Credit freezes aren't available in Canada. What options are available to protect against identity theft?

Question

It looks like credit freezes aren't possible in Canada. Despite this, there is some evidence that identity theft is a bona fide problem in Canada:

• RCMP states that in 2009 there were 11,095 identity fraud reports
• apparently Equifax and TransUnion Canada receive over 1,800 reports of identity theft per month

Aside from changing Canadian laws to require the ability for consumers to freeze their credit reports, what options are there for Canadians to prevent identity fraud? Specifically, I am looking for strategies that prevent someone from impersonating me to fraudulently obtain credit using my credit history. I am already aware that I can obtain credit reports periodically. That merely detects the fraud, it doesn't prevent it.

Answer 1

Putting a fraud alert on your credit file with TransUnion Canada and Equifax Canada is probably the next best course of action. It will put a note on your file requesting that they give you a call to verify your identity before extending the service.

This is, however, a somewhat toothless solution since they don't actually have to do this, and I personally think there will be a lot of agents who bypass this step for the sake of convenience (especially in the world of post Equifax breach).

You can put the fraud alert on your file by contacting both agencies by phone:

TransUnion Fraud Victim Assistance Department

800-663-9980

Equifax Consumer Fraud Division

800-465-7166

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I have put together a petition for TransUnion and Equifax Canada to implement an on-demand credit freeze solution, and if they don't for government regulators to enforce a solution the same way state laws mandate the option in the USA.

https://www.change.org/p/equifax-mandate-free-and-on-demand-credit-freeze-in-canada