Protecting your Social Insurance Number infographic

Protecting your Social Insurance Number

Your Social Insurance Number (SIN) is a confidential number used for income reporting purposes. However, some organizations ask for the SIN for other reasons. The SIN is important to privacy protection. It can open the door to your personal information and can put you at risk of fraud and identity theft.

Steps you can take to protect your SIN include:

• Store your SIN card and other documents containing your SIN in a safe place. (Not in your wallet!)
• Shred documents that contain your SIN.
• Provide your SIN only when legally required.
  • Some organizations ask for the SIN for reasons unrelated to income reporting purposes. In such cases, don’t provide your SIN.
  • You cannot be denied a product or service for refusing to provide your SIN when it’s not legally required.

Take steps to protect your SIN if you believe it has been used fraudulently. For example, file a complaint with police and contact your bank about any irregularities.

Read our complete guidance: Protecting your Social Insurance Number

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