2N Properties

We buy houses in the Edmonton area!

  • Home
  • Sell Your House Fast
    • Sell Your House: Request an Offer
    • FAQs: Selling Your House
  • Rent to Own or Buy
    • Ways to Buy Your Dream Home
    • Property Listings
    • FAQs: Rent to Own & Seller Financing
  • Invest With Us
    • Why Invest with 2N Properties?
    • How to Invest with 2N Properties
  • Testimonials
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Blog

Identity Theft: How it Happens and How to Protect Yourself

April 13, 2019 by Leona

Ways Thieves Can Steal Your Identity

Here are 9 sneaky ways that thieves can steal your identity… 

  1. Credit Card Theft

Each time you use your credit card it passes through numerous people’s hands providing many opportunities for it to be stolen.

Action: Don’t let your card out of your sight…EVER. If possible only use terminals that let you swipe your own card.

  1. Mail Theft

If your mailbox is not secure or you do not check it daily you are leaving yourself open to mail theft.

Action: Check your mail daily, lock your mailbox or open a postal box.

  1. Dumpster Diving

Any private information that goes into the waste not shredded is at risk of being taken by thieves.

Action: Shred any sensitive documents before you recycle or dispose of them.

  1. Shoulder Surfing

Anytime you type in private information such as your PIN there is a chance that someone is watching and waiting for a chance to steal it.

Action: Cover your screen when entering data in a public setting.

  1. Skimming

This is when a thief installs a device that can read your credit card information or PIN, onto an existing credit card reader or ATM.

Action: Monitor your accounts carefully for unauthorized activity and avoid non-bank ATM’s

  1. Fraudulent Credit Reports

This occurs when an identity thief pretends to be someone such as a landlord or employer in order to access a copy of your credit report.

Action: If you think someone has accessed your credit report without your knowledge, contact the credit bureau

  1. Social Media Searches

If you don’t adjust the privacy settings on your social media accounts, anyone can easily access that information.

Action: Adjust privacy settings on all your social media sites so that it is not easily searchable

  1. Phishing

This is a scam where an identity thief uses email to pose as a legitimate organization and requests private information (bank accounts, credit cards etc.)

Action: Trust your instincts…if an email or message requests too much private information, don’t click on the link.

   9. Winning

The temptation of winning a trip or some other prize is used to get people to provide personal information. The identity thief tells people that they have won a contest, but need to verify their personal information in order to claim it.

Action:  Verify your prize directly with the sponsor of the contest and check the web to see if it has been reported as a scam.

 

What To Do If Your Identity Is Stolen

The worst has happened…here’s what you need to do after your identity has been stolen

  1. Contact local Police
    1. Be sure to get them to issue a police report
    2. Get a copy of the report
  1. Review your credit report and search for
    1. Unauthorized charges
    2. New credit lines
  1. Contact TransUnion Canada & Equifax and place a fraud alert on your credit reports
    1. TransUnion Canada website:  transunion.ca
    2. Equifax website:  consumer.equifax.ca
  1. Contact the following and let them know your identity has been stolen
    1. Financial institutions
    2. Creditors
    3. Services
    4. Utilities
  1. Document EVERYTHING related to the incident
    1. Phone calls
    2. Emails
    3. Reports

Educate and Protect Yourself

The Government of Canada has a great website that offers information and links on how to protect yourself from different types of fraud and scams on everything from immigration and citizenship fraud, credit card fraud to real estate fraud. It is definitely worth checking out.

 

Filed Under: Identity Theft Tagged With: Identity, Identity Theft, Information, Stolen, Theft

About 2N Properties

large
2N Properties is a locally owned and operated real estate company managed by Sean and Leona Nicoll. We buy homes in Edmonton and the surrounding areas and have been successfully investing in Edmonton real estate since 2003. ... Read More

Looking for Something?

Browse Our Listings

New On the Blog

  • 10 Tips to Avoid Rental Scams
  • 10 Fun Christmas Activities to Do With Your Family
  • Halloween Safety Tips
  • Identity Theft: How it Happens and How to Protect Yourself
  • How to Check and Improve Your Credit Score

Stay Connected

Sign up for our free email newsletter:

Join Us On Facebook

2N Properties

About 2N Properties

large
2N Properties is a locally owned and operated real estate company managed by Sean and Leona Nicoll. We buy homes in Edmonton and the surrounding areas and have been successfully investing in Edmonton real estate since 2003. ... Read More

  • Email
  • Facebook

Sell Your House Fast

To find out how you can sell your house fast on the date of your choice call (780) 761-7117 or fill out the Request an Offer form and you will receive a response within 24-48 hours.

Invest With Us

We have been successfully investing in Edmonton real estate since 2003 and have assembled a trusted team of specialists—realtors, mortgage brokers, lawyers, home inspectors, accountants, and contractors that assist us with our investments. Interested in investing with us? Contact us today to take the first step towards achieving your financial goals!

Helpful Links

Home Sell Your House: Request an Offer FAQs: Selling Your House
Ways to Buy Your Dream Home Property Listings FAQs: Rent to Own & Seller Financing
Why Invest with 2N Properties How To Invest with 2N Properties Testimonials
About Us Contact Blog

Copyright © 2N Properties Inc. 2022 • All rights reserved • Contact us at (780) 761-7117