5 Things That Increase Your Risk of Identity Theft in Barrie, Ontario

July 3, 2018 | Posted by: Della Dwyer - Your Trusted Barrie and Surrounding areas Mortgage Broker

Identity thieves can access your information in a staggering number of ways; being aware of some of the risks can help you shore up your defenses and stop thieves in their tracks. These commonly used methods allow thieves to access your data and steal your identity.

You Fall for Phishing Emails, Apps and Calls

Whether it's an app phishing for your information, a caller on the phone or even a suspicious email, handing over your personal information to a scammer is one of the easiest ways to fall prey to identity thieves. Even a few pieces of hard data, like your middle name, full address, mother's maiden name or date of birth could allow a scammer to steal your identity. Be alert and aware of who you are providing personal details to and the latest methods scammers are using.

You Carry too Much Identification

You need your Ontario license and credit cards, but carrying around your social insurance card, birth certificate or other legal identifying documents exposes you to an increased risk. Secure these items at home instead and only break them out when you truly need them.

You Don't Monitor your Credit

The more time an identity thief has with your information, the more damage they can do. You can go it alone or use a monitoring service; either way, checking your credit can help you immediately spot any new accounts or entries that are not truly yours. Checking both your credit report and reviewing the balance statements for your account allows you to find and stop any fraudulent activity as quickly as possible.

You Don't Store or Dispose of Bills Correctly

Most people think of the loss of financial information and actual cash when they think about identity theft, but someone with your social insurance number and the information from a bill could use your information to open new accounts. Fraudulent accounts put you at risk and can rack up significant expenses in a short amount of time as well as doing damage long term.

You're Not Careful Online

When you use your mobile device or laptop in public, you do risk having your information stolen. According to credit giant Experian, mobile devices are the most rapidly growing source for identity thieves, so invest in good asset protection and relay sensitive information via secure channels only.

Carefully checking your behaviour for these dangerous habits and keeping an eye on your credit report can help mitigate your risk and keep you from becoming a victim.

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