{"id":9040,"date":"2016-03-16T11:47:00","date_gmt":"2016-03-16T11:47:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/301webdemo.com\/oegema\/?p=9040"},"modified":"2026-02-19T10:39:39","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T10:39:39","slug":"scams-fraud-identity-theft-ottawa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ona.ca\/blog\/scams-fraud-identity-theft-ottawa\/","title":{"rendered":"Safeguard Yourself from Scams, Fraud and Identity Theft"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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March is International Fraud Prevention Month, so with that in mind, it\u2019s a good opportunity to review what you can do to safeguard yourself and your family from falling victim. Here are some tips to keep in mind.<\/p>

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Reduce your wallet size, and don\u2019t carry around SIN Card.<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Experts recommend that you carry only the minimum amount of personal information on you at any given time. Keep your SIN card in a safe place and memorize the digits, but don\u2019t carry it around with you. This will help limit the potential headache if your wallet is lost or stolen.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Avoid giving payment information over the phone.<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Some people are still a bit skeptical about giving their credit card information online, but the reality is that a secure payment portal is a more trustworthy method than giving someone your credit card information over the phone.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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But, only give your credit card info online to sites that are secured by SSL.\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Be on the lookout when you\u2019re doing some online shopping for sites that have a lock icon, like the one pictured, in your address bar. This means that the site is secured with an SSL certificate, which indicates that the site makes use of secure encryption. Avoid giving out credit card information on webpages that do not make use of this encryption method.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Review credit and debit statements regularly.<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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One of the best regular habits that you can get into is pretty simple; just keep an eye on your bank statements for unusual activity. Many people make use of online banking now, so it\u2019s easier than ever. Even just checking in once a week or so can be an ideal way to spot something that\u2019s off, and contact your bank about it.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Use strong and unique passwords online.<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Another simple thing that you can do to keep yourself protected over time is to make use of h2 passwords. Amazingly, some of the most\u00a0common passwords used<\/a>\u00a0are easily-guessable by nearly anyone, such as \u201cpassword,\u201d \u201c123456,\u201d or \u201cqwerty\u201d (the top left keys on your keyboard.) The best way to protect yourself is to use a somewhat random collection of lowercase letters, uppercase letters, symbols and numbers for your online passwords.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Know the signs of auto insurance fraud<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Ever heard of the \u201cswoop and squat?\u201d How about the \u201cdrive down?\u201d Those are just two of the many techniques that criminals use to stage car collisions. While they sometimes work with each other to carry out these fraudulent \u201caccidents\u201d (and reap the insurance rewards), they sometimes often ensnare innocent people who happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. For more information, please check out our previous post that gives tips on\u00a0protecting yourself from staged collisions<\/a>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Be skeptical of giving out personal information when you get an unsolicited phone call.<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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If some other party initiates a phone call with you, and ends up asking for your credit card information, avoid giving it to them.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Treat your credit\/debit cards properly.<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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When you get a new card, make sure to sign it right away. Once you\u2019re no longer making use of a credit or debit card, destroy it immediately.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Be aware of some of the most common frauds going on in Canada:<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Here is a list of resources you might find useful to familiarize yourself with some of the most common ways that Canadians are scammed.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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