Fraud Victims Resources

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.

Preventing

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:

• Online: Click Here to visit our self-service website. To promote our online Potential Fraud Alert service, sign-up is free for a limited time.
• Over the telephone: call 1-800-663-9980 
• In writing: Click Here.
  
  

Here are some simple ways you can help reduce your chances of becoming a fraud victim:

• 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.
• Do not carry your extra credit cards, birth certificate, SIN card or passport in your wallet or purse except when necessary. This practice minimizes the amount of information a thief can steal in the case of a lost wallet/purse.
• Install a lockable mailbox at your residence to reduce mail theft.
• Never discard credit card receipts or other documents containing personal information in a public trash container; use a shredder.
• Never leave your purse or wallet unattended at work or in church, restaurants, health fitness clubs, parties or shopping carts. Never leave your purse or wallet in open view in your car, even when your car is locked.
• Destroy all cheques immediately after you close a chequing account. Destroy or store in a secure place any courtesy cheques that your bank or credit card company sends to you.
• If you move, do not have your bank send your new cheques to your home address. Tell the bank that you prefer to pick them up.
• Reconcile your cheque and credit card statements promptly. Immediately challenge any purchases you do not recognize.
• Limit the number of credit cards you have and cancel any inactive accounts.
• Never give any credit card, bank, or Social Insurance information to anyone by telephone — even if you made the call — unless you can positively verify that the call is legitimate.
• Minimize exposure of your credit card numbers. If the numbers are requested for cheque-cashing purposes, ask if the business has alternative options such as a cheque-cashing card.
• Safeguard your credit, debit and ATM card receipts. Shred them before discarding.
• Scrutinize your utility and subscription bills to make sure the charges are yours.
• Memorize your passwords and personal identification numbers (PINs) so you do not have to write them down. Be aware of your surroundings to make sure no one is watching you enter your PIN.
• Keep a list of all your credit accounts and bank accounts in a secure place. This makes it easy to quickly call the issuers to inform them about missing or stolen cards. Include account numbers, expiration dates and telephone numbers of customer service and fraud departments.
• Do not discard pre-approved credit offers in your trash or recycling bin without first tearing them into small pieces or cross-cut shredding them. Dumpster divers can use these offers to order credit cards in your name and mail them to their address. Always do the same with other sensitive information like credit card receipts and phone bills.
• Avoid credit repair scams. If you are tempted to contact a credit repair company for help, use considerable caution. Only inaccurate information may be removed from your credit report; negative information that is accurate (such as a bankruptcy filing or a defaulted loan) will stay on your credit report as long as governing laws allow.
• Under Consumer Reporting legislation, if you believe any item on your credit report is inaccurate or incomplete, and you notify us, we will verify the information at no cost to you. We do not accept disputes from third parties unless accompanied by a notarized power of attorney that authorizes a licensed attorney or a family member to represent you, or if the power of attorney is unlimited and irrevocable.
• Order your TransUnion Credit Report periodically and check for any unauthorized activity. Should any information not pertaining to you show up on your credit report, contact the creditors and question the account and/or inquiry. If you have questions, contact the other major credit reporting bureaus.

Identifying

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:

• One of your creditors informs you that they have received an application for credit with your name and Social Insurance Number.
• You receive calls or letters stating that you have been approved or denied by a creditor to which you never applied.
• You receive credit card, utility or telephone statements in your name and address for which you never applied.
• You no longer receive your credit card statements, or you notice that not all of your mail is being delivered to you.
• Your credit card statement includes purchases that you don't recognize.
• A collection agency tells you they are collecting for a defaulted account established with your identity, but you never opened the account.

Restoring

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.

Security Freeze FAQ

What is a credit freeze and what does it do?

(Only available to consumers in Ontario and Quebec)

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 specific credit-related purposes set out in legislation.

When a credit freeze is in effect, a consumer reporting agency must not disclose any credit or personal information about the consumer, including any consumer scores, for the following credit‑related purposes:

• Entering into a new credit agreement (including for a mortgage for real property);
• Increasing credit under an existing agreement;
• Entering into a long-term contract for a lease of goods (for example, a car lease) ; or
• Entering into a contract involving performance for a service at a distance (for example, a payment plan for a cell phone).

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 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, separately to place a credit freeze on your Equifax credit file (called a credit lock).

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

Please note that you must provide identification documents so we can verify your identity before placing the freeze on your file.

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 by phone or online at ocs.transunion.ca, it will be added in real time. 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.

Please note that you will need to contact the other main credit reporting agency, Equifax, to place a credit freeze on your Equifax credit file.

Can I temporarily suspend my security freeze?

Beginning July 1, 2027, you will be able to set the date for a temporary suspension of your credit file. If you need to apply for credit, you can lift the credit freeze for the duration you specify and  the freeze will be reinstated at expiration of the time frame you specify. During suspension, the freeze is not in effect

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

Please note that you must provide identification documents so we can verify your identity before terminating the freeze.

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 by phone or online at ocs.transunion.ca, it will be removed in real time.

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.

Please note that you will need to contact the other main credit reporting agency, Equifax, to remove a credit freeze on your Equifax credit file.

 How long will the credit freeze remain on my file?

Your credit freeze remains on your file until you ask to suspend or terminate it.

If I remove a credit freeze from my file, will it be automatically reinstated after a certain period of time?

No. 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.  The feature for automatic reinstatement (also called a temporal suspension) will be in place for July 1, 2027.

Is there a fee to place, suspend, or remove a freeze on my file?

No. TransUnion Canada does not charge consumers to place a credit freeze on 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. It simply prevents creditors from accessing your credit information for the following purposes: 

• Entering into a new credit agreement (including for a mortgage for real property);
•  Increasing credit under an existing agreement;
• Entering into a long-term contract for a lease of goods (for example, a car lease) ; or
• Entering into a contract involving performance for a service at a distance (for example, a payment plan for a cell phone).

If I place a credit freeze on my file, can I still apply for credit?

Yes but you will need to temporarily suspend the freeze or remove it before applying..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.

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 can still be disclosed when a freeze is in place?

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: 

• assessing you for new or additional credit (including for a mortgage for real property);
• entering into a long-term contract for a least of goods (for example, a car lease) 
• entering into a contract involving performance for a service at a distance (for example, a payment plan for a cell phone).

Companies accessing your credit file for other reasons will 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. 

 What identification do I need to provide to place, suspend, or remove a security freeze?

ID is only required if the request is sent via mail. We require copies of 2 pieces of ID, one must be primary  and one can be secondary (Consumer Disclosure | TransUnion Canada). To place, suspend or remove a security freeze by phone or online, your identity will need to be verified through our standard authentication processes.

Contacts

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