Alberta RCMP urge residents to guard personal information
By Your Southwest Media Group
Alberta RCMP are urging residents to take proactive steps to protect their personal information and reduce the risk of identity theft and fraud.
Criminals use a range of tactics to obtain personal details, including phishing scams, data breaches, mail theft and social engineering.
The RCMP recommend the following steps:
Review bank and credit card statements regularly and report any unauthorized transactions immediately.
Request a free credit report from a recognized Canadian credit bureau and check for unfamiliar accounts or inquiries.
Verify the source before providing personal or financial information in response to any email, phone call or text message.
Use strong, unique passwords and enable multi-factor authentication where available.
Protect your Social Insurance Number and store documents containing personal information securely.
Contact a credit bureau to place a fraud alert on your file to help prevent unauthorized accounts from being opened in your name.
Deal with your financial institution in person if an account is compromised. An internet search may return a fake toll-free number that leads to further victimization.
Anyone who believes they have been a victim of identity theft or fraud should report it to their local police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca. Early reporting can help limit damage and assist investigations.
For more fraud prevention tips, follow @RCMPinAlberta on Facebook and @RCMPAlberta on X.