In an ongoing effort to combat identity theft, the Ontario government has given consumers the ability to place an alert on their personal credit file, Government and Consumer Services Minister Ted McMeekin said today.

Identity theft includes the use of someone else’s personal information, without his or her knowledge or consent, to commit a crime such as fraud, theft or forgery.

As of Jan. 1, 2008, Ontario’s new credit alert requirements ensure that lenders who receive information from a consumer’s file will be told if there is an alert in place. Once informed of the alert, they must take action to verify the identity of the person before proceeding with transactions.

“Ontarians want improved protection against identity theft, and our government continues to deliver on that demand,” says McMeekin, noting that these amendments to Ontario’s Consumer Reporting Act are the first of their kind in Canada. “Consumers throughout this province are now able to take an extra step to protect their identity against fraudsters.”

Ontarians can direct a credit reporting agency to place a credit alert on their files for a nominal charge. The Consumer Protection Branch of the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services will continue to monitor reporting agencies’ compliance with all aspects of the Consumer Reporting Act.