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ProtectionPower.ca urges Canadians to treat every month as a Fraud Prevention Month

BURLINGTON, ONT –  March 30, 2011- Fraud Prevention Month may be drawing to a close, but ProtectionPower.ca reminds all Canadians to keep their guards up! Through awareness and knowledge of the latest scams and threats, consumers can help protect themselves from the financial and personal stress of fraud.

“Fraudulent activity continues to rise in Canada,” says Sylvain Patry, identity theft expert and senior vice-president of ProtectionPower.ca. “But together, we can stop this trend. In particular, we urge consumers to recognize emerging fraud threats, as criminals devise new schemes using the latest technology.”

Scams on smartphones and other mobile devices are, for example, gaining traction – providing a new and lucrative way for criminals to steal personal and financial information.

ProtectionPower.ca, which offers identity theft protection resources and services to Canadians, today provides 5 important tips to keep your smartphone safe:

1. Your smartphone is a computer. Treat it like one. Install anti-virus software and password-protect it at all times. Do not download attachments or questionable applications. (See tip #2.)
2. Is that app safe? Only download apps from reputable sources and research the applications fully before you do so. Don't let the excitement of a new feature get in the way of caution! Pay attention to permissions: if an app says it needs to do something you don't think it should, don't download it.
3. Beware interceptions. Text messages, in particular, are relatively easy to intercept. Don't share any important information, account numbers or passwords via text message. 
4. Safe disposal: Canadians upgrade their mobile devices, on average, every 18 months. That's a lot of old phones! Before you sell, toss or recycle your phone, make sure all contacts and personal information has been deleted. Read your user's manual for specific instructions; delete the contacts in your phone book. Erase text messages, call history, voice mails, saved photos, and web search history. 
5. Stay alert. You may not realize someone has intercepted an important text message or captured your bank account password through your phone. Examine every bank and credit card statement; and check your credit report frequently.

Follow us on Twitter! ProtectionPower.ca publishes daily news alerts, the latest scam updates and protection tips on Twitter

For more tools and resources to help you protect yourself from identity theft, visit ProtectionPower.ca.

About ProtectionPower.ca

Protection Power is a leading Canadian provider of advanced identity protection services and educational resources. Founded by a team of security experts with a background in credit/financial services and technology, Protection Power provides features and experience to help you stay in control of your financial life.