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ID theft and driver license
fraud |
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Identity Theft and Driver License
Fraud
Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes
in North America.
Identity theft occurs when someone uses your
personal information without your knowledge or
consent to commit a crime, such as fraud or theft.
If you are a victim of identity theft, you may
suffer financial losses, a poor credit rating and a
ruined reputation.
A
driver's license has become a universally accepted
and trusted form of identification. If your driver's
license is stolen, obtained fraudulently, scanned or
faked, it can serve as a tool for committing crime.
You
can't entirely control whether you become a victim
of identity theft, but you can take steps to
minimize your risk.
Strategies: Preventing Identity Theft
and Driver License Fraud
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Keep your driver's license in a secure place on
your person. Don’t place your license in a large
pocket or in a large or open purse where it may
easily be stolen or fall out. Never leave it in
plain view inside your vehicle.
-
Make sure to get your driver’s license back
immediately after you use it for identification,
such as at a store. Don’t leave it as a security
deposit – it contains valuable personal
information that could be stolen.
-
Don’t give personal information over the phone,
through the mail, or over the internet unless
you have initiated the contact or you are sure
you know who you are dealing with. Identity
thieves may pose as employers, bankers,
government agents, etc. to get you to reveal
identifying information.
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Do not carry extra credit cards, your social
insurance card, birth certificate or passport
with you unless needed. If your wallet is lost
or stolen, it is more difficult to replace all
your identification than to replace only a few
documents.
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Keep a list of your identification including
your driver’s license and credit cards in a
secure place. Include card numbers and phone
numbers of the card issuers so that you can
notify them if they are lost or stolen.
-
If you lose your driver’s license, report the
loss immediately to the police using the
non-emergency police telephone number, and also
report it to ICBC.
If
you find yourself in the unfortunate position of
being a victim of identity theft, in addition to
immediately notifying the police, report the
incident to
PhoneBusters – National Call Centre:
1-888-495-8501 (toll free)
Remember, it's your identity – protect it!
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