What is identity theft?

Identity theft occurs when an individual steals another person's identity and impersonates that individual. By using basic personal information like name, address and social insurance number, identity thieves open credit card accounts, lease or buy cars and cell phones, rent apartments, sell your home (without you knowing), or even engage in criminal activity using the stolen name.

What can I do if I suspect I am a victim of identity theft?

Check your Credit Reports on a regular basis to determine if there are any changes or unusual unauthorized inquiries.

When your credit or bank cards are lost or stolen:

• Keep a list of the names, account numbers and expiration dates of all your cards in safe place (separate from your cards) to be used when alerting credit grantors about a lost or stolen card
• Call all of your credit grantors immediately upon discovering your cards are missing. Most have 24-hour service numbers for this purpose. If you re-open the account, ensure they have your correct personal information.

Additionally, please call Equifax toll-free at 1-800-465-7166 or 514-493-2314. They will add a statement to your file to alert credit grantors that you may be a victim of fraudulent activity. This may mean that the next time you apply for credit you will be questioned more thoroughly as a precautionary measure. The credit grantor wants to make sure that you are, in fact, the person you say you are.