March is Fraud Prevention Month

March is fraud prevention month. So it’s a good time to take a look at fraud, its many faces and how you can protect yourself.

We are publishing a couple of articles about fraud in Meest newspaper this month. But we are also going to upload a series of shorter articles here on our blog detailing all sorts of useful information about frauds, how to recognize them, how to protect yourself from them and how to report them.

Here are some facts about fraud in Canada. Through awareness, you can avoid becoming a victim.

• Thousands of Canadians are defrauded each year. Recognizing fraud is the first step to better protecting yourself.
• There is no typical fraud victim in Canada. Fraud targets Canadians of all ages and from all walks of life.
• Fraudsters are creative and well organized.
• If a fraudster is successful once, they will try to scam you again.

Fraudsters are professional criminals that know what they are doing. Don’t fall for their scams just because the look and sound professional or have believable answers you’re your tough questions. Impersonating real organizations like government agencies, legitimate businesses or charities are ways that fraudsters try to fool you.

Report It! Stop It!

If you are a victim of fraud, don't stay silent! Report it. Stopping fraudsters is critical. By reporting a scam, you help prevent others from becoming fraud victims. The information you provide is important! If you decide to file a complaint, it is important that you keep any evidence you may have related to your complaint. Keep items in a safe location in the event that you are requested to provide them. This information may form an important part of any investigation. The information you provide could be used as evidence during a prosecution.

To report a scam, contact the:

Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre

www.antifraudcentre.ca or call 1-888-495-8501

In addition, credit bureaus can put a fraud alert on your account, which will alert lenders and creditors of potential fraud:

Equifax: 1-800-465-7166

TransUnion: 1-866-525-0262

1-877-713-3393 for Quebec residents

Your local police, credit card companies, credit unions and provincial records offices can also be of assistance.

Stay tuned for more about fraud in the coming days.

Click here for more about fraud.

* With information from the Government of Canada Competition Bureau web site and The Little Black Book of Scams published by the Competition Bureau Canada 2012.