By: Bonnie Vo Identity Theft

Identity theft is the possession of another person’s personal information for criminal purposes. Identity Theft: What is it?

Identity thieves use personal information such as… ● date of birth ● full name ● Social Insurance Numbers ● full address ● passport number ● credit card information ● Bank account numbers ● Personal identification numbers (PIN) to pretend to be someone they are not. How?

What is this information used for? With your personal information, identity thieves can… Open and/or access bank accounts Transfer bank balances Make purchases with your money Apply for loans, credit cards, etc. Hide criminal activity In other words, they make decisions in your name!

Brian Perrault, a 42 year old man in Toronto, had his identity stolen for 8 years He first realized that his identity was stolen when he received traffic tickets from places he had never visited He had his drivers license suspended, leaving him unemployed and unable to pay child support In 2011, he was pulled over by cops, who were searching for the man identifying himself as Brian. As a result, he had missed his grandmother’s funeral. Finally, the thief, Robert Shawn Maitland, was pulled over for having no tail lights, but was identified as the wanted man Identity Theft Case: Brian Perrault

Identity thieves obtain your information using a number of devious methods, including: Skimming—credit card devices programmed to steal your credit card information Phishing— s or pop-ups that pretend to be from a financial institution, tricking you into entering in your financial information Dumpster diving—thieves rummage through trash to find financial information and personal documents Hacking—experienced scammers may be able to access online databases to obtain personal information Telephone Solicitors—thieves that trick you into providing financial information over the phone How is this information obtained?

With identity theft of businesses, money and finances are typically the major concerns. Money is stolen directly from the business, and merchandise is charged to the business' credit cards If unauthorized credit card transactions remain unpaid, it can significantly impact a company's credit rating, and chances of getting approved for loans in the future Although unpaid bills and loans are due to the criminals and not the business, it's reputation is still negatively affected if reports are filed against them. Risks of identity theft regarding the business

Preventing identity fraud means protecting your own information, as well as the business’s, by considering the following tips: Be careful when giving out personal information over the phone or online, especially if the source seems suspicious Carry as few personal documents with you as possible Check bank and credit card statements regularly If any suspicious activity is found, report it immediately Never write down passwords or important numbers, as they can always be found and read by someone else Shred important documents before throwing them in the trash Choose passwords that are too hard to be guessed, but easy enough to be remembered without writing them down Protecting yourself & the business

Martin & Hillyer LLP, a small business from Burlington, Ontario, had their phone system hacked, and suffered an identity theft From hacking the phone systems, the criminals were able to accumulate more than $ in phone charges to Africa After the incident was resolved, Martin & Hillyer turned off their phone system after hours and reminded its employees to protect their passwords, to prevent similar events from occurring in the future Identity Theft Case: Martin & Hillyer LLP

Contact your financial institution to have credit cards replaced and hacked bank accounts closed, to prevent being liable for further unauthorized charges Speak with the local police Have ID cards replaced (e.g. health card, driver's license, SIN) Videos: Steps you can take if your identity has been stolen Dealing with Identity Theft

● Identity theft is a serious crime, with severe consequences ● It can significantly change the victim's life; to some, it is seen as a nightmare ● It is extremely important to be aware of what it is and how it works in order to prevent it! Conclusion