Identity theft in Canada costs consumers, banks, retailers and other businesses $2.5 billion a year and is growing exponentially, according to the council of Better Business Bureaus in Canada.

IDENTITY GUARD^® Credit Monitoring Services helps you prevent criminals from tampering with your credit and stealing your identity through a comprehensive early warning system that monitors and reports potential fraudulent activities in your credit file. It can help you get the early jump on would-be thieves before damage is done to your finances, your credit, and your name.

If you are a victim of identity theft or would like further information on how you can protect yourself, please contact the following government agencies:

The Privacy Commissioner of Canada www.privcom.gc.ca
The Privacy Commissioner of Canada is an advocate for the privacy rights of Canadians with the power to:

• Investigate complaints and conduct audits under two federal laws
• Publish information about personal information-handling practices in the public and private sector
• Take matters to the Federal Court of Canada
• Conduct research into privacy issues
• Promote awareness and understanding of privacy issues by the Canadian public

Financial Consumer Agency of Canada www.fcac-acfc.gc.ca
The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada’s (FCAC) mandate is to help build financial knowledge and consumers' awareness of their rights. The FCAC is responsible for monitoring compliance with many of the federal laws that protect consumers in their dealings with financial institutions.

PhoneBusters www.phonebusters.com
This is the central agency that collects information on identity theft and telemarketing complaints throughout Canada and disseminates this information to the appropriate enforcement agency. The data they collect is a valuable tool in evaluating the effects of this fraud on the public, and preventing future crimes from taking place.