Consumer Alert: Potential Breach of Personal Information

OTTAWA, May 29, 2018 /CNW/ - In the event that your personal information has been compromised, the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) is encouraging you to take the following steps to reduce the risk of harm.

• Change your passwords immediately
• Review your bank account and credit card statements on a regular basis to make sure they are accurate and contain no unauthorized transactions
• Report any unauthorized transactions immediately to your financial institution
• Order and review your credit report immediately. If there are accounts that you don't recognize, it could mean that someone is using your identity to apply for a credit card, line of credit, mortgage or other loan

If you become a victim of fraud

• Contact your financial institution and any other company where you think your account may have been compromised
• Contact Canada's two credit bureaus, Equifax and TransUnion and ask them to place a fraud alert on your credit report file to tell lenders to contact you and confirm your identity before they approve any applications for credit
• File a report with your local police
• Notify the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (1-888-495-8501)

Related links

• Canadian Anti-fraud Centre, Identity Theft and Fraud
• Protection from Frauds and Scams
• Protecting your Information in case of a data breach

SOURCE Financial Consumer Agency of Canada