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By clicking on any of the tips listed below, you will be able to access valuable information that will help you protect yourself and your loved ones.

General Crime Prevention Tips

Tips for Preventing Frauds and Scams Against Seniors

Traveling Tips

Tips for Your Home

Apartment Safety Tips

Vehicle Theft Prevention Tips

Bicycle Theft Prevention Tips

Identity Theft Prevention Tips

General Crime Prevention Tips

• If someone comes to your home or apartment and says that they are collecting money for the local charity, take their information, decide whether or not you are interested in giving to that charity and call the local chapter to confirm the fundraising event.

• If someone comes to your door and you do not know him or her, you do not need to open the door. Always acknowledge that you are home as most break-and-enters occur when no one is home.

• Never give out personal information over the phone, especially if someone is claiming to be from a bank or financial institute. If there is a concern, call or go into your bank.

• Never use your birth date, phone number or social insurance number for your pin or I.D. number on your bank or credit card.

• Never carry your social insurance card with you unless you need it. Your social insurance card holds all of your personal information, and in the wrong hands can be used to destroy your credit rating.

• Be in hands free mode. Don’t overload your hands with packages or other items. Carry a backpack or wheeled cart if necessary.

• Make smart choices by walking in well lit, well traveled areas and be aware of your surroundings.

• If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Tips for Preventing Frauds and Scams Against Seniors

Con artists often regard older persons as easy targets.  Every senior should be aware of these scams and how to avoid them.

1. Scams and Frauds At the Door:

• Sales
  Many door-to-door sales are not your best buy. Legitimate sales people will not rush you. Provincial laws protect you against quick sales at your door. Inquire and be sure. 

• Home Improvement Offers
  Beware of tempting offers to fix roofs, driveways, etc. Contractors saying that they are working in your area, or have extra material can not be trusted. Get estimates from two or three contractors in writing before hiring anyone.
  Note: - You do not have to open your door to anyone, but you should answer so that the caller is aware that someone is home. Just look through your peephole and speak through the solid door.

Note: You do not have to open your door to anyone, but you should answer so that the caller is aware that someone is home.  Just look through your peephole and speak through the solid door.

2. Scams and Frauds Through the Mail and Over the Phone:

• Contest Winners
  Being a real contest winner will not cost you a penny. Never send money to win a prize, no matter how tempting it sounds.

• Chain Referral Schemes
  A commission for buying one item if you sell additional ones to friends usually involves overpriced articles that are difficult to sell.

• Retirement Estates
  Any vacation or retirement estates offered at a conspicuously low price to "lucky" individuals are usually fraudulent and should be avoided.

• Business Opportunities
  Work-at-home schemes which promise high profits, usually require a substantial investment and seldom ever make a profit.

3. Other Scams and Frauds Against Seniors:

• Bank Inspector
  A phony bank inspector or phony police officer contacts you and asks for your help in catching a dishonest bank employee. He asks you to withdraw a specified amount of cash from your account, to check the serial numbers. After turning over your money to the examiner, you will never hear from him again.

4. Some General Tips for Your Protection:

• Do not rush into anything involving your money or property. 

• Never give out your credit card number over the phone to anyone you do not know. 

• Don’t tell anyone your PIN or bank account numbers. 

• Never sign a contract until you and your lawyer, banker or other expert has thoroughly read it. 

• Ask for identification from a salesman or public official, like an inspector. 

• Report all suspicious offers to the police immediately. 

• Arrange for incoming cheques to be sent directly to your bank. 

Don't let others be victimized!  Anyone can be a victim of fraud or a scam - it's not limited to seniors.

Traveling Tips

• When getting ready to travel, be sure to book your trip through a reputable agency. You can find out if an agency is registered by calling the Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) at 1-888-451-8426 or by going on their website at www.tico.on.ca. 

• Have someone you trust check your home while you are away on vacation. Ask them to pick up your mail and papers, or better still, ask for your mail to be held until you come back from your vacation.

• Be sure that someone is shoveling your driveway in the winter and cutting your grass in the summer. A lived in look will give an outsider the impression that someone is at home.

• Have your lights on timers that would normally reflect your schedule. This way, it appears from the outside that your routine has not changed.

• Let someone know where you are going and when you expect to be back. If you come home early or stay longer, be sure to notify them.

• Have a neighbour park their car in your driveway while you are away. You can also suggest that they put some of their extra garbage at the end of your driveway on garbage day.

   

Tips for Your Home

• A good deadbolt lock on your exterior doors should have at least a 1” throw.

• If your home is equipped with sliding glass doors, a lock for the upper track should be installed to prevent the door from being lifted from its track.

• Garage doors should be kept locked at all times, especially those leading directly into the home. 

• Lock your vehicles at all times, even when in the garage, so access cannot be gained by unwanted intruders.

• Be sure second story windows are closed and locked when you are not at home. On occasion, patio furniture has been used as a stepladder to gain access to upper levels of the home.

• Be sure to have hedges trimmed below the window level to prevent hiding spots for criminals.

• Mark your property with an identifying mark by using an engraver. Property which is marked is easier for police to identify and harder for criminals to sell. 

• When you move to a new home, always have the locks replaced immediately. 

• Make sure that outside lights are in good working order at all times.

Apartment Safety Tips

• Always be aware of who is in the elevator prior to getting in. If you feel uncomfortable, do not enter - wait until the next elevator arrives.

• If someone gets in the elevator with you who makes you feel uncomfortable, get off and wait for the next one to come.

• Stand closest to the control panel so you will be able to push as many buttons as possible, if difficulty arises.

• Keep your back to the elevator wall.

• Do not let strangers into your building. The lobby door is the front door to your home. 

• If someone buzzes your apartment and you do not know who it is, do not let them in.

• Do not let anyone into your apartment if you do not know them. You are under no obligation to open the door if you do not know who is on the other side. 

• If you are in the underground garage and see suspicious activity, leave immediately and call management and/or police.

• Be aware of your surroundings.

Vehicle Theft Prevention Tips

• Never leave you car running unattended. Many cars are stolen in the winter when people are warming up their cars while they are in the house.  

• Park your vehicle in a well-lit area near an attendant if possible.

• Keep all parcels or packages locked in your trunk.

• Make sure your windows are up and doors are locked

• Keep a record of your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), the make, model and colour of your car and any special markings which may be visible, e.g. rust, dents, etc.

• If your vehicle is broken into or stolen, report it to the police right away. 

• When you walk away from your car and are away from home, keep your keys with you at all times. When at home, keep your keys in a safe, not visible, place.

• Never hide a spare key on or in a vehicle. Criminals know where to find them.

Bicycle Theft Prevention Tips

• Lock your bike to an immobile object that cannot be easily broken or cut.

• A good lock, which has a hardened steel chain and padlock or “U” shaped lock will help prevent a bike from being stolen. A good lock can make a big difference.

• Locks should not hang low enough to the ground that they can be smashed against the ground and broken.

• Maintain an accurate record of your bike description, including the serial number of your bike. Register this information with your local police department.

Identity Theft Prevention Tips:

• Ministry of Government Services - Identity theft is becoming an increasingly frequent concern for people in all walks of life.  Click here to learn about identity theft and how to protect yourself and your family from becoming a victim.

   

• Identity Theft: "Reduce Your Risk": For more information on identity theft please click here to view a presentation delivered by Elizabeth Hawley, Executive Director of the Crime Prevention Association of Toronto (formerly Crime Concern).