Identity Theft in Canada: What to Do and Who to Call

Identity theft in Canada: what to do first is the question that matters when you spot a strange charge or a credit check you didn't ask for. Move quickly but calmly. The steps below follow the advice of Canadian agencies, and each one has a link to the official page so you can check the current details.

What to do, in order

Step	Who	Why
1	Your bank and card issuers	Stop more money from leaving your accounts
2	Local police	They investigate, and a report number helps with banks and bureaus
3	Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre	Report identity theft in Canada so it reaches law enforcement
4	Equifax Canada and TransUnion Canada	Ask about a fraud alert and check your credit report
5	Your accounts	Change passwords, turn on two-factor sign-in
6	Have I Been Pwned (free)	See which breaches your email appeared in

1. Call your bank

Use the number on the back of your card or on the bank's official site, not a number from an email or text. Ask the bank to block cards, review recent transactions and flag your file.

2. Report it to your local police

The CAFC says victims should contact their local police as soon as possible, since police are responsible for investigating. Ask for a report or file number and keep it.

3. Report identity theft to the CAFC

The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre takes reports online or by phone. Its reporting page lists the online system and its toll-free number, 1-888-495-8501. The CAFC asks people to report fraud even when they didn't lose money, because reports help spot trends. Check the page for current hours.

4. Contact Equifax Canada and TransUnion Canada

Canada has two main credit bureaus. Contact both, using the official Equifax Canada and TransUnion Canada sites:

• Fraud alert. Ask each bureau to add a fraud alert to your file. An alert asks lenders to take extra steps to confirm it's really you before giving credit.
• Credit report. Get a copy of your report and look for accounts or credit checks you don't recognize.
• Freezes and locks. Whether you can freeze or lock your file depends on the bureau and your province. Quebec has its own rules for security freezes. Ask each bureau what is available where you live, and whether there is a fee.

5. Lock down your accounts

Change the password on your email first, then banking, then everything else. Use a different password for each site and turn on two-factor sign-in. If someone is posing as you on social media, see our guide to someone impersonating you online.

Was my email in a data breach? A Canadian data breach check

Many identity theft cases start with leaked data. A free search on Have I Been Pwned shows which known breaches your email appeared in and what kind of data leaked, such as passwords, phone numbers or addresses. That tells you which passwords to change first and what a scammer might know about you. This is a follow-up step: do the bank, police and credit bureau steps first. More free options are in our Have I Been Pwned alternatives guide.

Next, run your usernames through our free username search, powered by our own FreeUsername™ search engine, across 3,450+ sites. Look for accounts you don't recognize, or old ones that share a leaked password. To look for fake profiles on a single network, try the Instagram username check. Our guide to fake accounts using your name helps too.

On Android, the free FreeUsername: Username Checker app runs the username search on your phone. Our engine's home is FreeUsername.com.

After the first day

• Check your credit report again in a few weeks.
• Watch for letters or bills for accounts you didn't open.
• Keep a log of every call: date, who you spoke to, reference numbers.
• Do a full digital footprint check for Canada to shrink what's out there.

Paid identity protection plans exist, but you can do these steps yourself. Our post on what identity protection services do explains the trade-offs.

FAQ

Where do I report identity theft in Canada?

Report it to your local police and to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, online or at 1-888-495-8501. Tell your bank and both credit bureaus as well.

Can I freeze my credit in Canada?

It depends on the bureau and your province. Quebec has its own rules for security freezes. Ask Equifax Canada and TransUnion Canada what is available where you live.

How do I know if my email was in a Canadian data breach?

Search the address on Have I Been Pwned. It is free, lists the known breaches the address appeared in, and says what kind of data leaked. Breaches of Canadian companies are included when they are public.

Should I report it even if I didn't lose money?

Yes. The CAFC asks for reports whether or not you were a victim, because they help track fraud.

Is FreeUsername free?

Yes. You can search usernames without an account, we don't store what you type, and ads cover the costs.

Is the FreeUsername app free?

Yes. FreeUsername: Username Checker is free on Google Play for Android. An iPhone version is coming soon.