Snowbird Alert Source: www.newscanada.com Whether you’re doing a little spring cleaning or sorting through your “important paper” drawer, don’t just toss your personal information in the recycling bin or trash. Believe it or not, some scammers will check your recycling and trash for private information to use for identity theft. It can happen to anyone. Identity theft is a serious issue, and it happens more than you might realize. Depending on what you toss, fraudsters can gather personal and financial information, such as credit card numbers, old tax returns, user IDs, passwords, banking statements and even a handwritten signature. With this information, they might attempt to file a fake tax return or apply for government benefits in your name. To avoid becoming a victim of scams and fraud, protect yourself and your information. Although clearing out your paperwork can feel like a good accomplishment, it’s important to protect your personal information during the process. Find more tips regarding how to protect yourself from scams and fraud at canada.ca/be-scam-smart. Document the issue Write down what the issue is and outline the steps that you have taken to solve it with the provider. Include relevant dates. Keeping records of your communications with the service provider can help jog your memory and back up your claims. Decide what you hope to achieve From a simple apology from the provider, to getting a payment refunded, receiving additional compensation or something else entirely, think about what you would consider a reasonable resolution. Submit a complaint to the ombudsman The Commission for Complaints for Telecomtelevision Services, or CCTS, is the national, independent and impartial resolution service to which you can escalate your complaint if your phone, internet or TV provider hasn’t solved a problem. Their services are available in English or French and are provided free of charge. It takes about 15 minutes to file a complaint online: you input the details about the situation and the solution that you think is fair. If your issue is outside of their mandate, they’ll let you know and, if possible, refer you elsewhere. Most complaints filed with the organization are resolved within 30 days. Learn more about the organization and how to submit a complaint at ccts-cprst.ca. Here are a few tips: 1. Before tossing, shred all paper copies of tax-related documents, especially those with your social insurance number on them. 2. Don’t forget to be mindful of the clutter. Only keep paper records and documents related to your tax returns for six years. Don’t let them pile up. 3. To stay safe, regularly check and update your personal information online using your Canada Revenue Agency “My Account.” If you notice changes to your personal information that you didn’t make, contact the CRA immediately. Your trash can put you at risk for identity theft What to do about it! What to do if you have problems with your telecom service provider Many of us know how frustrating it is to wait on hold for your phone, TV or internet provider to solve issues such as connectivity problems, billing errors or other concerns. You make it through the various layers of customer service and the problem gets resolved. But what about when it doesn’t? What if you contact your service provider and they don’t – or won’t – fix the problem? Well, in Canada, we have ombudsman organizations to which you can take your complaint – they’re designed to help with issues between service providers and customers. Here’s how: 6 | www.snowbirds.org
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