Tips to help you avoid having your vehicle or your driver's licence stolen and what to do if it happens to you.
Vehicle theft
There are simple steps you can take to protect your vehicle. If you are a victim of vehicle theft or fraud, report it immediately to your local police. They may also have more ideas on preventing vehicle theft and fraud.
Protect your vehicle
- Never leave briefcases, purses or duffel bags in plain view inside your vehicle. Even if they're not valuable, thieves won't know that.
- Never leave the keys in the ignition or leave your vehicle running unless you are in it. Thieves could not only steal your vehicle, they could also take any personal information they find to steal your identity.
- Lock the doors of your vehicle when you leave it. Thieves may steal an unlocked vehicle or rummage through it looking for valuables and personal information.
Vehicle permits and insurance certificates
Thieves can use your vehicle permit and insurance certificate to commit fraud or steal your identity. Follow these tips to keep your documents safe:
- Keep them in a secure place with you. You need to be able to provide this information to police if asked.
- Avoid putting them in an open purse or large pocket where they could fall out or be easily stolen.
- Never leave originals or even photocopies inside your vehicle, especially not in plain view.
- Don't leave them in your vehicle's glove box, in case the vehicle is stolen.
- Keep them in a secure place when you're at home. Never leave them lying around, especially if you employ outside help.
- Shred or cut old documents into small pieces before you put them in the trash or recycling bin. This helps guard against "dumpster diving" by thieves who want to steal your identity.
Vehicle information
Never provide information about your vehicle in response to an unexpected email or phone request - even if it seems to come from a source you can trust. Fraudsters can pretend to be someone they're not, including the police.
This applies especially to your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), a unique series of 17 letters and numbers used to identify a vehicle. It contains valuable information about the manufacturer, make and model, equipment and class of vehicle.
If you're asked to provide your VIN, find out:
- who will have access to it
- why they need it
- what safeguards are in place to prevent its unauthorized use
If you're not satisfied with the response you get:
- ask more questions
- consider not providing the information
- call the organization directly to make sure the request is legitimate and necessary
Used vehicles
Before you make a decision to buy a used vehicle privately, ask to see the seller's Used Vehicle Information Package (UVIP) and review it closely.
Buy or sell a used vehicle in Ontario
Driver's licence fraud
There are simple steps you can take to protect your driver's licence and the personal information it contains.
Keep your driver's licence safe
- Keep it in a secure place with you, so you can provide this information to police or other authorities.
- Don't put it in an open purse or large pocket where it could fall out or be easily stolen.
- Avoid leaving it in plain view inside your vehicle.
- Keep it in a secure place when you're at home. Never leave it lying around, especially if you employ outside help.
- Consider photocopying your driver's licence and other ID and storing the copies securely in your home. If your wallet is lost or stolen, these photocopies should make it easier for you to notify the appropriate institutions.
- If your driver's licence is lost, stolen or damaged:
- contact a ServiceOntario centre
- call the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Call Centre at 416-235-2999 or 1-800-387-3445
Protect your personal information
- When you dispose of an old driver's licence, shred it or cut it into small pieces before you put it in the trash or recycling bin. This helps guard against "dumpster diving" by thieves who want to steal your identity.
- Always remember to get your driver's licence back immediately if you present it as identification. Never leave it as a security deposit - it contains valuable personal information that could be used to steal your identity.
- Never provide information from your driver's licence in response to an unexpected email or phone request - even if it seems to come from a source you can trust, like the police. If you're not sure, call the organization directly and verify that the request is legitimate and necessary. Find out:
- who will have access to it
- why they need it
- what safeguards are in place to prevent its unauthorized use
- If you lose your wallet, report the loss immediately to the police.
- If you're a victim of identity theft:
- notify the police
- report the incident to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, which gathers information about identity theft and provides advice and help to victims
