Flood-affected homeowners warned of risk of identity theft

Quick evacuation gave little time to protect documents

Anyone affected by flooding — particularly those who had to flee their homes in haste — should be mindful of having their identity stolen, according to the Better Business Bureau.

“People weren’t prepared and left their houses pretty quickly, most of them with just what they had on,” said Sandra Crozier-McKee, president and CEO of the bureau serving southern Alberta and the East Kootenays.

When the flooding hit, many lost homes, cars and personal property. Now, Crozier-McKee is hoping it won’t wash away people’s identities.

“The evacuation took place pretty quickly, and that was a good thing,” she said, but “important papers may have been left behind, may have been washed away, may have been damaged.”

So far, the bureau isn’t aware of any flood-related identity thefts, she said.

“We have been in touch with the police as well, and they’re not aware of it either,” Crozier-McKee said.

In fact, Calgary Police Service reports that fraud over the first half of 2013 has decreased compared to five year averages. From June 21 — the day after the flood hit — to July 18, fraud-related crimes decreased by 66 per cent when compared to historical averages in the same time frame. Fraud stretches beyond identity theft to include other crimes, including forgery and impersonation.

But to prevent any potential threat, the bureau recommends listing all important documents and keeping them stored in a secure location. If any important personal documents were lost, people should notify the appropriate authorities. If any documents were damaged, they should be properly disposed of.

As always, being skeptical of online scams is another important step in protecting your identity.

“Identity theft is a huge issue right now, so we want to make sure that people protect themselves,” CrozierMcKee said.

“People are hauling information out of their houses.”

In flood-affected areas being cleaned up, Crozier-McKee said she has seen people leaving much of their property on the grass to dry out.

“Certainly things might have blown away or been picked up by somebody,” she said. “You should have it stored.” Identify thefts have increased in recent years, as technology has made it easier to steal personal information.

“It’s easier now than it ever was for people to steal your identity,” Crozier-McKee said.