buy a shredder to shred personal documents



Check your credit report at least once a year



Keep your personal information in a locked room or a filing cabinet.


Protect Yourself Online

 Use A Firewall – this will prevent Phishing
attempts
 Choose good passwords – Use an alpha
numeric password and change them frequently
 Choose a good username – do not use your
email address as a username (Hannah1199)
 Beware of Phishing – Pay Pal/Best
Buy/EBay/RBC ect


What does Phishing Look Like?


Signs that you may be a Victim
 A bank or cell phone company contacts you
about suspicious transactions
 You start receiving suspicious calls for more
information about yourself
 A collection agency calls you about
 an unknown debt
 Unknown items appear on one
 of your statements
Source: Consumer Measures Committee




You are denied credit for unknown reasons



Bills and statements are not arriving in the mail



Your credit report has unknown or inaccurate entries



Bills or statements arrive for unknown accounts

Source: Consumer Measures Committee


Current Threats


The Prize Pitch:

– Remember that you should never have to buy
anything to win a prize in a contest
– Be careful of the sweepstakes contest, you will
be contacted by a judge border services person
or a lawyer. They will tell you that the money
must be sent up front for tax reasons.


Current Threats


Emergency or Grandparent Scam

– Happens over the phone
– May use accident or travel as an excuse
– 2 methods used
 1) typical:
 Do you know who this is?
 don’t tell anyone!

2) email
a hijacked account is used to ask friends or family to
send money.


The results of the scam


By the end of October 2009:

– Grandparent scam had 278 failed attempts
– Had 88 Successful attempts total loss reported
= $317,732.63 Average of $3,610 per victim.


In 2008 total loss on the same scam was $157,452



December 2009 OPP warns of the scam

What do you do if you are a Victim?
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Contact police – file a police report
Notify the Credit Bureaus – Equifax, Trans Union
Contact your banking institution
Contact Phone Busters – 1.888.495.8501 or on the web
at www.phonebusters.com
 Investigate new accounts – review your credit report
 Check your Address – check with Canada Post to see if
there was a change of address reported. Notify them
that you are a victim
 Check your passport – check with passport Canada to
be sure no one has applied for a new passport under
your name. you can visit their website at
www.ppt.gc.ca or call 1.888.567.6868


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2010, Community Law School

(Sarnia-Lambton) Inc.