Learn how we can help you if you are a victim of fraud or read tips on how to avoid becoming a victim of fraud.
Learn how we can help you if you are a victim of fraud or read tips on how to avoid becoming a victim of fraud.
If you think you may become a victim of fraud but there has been no reported misuse of your credit or no confirmed misuse of your personal information, you can place a Potential Fraud Alert on your credit file. If, for example, you've lost a purse or wallet, placing a Potential Fraud Alert will tell potential lenders that you may be a victim of fraud and provide them with your contact phone number.
There are three ways you can add a Potential Fraud Alert to your credit file:
Here are some simple ways you can help reduce your chances of becoming a fraud victim:
If a creditor's fraud department, government agency or law enforcement agency referred you to the Fraud Victim Assistance Department (FVAD), you may already know that you are a fraud victim. As well, you may have experienced a loss of personal information due to a theft or break-in. If you know that you did not cause the problem, but credit is affected, you are the victim of a credit fraud crime and you need to take certain steps to protect your rights.
Be aware of these common warning signs of fraud:
Once you realize that you are a fraud victim, you need to contact various government, credit/financial institutions, and credit agencies. To make the process as manageable as possible, we have prepared the following procedures to help you resolve any problems with your creditors, amend fraud information on your credit report, and help prevent any further fraud.
1. Obtain and review a copy of your credit report.
Review your TransUnion Credit Profile for any unauthorized activity. If you find any information not pertaining to you on your credit file, contact the creditors and question the account and/or inquiry. If you have questions, contact TransUnion.
2. Protect your credit report.
Add a fraud alert to your credit file if you have been notified by a creditor's fraud department, Government agency or law enforcement regarding fraud to warn potential credit grantors that you may be a victim of identity theft. You may also add a statement to your file if you had your wallet lost/stolen or had a home break-in. This statement alerts the creditors who obtain your credit file of the fraud and, if applicable, to contact you before approving credit applications. This statement is retained on your credit file for six years from the date it was added, or until you request its deletion in writing.
The addition of a fraud alert to your credit file may assist you in reducing the likelihood of future fraudulent applications resulting in the extension of credit in your name. However, it is important to recognize that, subject to applicable law, credit grantors have the discretion to decide what steps they will take (if any) when they see the fraud alert on your credit file.
3. Report the fraud.
Contact government agencies such as Service Canada if someone has used your Social Insurance Number to apply for government services. It is recommended that you also contact your local law enforcement agency to file a report regarding the fraudulent activity. For confirmed cases only, contact The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (Phonebusters) to report the incident.
4. Contact your credit financial institutions.
Contact companies that you have relationships with and inform them that your accounts with those companies may be compromised.
Contact the companies on your credit report that you do not recognize. Verify with the company the information they have in their records for the reported item.
Provide the creditor with a copy of your police report; you may need an Affidavit or relevant documentation.
Keep a log of all related phone conversations, including names of people with whom you spoke.
5. Stop cheques and report your Social Insurance Number.
Notify your bank to stop cheques. You can also report stolen cheques to your financial institution and file a complaint with Service Canada.
6. Follow up.
Follow up with companies and agencies that you have contacted to ensure that their investigation resulted in your favour. The FVAD helps you to the fullest extent possible, but remember that you have certain responsibilities. By working with credit grantors directly to identify all fraudulent accounts, you can greatly reduce this crime's effect on you.
7. Regularly review your credit.
Monitor your TransUnion Credit Report regularly for unauthorized activity by using our Credit Monitoring solution. If you find any information not pertaining to you, contact the creditor and question the account and/or inquiry.
What is the credit freeze legislation and how does it affect me?
The Credit Assessment Agents Act, or CAAA, is credit reporting legislation in Quebec which:
What is a credit freeze and what does it do?
A credit freeze (also called a security freeze or a credit lock) can be placed by a consumer on their credit file to prevent access to their credit information for certain purposes set out in legislation. When a credit freeze is on a credit file, parties cannot access that credit information for the following purposes:
Please note that companies will still be able to access credit information for other purposes even when there is a credit freeze on a credit file.
What is the difference between credit freeze and credit lock?
In Canada, there is no distinction between a credit freeze and a credit lock, as both implement the security freeze rights set out in legislation. Whether it is called a credit freeze or a credit lock, both provide the same type of restriction on parties accessing credit files for certain purposes. TransUnion offers Quebec consumers a credit freeze. It is important to know that if you place a TransUnion credit freeze on your credit file, this will only be a freeze on your TransUnion credit file. You will need to contact the other credit assessment agent, Equifax, to place a credit freeze on your Equifax credit file (called a credit lock).
What provinces are eligible?
At this time, only Quebec residents are eligible for the TransUnion credit freeze.
What is the start date for the credit freeze/ when can I place a credit freeze on my file?
Quebec residents will be able to put a credit freeze on their credit file on or after February 1st, 2023.
How do I place a credit freeze on my file?
The easiest and quickest way to place a credit freeze on your file is through our online site at ocs.transunion.ca. Alternatively, you may contact TransUnion to request a credit freeze by mail or by phone, but please note that these methods can take longer to implement.
By Phone: 1-800-663-9980
By Mail:
TransUnion Canada
P.O Box 338, LCD1
Hamilton, Ontario L8L 7W2
How do I remove a credit freeze from my file?
The easiest and quickest way to remove a credit freeze from your file is through our online site at ocs.transunion.ca. Alternatively, you may contact TransUnion to request removal of a credit freeze by mail or by phone, but please note that these methods can take longer to implement.
By Phone: 1-800-663-9980
By Mail:
TransUnion Canada
P.O Box 338, LCD1
Hamilton, Ontario L8L 7W2
If I remove a credit freeze from my file, will it be automatically reinstated after a certain period of time?
Once you remove a credit freeze from your credit file, it will remain unfrozen until you submit a request to add a new credit freeze to your credit file.
How long does a credit freeze remain on my file once I have requested it?
Once added, a credit freeze will remain on your file until you request to have it removed.
If I request a credit freeze to be placed on my credit file, how quickly will it be added?
By placing a credit freeze on your credit file online at ocs.transunion.ca, it will added immediately. If you request a credit freeze by mail, it could take up to 30 days from the date TransUnion receives the request to add the credit freeze. In this case, you would receive correspondence once it has been added. If you request a credit freeze by phone, it will be added immediately. Please note that you will need to contact the other credit assessment agent, Equifax, to place a credit freeze on your Equifax credit file (called a credit lock).
If I request a credit freeze to be removed from my credit file, how quickly will it be removed?
By removing a credit freeze on your credit file online at ocs.transunion.ca, it will be removed immediately. If you request a credit freeze removal by mail, it could take up to 30 days from the date TransUnion receives the request to remove the credit freeze. In this case, you would receive correspondence once it has been removed. If you request a credit freeze to be removed by phone, it will be removed immediately. Please note that you will need to contact the other credit assessment agent, Equifax, to remove a credit freeze on your Equifax credit file (called a credit lock).
Is there a fee to place a freeze on my file?
TransUnion Canada does not charge consumers to place a credit freeze on their credit file.
Is there a fee to remove the freeze from my file?
TransUnion Canada does not charge consumers to remove a credit freeze from their credit file.
Do I need to request a credit freeze on my file from both credit reporting agencies or will it be automatically updated if I request a credit freeze only at one?
Unfortunately, TransUnion does not share information with Equifax. You will need to contact them directly to request a credit freeze on your credit file with Equifax.
Will a credit freeze status affect my credit score?
No, a credit freeze does not affect your credit score. The credit freeze will just prevent creditors from accessing your credit information for the following purposes:
If I place a credit freeze on my file, can I still apply for credit?
No, in order to apply for credit, you will need to remove the credit freeze first. Please note that you will also need to contact the other credit assessment agent, Equifax, to remove a credit freeze on your Equifax credit file (called a credit lock).
What is a blocked inquiry?
Blocked inquiries are placed on a credit file when an attempt was made to access the credit file, but no information was returned due to the credit freeze on your file. Blocked inquiries are listed on your consumer disclosure to let you know when TransUnion received a request for your information, but TransUnion was not able to provide any information to that company because a credit freeze was on your credit file.
What do I do if I see blocked inquiries that I don’t remember?
If you see a company listed as a blocked inquiry and do not recall authorizing that company to attempt to access your information, please contact them directly to identify what authorization they obtained to access your information. Contact numbers are provided for each organization listed that was blocked from accessing the information in your file.
What information will be sent to companies if they try to access my TransUnion credit file information and I have a credit freeze on my file?
If you have a credit freeze on your TransUnion credit file, your credit file information will not be provided to a company that is trying to access your credit information for the following purposes:
Companies accessing your credit file for other reasons will be still be able to access your credit information if there is a credit freeze on your file. These exemptions include non-credit related reasons, such as tenancy and insurance underwriting, and account reviews/monitoring.
Print this list of phone numbers to use and keep for reference during your fraud resolution process.
Correspondence in English:
TransUnion
Fraud Victim Assistance Department
3115 Harvester Road,
Suite 201 Burlington ON L7N 3N8
800-663-9980
Correspondence in French:
TransUnion
Consumer Relations Centre
3115 Chemin Harvester,
Suite 201 Burlington ON L7N 3N8
877-713-3393
Equifax Credit Information Services
Consumer Fraud Division
P.O. Box 190 Jean Talon
Montreal, PQ
H1S 2Z2
800-465-7166
514-493-2314
Supportive Agencies
The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
(PhoneBusters)
P.O. Box 686
North Bay, Ontario
P1B 8J8
888-495-8501
TransUnion's FVAD is the credit industry's first and most comprehensive department dedicated to helping credit fraud victims. It is a centralized TransUnion department dedicated solely to the detection, prevention and rectification of credit fraud. We assist and support all victims of fraudulent activity and put effective pre-emptive and remedial programs into place. Based in Burlington, Ontario, the FVAD works with consumers, credit grantors, law enforcement officials and other credit reporting agencies to help investigate and prevent credit fraud.
When credit fraud occurs, you and your credit grantors are both victims. Until the fraud is discovered, the fraudulently opened accounts can appear on your credit file. FVAD can help you identify the fraudulent accounts and/or inquiries, advises you of the creditors that need to be informed of the fraud, and works with the creditors to appropriately amend the information reported to your file.
Here are the steps FVAD takes to help prevent further fraud and correct the inaccuracies on your credit file resulting from the fraud:
1. After an FVAD representative verifies your identity, the representative advises you of any recent inquiries and/or accounts that are new to your file. If you are unaware of the inquiry and/or account, the representative provides the phone number for each. Moreover, the representative reminds you to notify the respective creditor of any fraudulent inquiry and/or account.
2. FVAD will add a fraud statement to your credit file, alerting the creditors who obtain your credit file of the fraud and, if applicable, to contact you before approving credit applications. This statement is retained on your credit file for six years from the date it was added, or until you request its deletion in writing.
The addition of a fraud alert to your credit file may assist you in reducing the likelihood of future fraudulent applications resulting in the extension of credit in your name. However, it is important to recognize that, subject to applicable law, credit grantors have the discretion to decide what steps they will take (if any) when they see the fraud alert on your credit file.
For confirmed Fraud Cases only, FVAD will request your consent to send your name, address and phone number to The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (PhoneBusters).
3. Notify joint-victim credit grantors.
Based on our conversation with you, FVAD notifies credit grantors of the suspected fraud inquiry and/or account. Specifically, FVAD advises the credit grantors to check for a recent application or opened account with the victim's identifying information. By approaching the fraud from both the consumer's and credit grantor's perspectives, a significant amount of fraud can be detected and resolved earlier.
4. Mail statement authorization form.
FVAD representative informs you that an authorization form will be mailed out in order to obtain written consent and to record your contact information.
5. Keep a database of fraud information.
With your consent, FVAD will add misused information into our High Risk Fraud Alert database. Should this information be used on future fraudulent applications, an alert is generated advising potential credit grantors to do further due diligence prior to extending credit.
6. Restore your credit file to its accurate state.
FVAD investigates any disputed credit information with the creditors to help restore any fraud information on your credit file to its accurate state.
7. Refer you to other credit bureaus.
An FVAD representative advises you to contact other credit bureaus in Canada in order to notify them about the fraud incident and add further protection for yourself.
8. Notification of Investigation Outcome/Mail credit file to the consumer, if appropriate.
An FVAD representative will notify you by mail of the Investigation outcome. If you also want a current copy of your TransUnion credit report, proof of identity and/or residency may be required to safeguard your file from further fraudulent activity. The request must be signed in writing and accompanied by two pieces of acceptable identification. Following is the list of acceptable identification:
Acceptable primary identification
We require one piece of valid, non-expired Canadian Government-issued identification. Examples include:
Additional pieces of acceptable identification
Examples include:
Together these combined pieces must contain your name, current address, date of birth and signature.