Tips for Reducing the Risk of Identity Theft

Key Government Documents: Contact Information

If your government-issued documents are lost or stolen, it is important to report them right away to the issuing authority, so that they can be cancelled and you can apply to have new documents issued.

Federal Government

Key documents issued by the federal government include your Social Insurance Card, Passport, Citizenship and Immigration Documents and the Certificate of Indian Status.

For information on Government of Canada programs and services

Call: 1 800 O-Canada (1 800 622-6232)
If you use a TTY call 1 800 465-7735
Visit: www.canada.gc.ca

Privacy Commissioner of Canada
Toll Free: 1-800-282-1376
TTY: (613) 992-9190
Web site: www.privcom.gc.ca
E-mail: info@privcom.gc.ca

Social Insurance Card
Service Canada
Toll-free in Canada: 1-800-206-7218
E-mail: sin-nas@hrdc-drhc.gc.ca
Website: www.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca

Permanent Resident Card
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Toll-free in Canada: 1-800-255-4541
Website: www.cic.gc.ca/english/pr-card/index.html

Citizenship Certificate
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Toll-free in Canada: 1-800-242-2100
Website: www.cic.gc.ca/english/index.asp

Passport Office (Government of Canada)
Toll-free in Canada: 1-800-567-6868
Website: www.ppt.gc.ca

Manitoba Legislation

Correcting information held at a credit reporting agency (credit bureau)

If you find information in your credit report or file that you disagree with, you have a right under The Personal Investigations Act to protest the information. If you believe an item in your credit report or file is incorrect, write to the credit reporting agency explaining why. The agency must then check the accuracy of the information and if it is incorrect, remove it from your record. If the agency corrects, adds or deletes information following your complaint, it must tell you and everyone who received your report within the past 60 days.

If you encounter a problem in having your information corrected, contact the Consumers' Bureau as shown below.

Lost or stolen credit cards

Manitoba's Consumer Protection Act says that you are only liable for the first $50 if your credit card has been lost or stolen or if a debt has been incurred through unauthorized use of your credit card information. You must notify the credit card issuer as soon as you know the card is missing or as soon as you identify transactions on your statement that you have not authorized.

Protect your credit card PIN. If the lost or stolen credit card is used at an automated banking machine that requires a PIN number to work, you may be liable for losses.

For more information, contact the Consumers' Bureau as shown below.

Manitoba Contacts

Lost birth certificate
Manitoba Finance
Vital Statistics Agency
Telephone: 945-3701
Toll-free in Manitoba: 1-800-282-8069 ext. 3701
E-mail address: vitalstats@gov.mb.ca
Website: http://vitalstats.gov.mb.ca/index.html

Lost driver's licence
Manitoba Public Insurance
To replace a lost, stolen or destroyed driver's licence, you need to contact a driver licencing service outlet near you. Telephone: 1-204-985-1100
Toll-free in Manitoba: 1-866-323-0544
Website: www.mpi.mb.ca

Consumers' Bureau
Manitoba Finance
Consumers' Bureau Contact the Consumers' Bureau for additional information about identity theft or assistance in resolving complaints about your credit report or liability on a lost or stolen credit card.
Telephone: 945-3800
Toll-free in Manitoba: 1-800-782-0067
E-mail: consumersbureau@gov.mb.ca
Website: http://www.gov.mb.ca/finance/cca/consumb/

If you have been the victim of identity theft, additional information is available at http://cmcweb.ca/epic/site/cmc-cmc.nsf/en/fe00078e.html  

Start with the document titled "Identity Theft - What to do if it happens to you" and then complete the Identity Theft Statement to send to financial institutions, credit card issuers and others.

The Consumer Measures Committee (CMC), which has a representative from the federal government and every province and territory, provides a forum for national cooperation to improve the marketplace for Canadian consumers by harmonizing laws and providing information.

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