| Contact Us |

Identity Theft

Protect Yourself

Types of Identity Theft

Nine Easy Ways To Steal Your Identity

Phishing
Pyramid Schemes
Prize Pitch
Mail Theft
Employee Theft
Stolen or Lost Wallets and Purses
Shoulder Surfing
Phony Bankruptcy
Scanning the Newspaper

Phishing

The word phishing comes from the analogy that Internet scammers are using email lures to 'fish' for passwords and financial data from the sea of Internet users.

Phishing, also called "brand spoofing" is the creation of email messages and Web pages that are replicas of existing, legitimate sites and businesses. These Web sites and emails are used to trick users into submitting personal, financial, or password data. These emails often ask for information such as credit card numbers, bank account information, social insurance numbers, and passwords that will be used to commit fraud.

The goal of criminals using brand spoofing is to lead consumers to believe that a request for information is coming from a legitimate company. In reality it is a malicious attempt to collect customer information for the purpose of committing fraud.

Tips on how to spot and avoid phishing scams

Protect your computer with anti-virus software, spyware filters, email filters and firewall programs.
Contact the financial institution immediately and report your suspicions.
Do not reply to any email that requests your personal information.
Look for misspelled words.

Always report phishing or 'spoofed' emails.

If you've received one of these suspicious emails, report it to reportphishing@antiphishing.org or the financial institution that it appears to be from.

Prize Pitch

One of the most common scams is the "prize pitch". Consumers are told they have been specially selected to win a prize, or have been awarded one of three or two of five prizes. These prizes usually include cash or a vehicle. You must purchase a product and pay in advance to receive your prize. These products may include "coin collections", personalized pen sets, etc. The products are generally cheap or overpriced, but may sound valuable over the phone.

Remember, in a legitimate contest you do not have to purchase a product to qualify for a prize.

You may also encounter the "sweepstakes scam". After entering a fake sweepstakes contest in the mail, you will receive a call within two to four weeks from a fraudulent telemarketer. This person will usually identify themselves as a lawyer, judge, customs agent or other official. They will represent themselves as an agent for a particular company. You will be told that you have won a large cash award, but money must be sent up front for taxes, etc.

Pyramid Schemes

Pyramid schemes are frauds that are based on recruiting an ever-increasing number of investors. The initial promoters (those at the peak of the pyramid) recruit investors who are expected to bring in more investors, who may or may not sell products or distributorships. Recruiting newcomers is more important than selling products.

No new money is created in pyramid schemes. Investors who get in early take their profits from investors who join later. At some point, no new investors can be found and as a result the last investors, who are at the bottom of the pyramid, lose their money. They also face prosecution, as pyramid schemes are illegal.

Before you invest any money in a multi-level company that could be a pyramid, get all the facts about the company, its officers and its products. Get written copies of the company's marketing plan, sales literature, contracts and prospectus (a legal document that gives prospective investors information about the company). Avoid promoters who fail to clearly explain their plans. Have a lawyer or accountant explain anything you do not understand. Find out if there is a demand for the product, or if there are similar products on the market. Remember that the greater the promised return, the greater the risk.

Pyramid schemes are illegal under the Competition Act, and serious charges may be brought against you if you are operating or affiliated with one of these schemes.

Effective January 1, 1993, Industry Canada made amendments to the Competition Act, Section 55. A multi-level sales procedure is a pyramid if:

There is compensation paid for recruiting a new salesperson
There is inventory loading, that is, the recruits must purchase an unreasonable quantity of product
Purchases are required as a condition of entry. (You may, however, be required to pay for a sample kit, but this kit must be at cost.)

Mail Theft

Identity Theft criminals go through your mail (or garbage) and use the information they find to impersonate the victim. They can also set up a change-of-address with the post office and get all of your information. They are looking for thoses "You have been pre-approved for a new" credit card or loan form and fill in your information with their address, or old credit card slips, cancelled cheques, private phone numbers, prescription forms or bottles, duplicate receipts and even employees' personal records and histories. Trash cans behind retailers, doctors' offices, video rental stores, etc. supply a wealth of information.

Thank you for visiting our site,
Jan, Ted and Sandi
Certified Identity Theft Risk Management Specialists
Certified thru The Institute of Fraud Risk Management

Recent Statistics show that nearly one in five North Americans have already been affected so we ask that you help protect your friends and family and forward the address to this website to them.

When you are ready to completely protect yourself and your family, or just want additional information, give us a call 416-855-9577 or toll free 1-866-593-7968

| Privacy Statement |

Return to Previous Page | Return to Home