Protect Your Identity
- Only give out your personal details and information where it is absolutely necessary and when you trust the person you are speaking to or dealing with.
- Destroy personal information: don’t just throw it out. You should cut up or shred old bills, statements or cards
- Treat your personal details like you would treat money: don’t leave them lying around for others to take.
Money Matters
- Never send money to anyone that you don’t know and trust.
- Do not send any money or pay any fee to claim a prize or lottery winnings.
- “Jobs” asking you to simply use your own bank account to transfer money for somebody could be a front for money-laundering activity.
- Avoid transferring or wiring any refunds or
overpayments back to anyone you do not know.
The Face-to-Face Approach
- If someone comes to your door, ask to see some
identification. You do not have to let them in, and they must leave if you ask them to. - Before you decide to pay any
money, if you are interested in what a door-to-door salesperson has to offer, take the time to find out about their business and their offer.
Telephone Business
- If you receive a phone call from
someone you do not know, always ask for the name of the person you are speaking to and who they represent. Verify this information by calling the
company yourself. - Do not give out your personal, credit card or online
account details over the phone unless you made the call and the phone number came from a trusted source. - It is best not to respond to text messages or missed calls that come from numbers you do not recognize.