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Assess your risk

Online fraud and identity theft are growing concerns. That’s why we have developed a short questionnaire to evaluate your risk exposure. In less than 10 minutes you will get a list of recommendations to increase your security.

 

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Obtenez votre indice de risque en moins de 10 minutes.

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Question 10

Do you lock your mailbox?

You should lock your mailbox. Otherwise, it is easy to steal your mail and all the personal information it contains.

Question 11

Do you use a confetti-cut shredder to destroy documents that contain personal information?

It is preferable to use a confetti-cut shredder to destroy documents that contain personal information: this type of shredder shreds documents into confetti. You can therefore be sure that documents are completely destroyed. This will also discourage fraudsters from picking through your garbage to look for your personal information and use it against you.
Question 12

Do you ever give personal information to individuals who call for surveys or to sell you products or services?

You should never give personal or financial information to someone who calls you. Many criminals use telemarketing techniques to commit fraud. Be cautious if you receive a call from someone telling you about an amazing promotion or prize to be won. Never follow up on calls that invite you to win a prize. Remember that official organizations, individuals and businesses that require your personal information usually do not obtain it by phone.
Question 13

Do you always lock your cell phone after making a call or having checked your text messages?

Contact your service provider if you do not know how to lock your cell phone. You should use a password to lock your cell phone, to turn it on as well as to wake it from sleep mode. This feature helps to reduce the risk that a malicious person gets access to your personal information contained in your cell phone. It also prevents unwanted calls made to your account in the event that your phone is stolen.
Question 26

Can a bank employee ask you for your PIN for verification purposes?

A National Bank employee cannot ask you for your PIN at any time. Your PIN is confidential and you should never reveal it to anyone, even a family member, friend or the police.
Question 27

You receive an e-mail from your financial institution or from a government department or agency informing you that it is updating its website and asking you to update your user profile by clicking on a link. Is this a legitimate e-mail?

No financial institution or government department or agency would ask you to click on a link to confirm your banking information or your identification. It is a fraudulent e-mail, a practice commonly known as phishing. These types of e-mails claim to be from your financial institution or a government department or agency and contain fraudulent links. If you receive this type of e-mail, contact your financial institution or the government department or agency immediately.
Question 1

Do you always cancel any debit cards, credit cards or loyalty cards you no longer use?

You should contact the companies that issued the cards you no longer use and request that these cards be cancelled. You may have bank cards for old accounts, and use them rarely. There is no need to carry these cards with you at all times. Check with the institutions that you do business with to make sure that these cards have indeed been cancelled. Even if you destroy the cards, the account could still be active if the card has not been cancelled by the issuing company, for credit cards in particular.
Question 2

Do you keep photocopies of your important documents (passport, birth certificate or other) in a safe place: home safe, safety deposit box or in a locked cabinet in your home?

You should make photocopies of your important documents and keep them in a safe place, under lock and key or at the bank. This will enable you to have access to your personal information in the event that you lose these documents, and make it easier to replace them. Proceed in the same way if you are travelling abroad; photocopy your important travel documents and entrust a relative or close friend with them. Only take the documents you need and carry them with you at all times. Plan your trip carefully using the Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada website at http://www.travel.gc.ca.
Question 3

Do you carefully go through your credit card and bank account statements?

You should check your bank account and credit card transactions regularly and meticulously. If a transaction is unfamiliar to you, advise your financial institution so that the necessary steps can be taken.
Question 4

Do you know what a credit file is and what repercussions it can have on your loan applications?

A credit file is a report that lists the consumer credit products that you hold with various institutions. For example, if you have a car loan and a MasterCard credit card with National Bank, these accounts will appear in your credit file. Someone who steals your identity can use your personal information to apply for credit in your name. As a result, your future loan applications could be refused. You could also be held financially responsible for accounts opened fraudulently in your name.
Question 5

Do you order a copy of your credit file every year, without exception?

You should order a copy of your credit report on a regular basis (at least once a year). This will enable you to spot unusual entries related to fraud or identity theft and take the necessary steps as quickly as possible.
Question 6

Should you contact the police if your social insurance number (SIN) card is stolen?

Your Social Insurance Number (SIN) appears in your credit file, and is used by various organizations such as your bank and the government to identify you. It is important to notify the police if your SIN card is stolen.
Question 7

Do you sometimes carry your social insurance card with you?

Avoid carrying your social insurance card with you as much as possible. It would be very easy for a criminal to create a new identity (yours) with this document. Only keep the documents you need with you. Carrying extra documents such as your social insurance card on you increases the risk of losing them.
Question 8

When a waiter at a restaurant takes your credit card or debit card, do you always keep an eye on your card?

When a waiter at a restaurant takes your card to pay for the meal, you should follow him. Avoid waiting for him to return with your card. Using a technique called card cloning or skimming, some salesmen or waiters put cards through another device that saves the information contained in the card’s magnetic strip. This information is very valuable because it can be used to duplicate the card. Also, when you enter your PIN, be sure to hide the keypad with your hand or body to prevent others from seeing it. You can never be too careful!
Question 9

Do you carefully read the entire privacy policy of the organizations and companies you do business with?

Make sure that the organizations and companies you do business with has a policy that protects the personal information before conducting any activity with it. It is essential to understand why an organization or a company requests your personal information and what it plans to do with it. It is very important to read the privacy policy and to have access to a contact person at any time to ask any questions you may have. This way, you can be certain that you are comfortable with an organization's personal information use.
Question 14

Do you regularly change your computer passwords (e-mail access, online accounts, social medias)?

Regularly changing your passwords reduces the risk of criminals accessing your various accounts. If you do your banking online, it is even more important to change your passwords frequently. Passwords can often be decrypted by Internet viruses or spyware. Changing passwords is a good way of keeping your accounts safe.
Question 15

Do you know how to compose a secure password on your computer (e-mail access, online accounts, social medias)?

To be secure, a password must be approximately 10 characters long. It must contain 4 different types of characters: uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and punctuation marks or special characters ($, #,!, ...).
Question 16

Do you use a different password for every account you have on the Internet?

You should choose a different password for all your different accounts (e.g., e-mail, online accounts, social medias). Thus, if unfortunately a fraudster managed to decode one of your passwords, he would not have access to all of your accounts.
Question 17

Do you save copies of your important documents on an external hard drive?

You should make copies of your important documents and keep them on an external hard drive, especially if you use a laptop. Keeping the only copies of important documents on a computer’s hard drive is risky. If the computer gets damaged, you will lose these documents forever. Moreover, this this makes you more vulnerable to ransomwares. To avoid this situation, save these documents in several places, e.g., on an external hard drive. Make sure to keep this external hard drive in a safe place and lock the documents saved on it if you do not want them to be accessible to others. A password will then be required to open them.
Question 18

After each session, do you always select "shut down" to completely turn off your computer?

Always shut down your computer after using it. Leaving it on or in sleep mode when you are not using it can be risky. By leaving it on, your personal information is available to anyone, often through a Wi-Fi network to which it stays connected. Leaving it on for a long time makes it vulnerable to fraudsters.
Question 19

Do you format your old computer when you replace it with a new one to ensure that any personal information stored on the old one is permanently destroyed?

You should format your old computer before getting rid of it. This will delete all your information from the computer and you can dispose of it without worrying that the information it contains will be recovered.
Question 20

Do you always use the most recent versions of your anti-virus software, e-mail filter, firewall and operating system on your computer?

You should update your protection software on a regular basis. The number of malware, viruses or other that can affect your computer increases every day and security software can only be effective if it is up-to-date. Also, operating systems have weaknesses that can be exploited by criminals. You must therefore update your operating systems regularly so that they are protected from new threats. For more information on how to proceed, go to the help section of your operating system.
Question 21

When you surf the Internet while connected to a public Wi-Fi network, do you check that this network is secure?

Avoid using public wireless networks to do your online banking or to pay for online purchases using your bank cards. If you must do so, remember to clear your browser’s cache afterwards. For instructions specific to your browser, go to the developer’s website and search for strings such as “clear cache,” “delete cookies” or “delete browsing history.”

Question 22

Do you know how to secure your own Wi-Fi network?

To ensure your wireless connection is secure, consider disconnecting or deactivating your wireless card when you are not using it. Also, under Options, deactivate the automatic access search or open session functions so that no one can access your wireless connection without being authorized to do so. Finally, check for settings for sharing computer files via wireless networks, and, most importantly, choose the most secure password possible.
Question 23

Do you share your e-mail address with other people (family members or co-workers)?

Avoid allowing others to use your e-mail address. If you do so, it will be easier for them to access some of your virtual accounts. Most merchant sites use your e-mail address to identify your account. If you share this address, others could be able to connect to the merchant site and make purchases in your name.
Question 24

Do you use your e-mail address to share your personal information such as your address, birth date and phone number?

Unless you use data encryption, e-mail is not a completely safe way of sending personal information such as your address, birth date, phone number or any other confidential information. If you must contact the government and need to identify yourself using personal information regarding personal information, it is preferable to contact them yourself by phone.
Question 25

Do you systematically customize the accessibility level of your contacts on your social media accounts?

You can hide your information to some individuals and show it to others. However, you should be aware that your information is not completely secure on any social networking sites. Therefore, never post any personal details or other information that could enable criminals to answer any security questions identifying you.

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My risk index

(score total)

WARNING! Your results show that you face a very high identity theft risk and that you haven’t yet adopted the protection reflexes that have become necessary in the face of rising identity theft. Identity theft can happen to anyone, anytime, with disastrous consequences. Don’t be easy prey: take simple steps to minimize your risk. For better protection, we strongly recommend you read the suggestions below. You can also contact one of our specialists at 1-888-535-0510, option 1 then option 3. They will provide information on the best practices to improve your security and protection both on the internet and in everyday life.
Careful, your results show that you are not always careful, which makes you an easy target for people planning to commit fraud. Carefully read the following suggestions, take some time to understand them, and try to make them part of your daily life. Identity theft is on the rise: for those who aren’t alert and careful, it can cause major damage. You can also contact one of our specialists at 1-888-535-0510, option 1 then option 3. They will provide information on the best practices to improve your security and protection both on the internet and in everyday life.
You have already adopted good basic practices to protect yourself, but you still face some risk of identity theft. Read our suggestions carefully and try to make them part of your daily life to reduce your risk. It’s important to be aware of identity theft—it’s on the rise and can randomly affect those who don’t know enough about it. You can also contact one of our specialists at 1-888-535-0510, option 1 then option 3. They will provide information on the best practices to improve your security and protection both on the internet and in everyday life.
You are aware of the risk of identity theft in your daily life, and you know the basic rules and reflexes to help protect you. Carefully read the suggestions below to fine tune your protection and minimize the risk you face. You can also contact one of our specialists at 1-888-535-0510, option 1 then option 3. They will provide information on the best practices to improve your security and protection both on the internet and in everyday life.
Congratulations, you are very careful and have the right instincts for protecting your identity. Don’t forget that even the most careful people can be victims of identity theft. Here are a few more tips to help protect yourself even more; keep up the good work!
Congratulations! Your behaviour is exemplary, and substantially reduces your risk of identity theft. Keep up the good work, and don’t let your guard down.
Question 10

Do you lock your mailbox?

You should lock your mailbox. Otherwise, it is easy to steal your mail and all the personal information it contains.

Question 11

Do you use a confetti-cut shredder to destroy documents that contain personal information?

It is preferable to use a confetti-cut shredder to destroy documents that contain personal information: this type of shredder shreds documents into confetti. You can therefore be sure that documents are completely destroyed. This will also discourage fraudsters from picking through your garbage to look for your personal information and use it against you.
Question 12

Do you ever give personal information to individuals who call for surveys or to sell you products or services?

You should never give personal or financial information to someone who calls you. Many criminals use telemarketing techniques to commit fraud. Be cautious if you receive a call from someone telling you about an amazing promotion or prize to be won. Never follow up on calls that invite you to win a prize. Remember that official organizations, individuals and businesses that require your personal information usually do not obtain it by phone.
Question 13

Do you always lock your cell phone after making a call or having checked your text messages?

Contact your service provider if you do not know how to lock your cell phone. You should use a password to lock your cell phone, to turn it on as well as to wake it from sleep mode. This feature helps to reduce the risk that a malicious person gets access to your personal information contained in your cell phone. It also prevents unwanted calls made to your account in the event that your phone is stolen.
Question 26

Can a bank employee ask you for your PIN for verification purposes?

A National Bank employee cannot ask you for your PIN at any time. Your PIN is confidential and you should never reveal it to anyone, even a family member, friend or the police.
Question 27

You receive an e-mail from your financial institution or from a government department or agency informing you that it is updating its website and asking you to update your user profile by clicking on a link. Is this a legitimate e-mail?

No financial institution or government department or agency would ask you to click on a link to confirm your banking information or your identification. It is a fraudulent e-mail, a practice commonly known as phishing. These types of e-mails claim to be from your financial institution or a government department or agency and contain fraudulent links. If you receive this type of e-mail, contact your financial institution or the government department or agency immediately.
Question 1

Do you always cancel any debit cards, credit cards or loyalty cards you no longer use?

You should contact the companies that issued the cards you no longer use and request that these cards be cancelled. You may have bank cards for old accounts, and use them rarely. There is no need to carry these cards with you at all times. Check with the institutions that you do business with to make sure that these cards have indeed been cancelled. Even if you destroy the cards, the account could still be active if the card has not been cancelled by the issuing company, for credit cards in particular.
Question 2

Do you keep photocopies of your important documents (passport, birth certificate or other) in a safe place: home safe, safety deposit box or in a locked cabinet in your home?

You should make photocopies of your important documents and keep them in a safe place, under lock and key or at the bank. This will enable you to have access to your personal information in the event that you lose these documents, and make it easier to replace them. Proceed in the same way if you are travelling abroad; photocopy your important travel documents and entrust a relative or close friend with them. Only take the documents you need and carry them with you at all times. Plan your trip carefully using the Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada website at http://www.travel.gc.ca.
Question 3

Do you carefully go through your credit card and bank account statements?

You should check your bank account and credit card transactions regularly and meticulously. If a transaction is unfamiliar to you, advise your financial institution so that the necessary steps can be taken.
Question 4

Do you know what a credit file is and what repercussions it can have on your loan applications?

A credit file is a report that lists the consumer credit products that you hold with various institutions. For example, if you have a car loan and a MasterCard credit card with National Bank, these accounts will appear in your credit file. Someone who steals your identity can use your personal information to apply for credit in your name. As a result, your future loan applications could be refused. You could also be held financially responsible for accounts opened fraudulently in your name.
Question 5

Do you order a copy of your credit file every year, without exception?

You should order a copy of your credit report on a regular basis (at least once a year). This will enable you to spot unusual entries related to fraud or identity theft and take the necessary steps as quickly as possible.
Question 6

Should you contact the police if your social insurance number (SIN) card is stolen?

Your Social Insurance Number (SIN) appears in your credit file, and is used by various organizations such as your bank and the government to identify you. It is important to notify the police if your SIN card is stolen.
Question 7

Do you sometimes carry your social insurance card with you?

Avoid carrying your social insurance card with you as much as possible. It would be very easy for a criminal to create a new identity (yours) with this document. Only keep the documents you need with you. Carrying extra documents such as your social insurance card on you increases the risk of losing them.
Question 8

When a waiter at a restaurant takes your credit card or debit card, do you always keep an eye on your card?

When a waiter at a restaurant takes your card to pay for the meal, you should follow him. Avoid waiting for him to return with your card. Using a technique called card cloning or skimming, some salesmen or waiters put cards through another device that saves the information contained in the card’s magnetic strip. This information is very valuable because it can be used to duplicate the card. Also, when you enter your PIN, be sure to hide the keypad with your hand or body to prevent others from seeing it. You can never be too careful!
Question 9

Do you carefully read the entire privacy policy of the organizations and companies you do business with?

Make sure that the organizations and companies you do business with has a policy that protects the personal information before conducting any activity with it. It is essential to understand why an organization or a company requests your personal information and what it plans to do with it. It is very important to read the privacy policy and to have access to a contact person at any time to ask any questions you may have. This way, you can be certain that you are comfortable with an organization's personal information use.
Question 14

Do you regularly change your computer passwords (e-mail access, online accounts, social medias)?

Regularly changing your passwords reduces the risk of criminals accessing your various accounts. If you do your banking online, it is even more important to change your passwords frequently. Passwords can often be decrypted by Internet viruses or spyware. Changing passwords is a good way of keeping your accounts safe.
Question 15

Do you know how to compose a secure password on your computer (e-mail access, online accounts, social medias)?

To be secure, a password must be approximately 10 characters long. It must contain 4 different types of characters: uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and punctuation marks or special characters ($, #,!, ...).
Question 16

Do you use a different password for every account you have on the Internet?

You should choose a different password for all your different accounts (e.g., e-mail, online accounts, social medias). Thus, if unfortunately a fraudster managed to decode one of your passwords, he would not have access to all of your accounts.
Question 17

Do you save copies of your important documents on an external hard drive?

You should make copies of your important documents and keep them on an external hard drive, especially if you use a laptop. Keeping the only copies of important documents on a computer’s hard drive is risky. If the computer gets damaged, you will lose these documents forever. Moreover, this this makes you more vulnerable to ransomwares. To avoid this situation, save these documents in several places, e.g., on an external hard drive. Make sure to keep this external hard drive in a safe place and lock the documents saved on it if you do not want them to be accessible to others. A password will then be required to open them.
Question 18

After each session, do you always select "shut down" to completely turn off your computer?

Always shut down your computer after using it. Leaving it on or in sleep mode when you are not using it can be risky. By leaving it on, your personal information is available to anyone, often through a Wi-Fi network to which it stays connected. Leaving it on for a long time makes it vulnerable to fraudsters.
Question 19

Do you format your old computer when you replace it with a new one to ensure that any personal information stored on the old one is permanently destroyed?

You should format your old computer before getting rid of it. This will delete all your information from the computer and you can dispose of it without worrying that the information it contains will be recovered.
Question 20

Do you always use the most recent versions of your anti-virus software, e-mail filter, firewall and operating system on your computer?

You should update your protection software on a regular basis. The number of malware, viruses or other that can affect your computer increases every day and security software can only be effective if it is up-to-date. Also, operating systems have weaknesses that can be exploited by criminals. You must therefore update your operating systems regularly so that they are protected from new threats. For more information on how to proceed, go to the help section of your operating system.
Question 21

When you surf the Internet while connected to a public Wi-Fi network, do you check that this network is secure?

Avoid using public wireless networks to do your online banking or to pay for online purchases using your bank cards. If you must do so, remember to clear your browser’s cache afterwards. For instructions specific to your browser, go to the developer’s website and search for strings such as “clear cache,” “delete cookies” or “delete browsing history.”

Question 22

Do you know how to secure your own Wi-Fi network?

To ensure your wireless connection is secure, consider disconnecting or deactivating your wireless card when you are not using it. Also, under Options, deactivate the automatic access search or open session functions so that no one can access your wireless connection without being authorized to do so. Finally, check for settings for sharing computer files via wireless networks, and, most importantly, choose the most secure password possible.
Question 23

Do you share your e-mail address with other people (family members or co-workers)?

Avoid allowing others to use your e-mail address. If you do so, it will be easier for them to access some of your virtual accounts. Most merchant sites use your e-mail address to identify your account. If you share this address, others could be able to connect to the merchant site and make purchases in your name.
Question 24

Do you use your e-mail address to share your personal information such as your address, birth date and phone number?

Unless you use data encryption, e-mail is not a completely safe way of sending personal information such as your address, birth date, phone number or any other confidential information. If you must contact the government and need to identify yourself using personal information regarding personal information, it is preferable to contact them yourself by phone.
Question 25

Do you systematically customize the accessibility level of your contacts on your social media accounts?

You can hide your information to some individuals and show it to others. However, you should be aware that your information is not completely secure on any social networking sites. Therefore, never post any personal details or other information that could enable criminals to answer any security questions identifying you.

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