By Kiki Sauriol-Roode

Each year, thousands of Canadians fall victim to identity theft – the unauthorized collection and use of personal information, such as name, date of birth, address, credit card or Social Insurance Number.

Here are some tips on how to avoid becoming a victim:

1. Keep your personal information under wraps. Shred everything containing your personal information before throwing it out. Do not carry your social insurance number card in your wallet and consider signing up for paperless billing or eBills, whenever possible.

2. Be savvy with social media. Limit what you share online. Avoid specific details such as date of birth and other personal information.

3. Practice safe banking. Change your bank card PIN number regularly and always check the accuracy of your monthly bank account and credit card statements, notifying your financial institution immediately to validate any suspicious activity. At the ATM or when on your laptop, guard against shoulder surfers – criminals who are looking for your PIN or password information.

4. Know who is on the line. Be cautious of telemarketers asking for your personal information and be leery about giving your SIN or date of birth out over the phone. If someone calls saying they’re from your bank and want to confirm your banking details, take down their name and number and look them up to determine if the request is legitimate before calling them back. Your bank will never ask for your PIN number.

5. Password and protect. Use strong and secure computer passwords, refraining from simple configurations like “123456.” Instead, use a combination of lower and upper case letters, numbers and symbols. When making online purchases with your credit card, make sure the website is secure (encrypted). Finally, be wary of phishing email messages and websites where cybercriminals may install malicious software on your computer and/or steal your personal information.

Check your credit bureau reports once a year to ensure the information reporting is correct. This will allow you to uncover any errors or signs of identity theft or fraud.

Kiki Sauriol-Roode is VP, strategic alliances for Genworth Canada.For more tips on how to protect against fraud, visit Genworth Canada’s Consumer Fraud Awareness video series at www.homeownership.ca.