A Nelson resident has reported that someone was fraudulently using their name and personal information to attempt to open a bank account in Nelson this week.
“This type of identity theft is common and can be perpetrated by someone with no connection to the victim,” says Special Constable Edwards.
The caller explained that they had been using an online financial service a few years ago, which had a security breach resulting in users’ personal information being leaked. Since then, they have closely monitored their accounts, and twice have had people attempt to open lines of credit with private companies using their name.
In this most recent identity fraud attempt, they were contacted by a bank, who informed them that someone had attempted to open an account using their details. Fortunately, the suspect was unsuccessful, and no money was taken from their accounts.
If you are affected by this type of privacy breach, contact Equifax or TransUnion. These are the largest companies that deal with credit score and they can ensure that your personal information is not used in a way that impacts your credit rating.
More information on fraud and identity theft can be found at the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre website: https://antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/index-eng.htm.
If you believe that you have been impacted by this type of privacy breach, you can contact the Nelson Police Department.
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