TL;DR: In Canada, report identity theft to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, then contact Equifax Canada and TransUnion Canada about your credit file and dispute fraudulent accounts. The steps are the same in every province.
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The same steps in every province
This guide applies wherever you live in Canada, including Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan. Reporting runs through national bodies, so the process does not change by province.
- Report it: the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre collects information on fraud and identity theft affecting Canadians. Report the theft there.
- Contact the credit bureaus: Equifax Canada and TransUnion Canada are the two main national credit bureaus. Ask each about protecting your credit file, and review your reports for accounts you do not recognise.
- Dispute the damage: use your report as documentation when disputing fraudulent accounts or charges with the creditor or bank involved.
- Consider a police report: creditors and bureaus may ask for one to process disputes.
- Change passwords: update any account that may have been exposed, starting with email and banking.
Watch for follow-up scams
Equifax Canada states it will not request personal or financial information via text or unsolicited phone call. Treat any message claiming to be from a credit bureau the same way: verify through the bureau's own website.
Provincial help
Your provincial consumer protection office may offer additional local guidance. We could not verify a dedicated identity theft page for each province, so start at your provincial government website and the national steps above.
More guides on this topic
Living elsewhere? See the identity theft reporting guide for another country, or the guide for a third country. If a scammer posed as your bank, see the bank impersonation scams guide.
Identity theft often starts with a leaked email or reused password. A free digital footprint check shows whether your email or number appears in exposed data.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I report identity theft in Canada?
Report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, which collects information on fraud and identity theft affecting Canadians. Then contact the credit bureaus and dispute fraudulent accounts.
Which credit bureaus operate in Canada?
Equifax Canada and TransUnion Canada are the two main national credit bureaus. Contact both about your credit file.
Is the process different in Ontario or Quebec?
The national reporting steps are the same in every province. Provincial consumer protection offices may add local guidance.
Will a credit bureau ask for my details by text?
Equifax Canada says it will not request personal or financial information via text or unsolicited phone call. Verify through the bureau's official website.
What should I do first if my identity was stolen?
Report it, review your credit reports, dispute fraudulent accounts, and change passwords on any accounts that may have been exposed.