Scammer uses P.E.I. woman’s SIN to seek employment insurance

CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — When Jacinthe Lemire went to test her mailbox, she discovered a letter from Service Canada. She wasn’t anticipating any mail, however she opened it.

Then, she was confused. Somebody had used her social insurance coverage quantity to use for employment insurance coverage advantages.

She was much more confused by what occurred subsequent.

The P.E.I. girl noticed a quantity on the letter, and she or he referred to as it.

The girl who answered requested for her identify and date of start. Lemire gave her identify, however not her date of start. She wasn’t positive the letter was actual. She thought it was a rip-off.

“All the things appeared bizarre. My first language is French, and the letter was despatched to me in English. I used to be born in Quebec, and I’ve at all times handled the federal government of Canada in French. The girl who I used to be assigned to was anglophone.”

The girl couldn’t speak to Lemire in French, so she ended the decision.

A spokesperson with Service Canada in Charlottetown mentioned Lemire ought to have gotten service in her most popular language.

“It’s unusual that it was in English. It could be on her file that it was French. Most likely what occurred was when the particular person utilized for her, they may have modified her file to English.”

Lemire referred to as Service Canada’s toll-free quantity to test if the letter was actual.

“It’s fairly scary to assume that somebody used my SIN quantity to use for EI on my behalf.”

 – Jacinthe Lemire

It was. She didn’t understand how somebody acquired her social insurance coverage quantity.

“It’s fairly scary to assume that somebody used my SIN quantity to use for EI on my behalf.”

She had utilized for CERB in 2021, however not EI.

The Canadian Anti-Fraud Middle mentioned in an electronic mail there was a rise in id fraud.

“Fraudsters are utilizing private details about Canadians to use for presidency advantages, bank cards, financial institution accounts and cell telephones.”

In February, the centre acquired 2,986 experiences of id theft/fraud, and $32.48 million was misplaced.

When a SIN will get into the improper fingers, it might result in an invasion of privateness, id theft, lack of authorities advantages, tax refunds or financial institution credit, the centre mentioned.

“If somebody makes use of your SIN to commit fraud, it will possibly spoil your credit standing. Somebody might additionally use your SIN to work illegally. On this case, the Canada Income Company could count on you to pay tax on revenue you didn’t obtain.”

Individuals can defend their SIN from moving into the improper fingers, the centre mentioned.

• Be cautious of unsolicited emails, textual content messages, phone calls or mail asking you for private or monetary info.
• Shred private and monetary paperwork earlier than placing them within the rubbish.
• Retrieve your mail frequently to restrict doable mail theft and once you transfer, notify the put up workplace and your related monetary establishments and repair suppliers.”
• Your SIN is confidential. Don’t use it as identification or present it for job functions, rental functions,” the centre mentioned.

Service Canada advised Lemire the false EI utility was cancelled, and the case was forwarded to a fraud division.

Lemire is a group improvement marketing consultant for Resolution Eureka Professional Conseils, a consulting agency specializing in challenge administration and group improvement, so she is disillusioned it was troublesome to get service in French.

Nevertheless, Lemire is grateful to Service Canada for the assistance together with her stolen info and hopes the state of affairs doesn’t re-occur, she mentioned.

“I don’t understand how somebody was in a position to get my SIN quantity, however I’m hopeful it won’t occur once more.”