www.insideHALTON.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Thursday, May 24, 2012 · 18 Take steps to avoid nightmare of identity theft I dentity theft can be a nightmare so you should take every precaution to avoid becoming a victim. If your wallet is stolen, you lose its contents. One hundred dollars, maybe two hundred and that is the end of it. This, however, could be just the beginning. Having your identity stolen can trigger a series of thefts. While the theft of the cash is bad enough, theft from the other contents of your wallet can be far more damaging to you both financially and emotionally. Identity theft means the criminal steals your life and restricts or halts your ability to perform financial transactions. They become you with access to a potentially endless amount of financial data from which they can orchestrate their theft. The consequences are so severe and becoming increasingly more common that we encourage you to be pro-active and take steps to prevent it. You must protect your identity. Do not keep your Social Insurance card or birth certificate in your wallet. The information on these cards is not required very often. They should be kept in a secure place. Social insurance numbers were originally used solely by the federal government. Over the decades the use of your SIN number had expanded. That is why many people choose to carry them. Last week, the federal govern- Dollars & Sense By Peter Watson "We suggest you be cautious when using credit or debit cards to ensure others are not able to see your security numbers." ment announced that the SIN card would no longer be issued. Starting in 2014, Canada will continue to give you a SIN number; however, that number will be issued to you in a letter. The Privacy Commissioner of Canada applauded that decision. We suggest you be cautious when using credit or debit cards to ensure others are not able to see your security numbers. Once thieves have your security numbers there is incentive for them to steal your wallet. When discarding personal financial information at home it is a good idea to shred all sensitive documents. Your recycle Blue Boxes can be an excellent start for thieves who will rummage through your documents looking for data to access your financial records. Another recommendation is to request a credit bureau report under your name. If someone has already stolen your identity, they might have arranged credit that they will use for which you will potentially be liable. Once you have your credit report, search for anything that you do not remember setting up. Are there mortgages on properties you do not own? Are there credit cards that you did not apply for? Ordering a credit check is fairly easy. Just perform an internet search on `credit report' and contact one of the credit reporting organizations to request your report. -- Submitted by Peter Watson, MBA, CFP, R.F.P., CIM, FCSI. All aboard Cruise for a Cause raising funds for CharterAbility All aboard for the semi-annual Cruise for a Cause Thursday, May 31. CharterAbility -- a registered charity dedicated to providing accessible, recreational boating at no cost to people of all ages with disabilities or mobility challenges -- is hosting the dinner and dance aboard the tall ship, Empire Sandy. At 5:30 p.m., prior to boarding the ship, participants can sample pre-cruise hors d'oeuvres prepared by various local restaurants. The ship will board at Bronte Harbour pier. Boarding is at 6:30 p.m., while up to the cruise runs from 7-11 p.m. Tickets cost $60-$70 and can be purchased by calling 905-827-9110 or 905-844-7208. Autobahn for All Sales Event for 36 months* %+ APR ** on our most popular models Purchase a vehicle from Oakville Volkswagen and we will make a donation to the Oakville Hospital Foundation! 13 Tiguans Help us have our biggest month ever! 60 Jettas 42 Golfs 17 Passats 2012 JETTA from $17,819* / 2012 GOLF 3 door from $22,019* / The All-New 2012 PASSAT from $25,019* / The new 2012 TIGUAN from $30,134 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Pick 2012 Motor Trend Car of the Year That's the value of German engineering. Bonus Fuel Savings Card included in all stock purchases! Oakville Volkswagen 1355 North Service Rd. W. | Tel: 1-888-948-5548 |www.oakvillevw.com *Limited time finance purchase offer available through Volkswagen Finance, on approved credit. MSRP of $17,819/$22,019/$25,019/$30,134 for a new and unregistered 2012 Jetta 2.0L / 2012 Golf 3-door 2.5L / 2012 Passat 2.5L / 2012 Tiguan 2.0T base model with 5-speed/5-speed/5speed/6-speed manual transmission, including $1,365/$1,365/$1,365/$1,580, $29 EHF (tires), $100 air conditioning levy, if applicable, $5 OMVIC fee, $46 PPSA fee and up to $499 dealer administrative fee. Financed at 0% APR for 36 months equals $494.97/$611.63/$694.97/$837.05 per month. Down payment or equivalent trade-in, due at signing, may be required. Cost of borrowing is $0 for a total obligation of $17,819/$22,019 /$25,019/$30,134. License, insurance, registration, options, TFFC, if applicable, and other applicable taxes are extra. **Offer of $400/$400/$500/$500 applicable on purchase financing (through Volkswagen Finance, on approved credit) of select new and unregistered 2012 Jetta/Golf/Passat/Tiguan models. Certain conditions apply (TDI Clean Diesel, Golf R, Golf GTI and Jetta GLI models excluded). Dealer may sell for less. Dealer order/trade may be necessary. Off ers end May 31, 2012 and are subject to change or cancellation without notice. 2012 Jetta Highline 2.5L as shown is $26,919. 2012 Golf Sportline 2.5L as shown is $26,294. 2012 Passat Highline 2.5L as shown is $33,519. 2012 Tiguan 2.0T with Sport Package as shown is $42,534. Certain options and accessories may be extra. Vehicles may not be exactly as shown. Visit vw.ca or your Volkswagen dealer for details. "Volkswagen" , the Volkswagen logo, "Jetta" , "Golf" , "Passat" and "Tiguan" are registered trademarks of Volkswagen AG. Motor Trend® Magazine is a registered trademark of Source Interlink Magazines, LLC. © 2012 Volkswagen Canada. **Fuel Savings Card is available to those who purchase from dealer in-stock vehicles. **Gas Savings card is $0.20 per litre, 1,250 litres total. Maximum value of card is $250. See an Oakville VW Sales rep for further details. 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