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Ask any child at this time of year, and they can tell you the number of days left until the holidays arrive. Whether it’s because of the family get-togethers, presents they get to open, or just the time off school, most children in the GTA are already excited for the upcoming month’s festivities.

Feasts and gifts aren’t the only things we look forward to in December. With each day we come closer to the holidays, we can expect more cards, letters, and parcels in the mail. Before you know it, you may be overrun by delivery notices, bills, and postcards. When you’re already busy with the season, the contents of your mailbox may not get your full attention, but as Absolute Destruction & Recycling Corp.’s blog has mentioned before, you need to turn a keen eye on your mail.

According to the latest data collected by the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre(CAFC), the number of mail fraud complaints lodged in 2016 was seven times higher than the year before. These scams result in a criminal assuming your identity and rerouting your personal mail to a new address.

If you see a mail-forwarding notification nestled between your bills and holiday cards, and you didn’t personally enlist this service, then your identity has been compromised. This means a criminal has used your contact information to change your address, and they’re using this address as home base for any application for new identification, credit cards, or loan.

At this point, you’ll want to contact Canada Post to alert them of what’s happened. You’ll also want to check your credit report and past financial statements to see if there’s any suspicious activity in your accounts. If there is, you’ll have to alert your financial institutions, the police, the CAFC, and your local document destruction company.

For a more detailed run-through of the steps, check in with our post, “Identity Theft Resources: A Guide for When the Unthinkable Happens” from October 2016.

Identity theft is a devastating blow to your security at any time of the year, but it’s especially stressful during the holidays. Rather than experiencing what it means to celebrate as you handle fraud, early prevention can help you avoid such a fate this season.

Shredding old financial statements and tax records you no longer need is one strategy. Protecting your online data by sharing your info only with trusted venders is another. You should also make sure you keep track of your finances as you ramp up your holiday shopping. A regular and detailed check of your accounts, loans, and credit cards can help you identify any unusual activity and alert the authorities before the theft spirals out of control.

If you’re ready to get a jump on your shredding, contact us anytime in the lead up to the holidays. One of our crews will be happy to destroy and recycle any mail before it leads to identity theft. In the meantime, keep an eye on your mailbox to make sure it’s free of any forwarding notices as you welcome the many cards and parcels of the holidays!