Contact the police
Call your local police, report the incident and get a file number for future reference. If you find suspicious activity on your credit report, update your file with the police.
Contact your financial institution
Immediately change your account passwords if it is a financial fraud – bank, insurance company, credit card issuer.
Report the incident to your financial institution that initiated the transfer of money.
Collect evidence
Collect all information about the fraud, including:
- Documents and receipts;
- Print screens of your phone;
- Copies of emails and/or text messages;
- Copy all the application logs to a separate hard drive, before you delete, reformat and re-install applications. It is important to preserve all information and demonstrate that the saved information has not been modified or tampered in the process, in the event that the information will be used as proof in a court of Law
If you're a victim of identity fraud:
Enable Equifax identity alert
If you live in Manitoba or Ontario and are applying for credit, this alert requires lenders and creditors to call you before extending credit. Elsewhere, there is no legal requirement for creditors to call you when enhancing credit.
Enable Equifax Fraud Warning
Fraud Warning is only available to confirmed victims of fraud/identity theft. Thus, the opening with the file with the local police is key.
For both Equifax services you may call
Interactive Voice Response (IVR)
1-800-465-7166
More details about identity and fraud warning with Equifax here: https://www.consumer.equifax.ca/personal/education/identity/how-can-i-place-a-fraud-alert-on-my-equifax-credit-report/
Report the incident with the federal gvt. agencies
Contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre toll free at 1-888-495-8501
More details about how to report: https://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/report-signalez-eng.htm