Protect Yourself from Fraud

March is Fraud Prevention Month so there’s no better time to learn about how to recognize, reject and report fraud! The Competition Bureau of Canada spearheads this campaign every year in hopes to educate Canadians about fraudulent activity and how to better protect themselves from vulnerabilities.

Thousands of Canadians are victims of fraud every year and it’s important for everyone to do their part to help minimize their risk and protect themselves from fraudsters.

Some important tips from the Competition Bureau:

• don’t be fooled by the promise of a valuable prize in return for a low-cost purchase
• don’t be afraid to hang up the phone, delete the email or close your Internet connection
• don’t disclose personal information about your finances, bank accounts, credit cards, social insurance number or driver’s license numbers to any business that can’t prove it is legitimate
• shred unwanted personal information such as bank statements, credit card bills, unwanted receipts, cheques, pre-approved credit applications and old tax returns
• check your credit report every year and report problems immediately

Get more information on Fraud Prevention Month and what else you can do to protect yourself on the Competition Bureau’s website.  You can also join the conversation online using the hashtag #FPM2017.