Frequently Asked Questions

Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personal information such as your name, identity card number, credit card number or other identifying information, without your permission to commit fraud or other crimes.

A lot. The thief can cash a cheque, obtain a loan, open credit accounts and charge them to the max, rent an apartment, buy a car, purchase a cell phone and talk to someone long distance all day, and, worse, commit a serious crime -- all with the stolen identity.

It is easy. All that is needed is someone's identity card/passport number, birth date, address and other identifying information and whatever else they can find out about you. With this information, and a false driver’s license or identity card with the thief's picture, they can begin their crime. They apply in person for instant credit, or through the mail by posing as you. They often provide an address of their own, claiming to have moved. Negligent credit grantors in their rush to issue credit do not verify information or addresses. So once the thief opens the first account, they use this new account along with the other identifiers to add to their credibility. This facilitates the proliferation of the fraud.

- They steal wallets and purses containing your identification and credit and bank cards.
- They steal your mail, including your bank and credit card statements, pre-approved credit offers, new cheques, and tax information.
- They complete a "hange of address form" to divert your mail to another address.
- They rummage through your trash, or the trash of businesses, for personal data in a practice known as "dumpster diving".
- They fraudulently obtain your credit report by posing as a landlord, employer or someone else who may have a legitimate need for, and legal right to, the information.
- They find personal information in your home.
- They use personal information you share on the Internet.
- They scam you, often through email, by posing as legitimate companies or government agencies you do business with.
- They get your information from the workplace in a practice known as "business record theft" by: stealing files out of offices where you're a customer, employee, patient or student; bribing an employee who has access to your files;
- They "hack" into electronic files.

People whose identities have been stolen can spend months or years — and thousands of dollars — cleaning up the mess the thieves have made of their good name and credit record. In the meantime, victims may lose job opportunities, be refused loans for education, housing, cars, or even be arrested for crimes they didn’t commit. Humiliation, anger and frustration are common feelings victims experience as they navigate the arduous process of reclaiming their identity.

Identity theft is not new. However in recent years with the explosion of the Internet, identifying information is easily available on the Internet or can be 'hacked' using viruses and other illegal methods like 'phishing'. Recent commercial pracitces have only just begun to address identity theft so that is a windows of opportunity for such thieves to exploit.

First, make a police report giving as much information as possible why you suspect or know that identity theft has occurred. The use of stolen identity for fraudulent purposes is illegal.
Secondly, do not ignore any demand letters or notices as this will give you and the police a clue of what the thief had been up to.
Thirdly, consult a lawyer to help you notify your credit card companies, banks,insurance companies etc so that they can cancel your old cards and issue you new cards, change bank account numbers or at least to shift liability away from you if the unfortunate happens. The lawyer can also help you properly dispute any claims made against you because of the identity theft.