Calling banks and credit card companies to find out about potential fraudulent transactions and get new cards issued isn’t my idea of a good time, and I’m not alone. A survey commissioned by Equifax found that 27% of Canadians surveyed feel vulnerable as a target for fraud by means of a lost or stolen wallet or purse. Nearly all Canadians surveyed (94%) reported concerns about being a victim of fraud and 61% admitted worry about the time it takes to fix the affected account(s).
In today’s world of tapping our cards in store for quicker transactions, it’s a legitimate concern. It may not take very long for Fraudy McFrauderson to do some serious damage with your cards before you even notice they’re missing and can cancel them.
These scenarios aren’t fun to contemplate and they’re even worse to live through. I hate to pour salt on the wound of a wallet loss or theft, but there’s another insidious aspect of this situation that may not be as obvious to many Canadians.
When your ID is on the loose
Guess what else the McFrauderson family can do with the contents of your wallet: With access to your official identification, they may be able to apply for new accounts in your name. It would be nice to imagine the unauthorized holder of your wallet signing you up for the local grocery store’s loyalty program, but their motives are likely far less altruistic. They might be after some brand-spankin’ new credit in your name.
Your data is valuable
In fact, it doesn’t matter how the McFraudersons get their hands on your information. It could be a data breach, some personal papers that didn’t get shredded or your stolen wallet. It’s important to understand the mechanics involved when someone applies for credit in your name.
What typically happens when we apply for credit in Canada is the following: applicants are asked for permission to access their credit histories and/or credit scores. With your consent, the credit grantor will pull this information and use it—along with other details from your application, such as your income—to make a decision on whether to grant credit. Of course, the credit grantor needs to confirm your identity and will ask for ID and/or use various industry standard identity verification methods.
The fraud scenario
Let’s run through the credit application process with the McFraudersons in the picture. They may have your ID or they may have even used your information to create new pieces of fake ID with your name and their photos. They are only too happy to consent to a credit check—of your credit history. Of course, banks and other credit grantors have a number of checks and balances to look for signs of fraud as applications are processed and many fraudsters are caught. The McFraudersons are crafty, though—some get through.
How do you know if you’re a victim?
Some victims are tipped off to this type of activity when a new credit card appears in the mail for which they didn’t actually apply. Others aren’t so “lucky.” If a fraudster successfully convinces the lender that your address has changed and they have the actual credit card mailed elsewhere, how would you know that a new account has been opened in your name? What if it’s a line of credit, so there’s no physical card to be mailed and they opt out of paper statements to limit your opportunities to discover the fraud?
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