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With ID monitoring I really
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- Singh S.
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Protect Your Identity
Protection Power members are safeguarded against the growing threat of Identity Theft
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Learning Centre
A wealth of up-to-date identity theft information, tips and other resources to keep you safe
Why You Need to Protect Your Social Insurance Number
Your Social Insurance Number (SIN) is tightly linked to much of your personal information. From your employment to your tax history to government services, a SIN is the key to a wealth of your personal data.
You should guard that key at all times. A Protection Power membership can help you along the way.
With your SIN and a little computer know-how, a hacker can search out information about you from multiple databases. By matching and combining the files uncovered, the hacker could piece together an entire profile for you. This is, for all intents and purposes, your identity.
With your personal profile in hand, that computer hacker may decide to sell your identity on the online black market for a few dollars. Or, they may keep that identity and:
- Take out a credit card
- Apply for a mortgage
- Apply for a job
- Open a new bank account
- Get a new drivers' license
- Rack up bill payments, parking tickets (or worse) and credit card bills
All in your name! And you might not even notice until you're hit with some fairly staggering bills or surprising collections calls.
Read more about Identity theft.
Given that your Social Insurance Number is so incredibly important, it's surprising how many people are quite careless with their SINs and cards. Do not be one of them!
Protect your Social Insurance Number and card:
Never carry your SIN or SIN card with you. Leave it at home in a secure place, ideally a locked filing cabinet or safe.
Do not give your SIN out unless legally required. You do not have to give your SIN when you are applying for most jobs; it is not a piece of identification. You will have to provide you SIN to any institution from which you receive income or interest, including your employer and banks. Many, but all, government services will require your SIN.
Sign up for ID monitoring. All Protection Power members have access to SpotMyID's identity monitoring service. ID monitoring will scan the Internet for the possible misuse of your cards or identification – including your SIN. When choosing the items SpotMyID will monitor, we highly recommend you include your SIN.
If the identity monitoring service finds your SIN in a questionable location, you will receive an email alert the same day. Act quickly, and you may stop identity theft before any lasting financial or personal damage is done.
