Nelson woman victimized by identity theft
The Nelson police were contacted this week by a resident who had been the victim of identity fraud, likely resulting from an internet data breach.
“Online scams and identity theft are among the most common crimes in Canada. Learning about the methods scammers use is the best way to protect yourself.” said Special Constable Edwards.
The victim previously worked for an agency that suffered a major data breach. In August 2024, a credit card was taken out in her name without her knowledge. Over three weeks, nearly $30,000 worth of charges were incurred on the card. The victim only became aware of the fraud on March 7, when she was contacted by a collection agency.
Police directed the victim to report the fraud to the bank’s internal investigation department and the CRA. They also advised setting up an online credit monitoring account with TransUnion or Equifax to ensure that her information had not been fraudulently used elsewhere.
For more information or to report fraud, visit The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre website.
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