Beef up your frontline on fraud

On a per-capita basis, Canadians are the biggest debit-card users in the world. While it continues to be the safest, most convenient way to access cash, debit card counterfeiting is one of the fastest growing crimes in Canada as criminals take advantage of new technology to steal people’s identities and financial information.

Here are some simple ways to ensure you’re always protected.

• Change your PIN every few months – if they don’t have your PIN, they can’t access your account.
• Don’t let retailers swipe your card out of sight – criminals have been known to hide a second machine under the counter that grabs your information.
• Deal with businesses and people you are familiar with as much as possible.
• Set up telephone and/or internet banking so you can check your account balances anytime, anywhere – the sooner you catch irregularities in your account, the easier it is to fix.
• To ensure no one else is using your name to get credit, get a Credit Bureau report.

Call Equifax Canada: 1-800-465-7166