Identity theft is on the rise and it's up to the individual to protect themselves.
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July 28, 2013 - 5:00 AM
IT'S UP TO THE INDIVIDUAL: RCMP PUSH DILIGENCE
KAMLOOPS - As a report on crime in Canada revealed an increase in identity theft throughout the country, Kamloops RCMP don't want Kamloopsians to become part of the statistics.
Statistics Canada released a report Thursday on police reported crime statistics for 2012.
The report, measuring the overall volume of crime that came to police attention, revealed a 3 per cent decrease in both the amount and the severity of crimes since 2011.
Kamloops RCMP Cpl. Cheryl Bush says the local numbers will be talked about Monday at a community policing meeting with the City, however the report revealed identity fraud was one of the few nonviolent offences that increased across Canada — something Bush says can be prevented.
"It's up to the individual," Bush says.
The report shows that in last year, 12,739 incidents of identity theft or identify fraud were reported to police services in Canada, up about 700 from 2011.
Bush says it's important to take care in mail handling, with telemarketers and emails.
She said to be wary of anyone calling and asking for information and encourages awareness when replying to emails.
And for those caught in the middle of a scam: cancel credit and debit cards, check with the credit bureau and report it to the authorities.
"It's just being diligent," Bush says.
To contact a reporter for this story, email: jwallace@infotelnews.ca, call: (250) 319-7494 or tweet: @jess__wallace.
News from © iNFOnews, 2013