EP132 How to Protect Yourself from Fraud with Julie Kuzmic of Equifax

Julie Kuzmic is the Director of Consumer Advocacy at Equifax Canada. She is passionate about financial literacy and is a recognized authority on consumer credit. She often speaks on the credit lifecycle to consumers, clients, government, and industry groups and she is always testing out new metaphors to describe the nuances of credit scores.

Julie joins me today to share how to protect yourself from fraud and how fraudsters can obtain your personal details and use it to apply for credit in your name. She reveals how many times you can check your credit report each year as a proactive fraud prevention step, why it’s vital to inform credit agencies if you fall victim to identity theft and the protective measures and alerts you can activate to authenticate credit requests in your name. Julie also discusses the pros and cons of using your passwords online over open Wi-Fi networks and with third parties. 

“It is important to let both credit bureaus know if you are a victim of fraud.” – Julie Kuzmic

 

This Week on Young Money:

 

• How fraudsters can use your identity and data to apply for credit in your name
• Checking your credit file for free to proactively check for fraud and identity theft
• How to put a warning and alert on your credit file if you have been a victim of a data breach
• Preventing fraud with a free “Identity Warning” from Equifax
• Fraud prevention tips and measures
• The vulnerabilities of open Wi-Fi networks
• The pros and cons of open banking services
• Liability negating clauses introduced by banks when you share your username and password with third-parties

Key takeaways:

 

1. Protect yourself by keeping an eye on your credit report
2. Set an alert if you fall victim to identity fraud
3. Be wary of sharing your passwords

Resources Mentioned:

 

• EP129 Adulting 101: Equifax’s Julie Kuzmic on What’s a Credit Report & Should I Care?

Connect with Julie Kuzmic:

 

• Julie Kuzmic on LinkedIn
• Equifax Canada on LinkedIn
• Equifax Canada
• Equifax Canada on Twitter
• Julie Kuzmic on Twitter

 

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