4. Find out if you have to pay for anything
Question & Answer
What can I do if identity theft happens to me?An identity thief can use your to apply for debit cards, cards, bank loans, mortgages, and other kinds of credit. You can call your bank or credit card company to find out if you are responsible for these .
Credit cards
Most credit card companies expect you to pay attention to the use of your credit card. This means you must tell your credit card company right away if:
- there are any charges to your card that you do not recognize
- your card is lost
- your card is stolen
After you tell them about the , you may have to pay some of the amount charged to your card.
If your card was issued by a bank, the law says you are responsible for up to $50 of the fraudulent transaction.
If your card was issued by a federally regulated financial institution other than a bank, the law says you are responsible for the lesser of:
- $50
- the maximum amount set by your credit card agreement
If you do not report the identity theft to your credit card company, you could have to pay the full amount charged to your card.
Debit cards and bank accounts
Most banks expect you to pay attention to the use of your debit card. This means you must tell your bank right away if:
- there are any charges to your card that you do not recognize
- your card is lost
- your card is stolen
- your cell phone is lost or stolen and it has your personal banking information in it
Even if the identity thief cannot be found, your bank might offer some protection against money taken illegally from your bank accounts.
But your bank may want to be sure that you are really a victim and that you are not working with the thief. You can show the bank that you are serious about stopping the thieves by reporting your identity theft to the police.
After you tell them about the identity theft, you may have to pay some of the amount charged to your card.
The maximum amount you could be responsible for is usually not more than the withdrawal limit of your debit card. But you could be responsible for more if:
- your account links to a or overdraft protection
- your account links to one or more other accounts
New accounts
If the thief used your name to open a new credit card account, you might have to prove that it was not you.
If an identity thief opened any new account in your name, it will probably be on your . You might learn about it when you get a note from a saying that you owe them money.
It can be hard to prove that an account does not belong to you. The or the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre can explain what you need to do to prove that the account is not yours. They may ask you to report the theft to the police.
It can take a long time to prove the account is not yours. A credit card company or bank might freeze the account while they investigate. A freeze means that no one can use the account until it is unfrozen, including you.
Title fraud
If you are a victim of title , you might be able to get some money for your losses. You have to put in a claim through the government's Land Titles Assurance Fund.
