{"id":46136,"date":"2014-02-21T18:36:45","date_gmt":"2014-02-21T23:36:45","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2026-05-06T12:06:23","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T16:06:23","slug":"how-can-i-protect-myself-identity-theft","status":"publish","type":"publications-page","link":"https:\/\/www.cleo.on.ca\/en\/publications-page\/how-can-i-protect-myself-identity-theft","title":{"rendered":"How can I protect myself from identity theft?"},"content":{"rendered":"
Make sure that your personal information is as safe as possible. Here are some suggestions:<\/p>\n
\n
Shred documents containing your personal information before you throw them away.<\/li>\n
Remove mail from your mailbox as soon as possible.<\/li>\n
Do not give personal information like your address or debit or credit card number over the phone or by email to anyone you are not sure about. Or to a door-to-door salesperson.<\/li>\n
Never share your personal information on social media.<\/li>\n
Do not carry your birth certificate, social insurance card, or passport with you unless you need it that day.<\/li>\n
Check your credit report regularly.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
To keep your financial information safe:<\/p>\n
\n
Never lend anyone your credit card or debit card.<\/li>\n
Do not give anyone your PIN number.<\/li>\n
When using your credit or debit card in a store, bank machine, or ATM, make sure no one sees your PIN number.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Other safety tips include:<\/p>\n
\n
Do not reply to unusual or suspicious emails. If you’re not sure if the email is safe, ask someone you trust before replying.<\/li>\n
Do not reply to text messages or voicemails from phone numbers you do not know. Delete the message and block the number.<\/li>\n
Use two-factor authentication for all of your online accounts.<\/li>\n
Use secure websites when shopping online or when entering personal information on a website. Look for a lock symbol, and \u201chttps:\/\/\u201d at the start of the site’s website address.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","class_list":["post-46136","publications-page","type-publications-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nHow can I protect myself from identity theft? - CLEO (Community Legal Education Ontario \/ \u00c9ducation juridique communautaire Ontario)<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cleo.on.ca\/en\/publications-page\/how-can-i-protect-myself-identity-theft\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How can I protect myself from identity theft? - CLEO (Community Legal Education Ontario \/ \u00c9ducation juridique communautaire Ontario)\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Make sure that your personal information is as safe as possible. 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