Security at Home - Menu

1. Canvassing
2. Telemarketing
3. Computer/E-commerce
4. Loan application
5. CD Club and other memberships
6. Magazine solicitations
7. Product warranty cards
8. Life insurance application
9. Donation to a charity
10. Auto and House Insurance Renewal

Loan application

Name, current and previous addresses, family income, previous employers, debts, credit card balances. Loan applications that come in the mail can ask for all kinds of personal information. And in addition to the money to be made from your loan payments, there is money to be made from selling your data.

Personal information is now protected by PIPEDA, or in the case of credit unions, provincial legislation in Quebec, British Columbia and Alberta.

But what if you are dealing with a lender who does not belong to the CBA? Your personal information may be up for grabs, unless the lender has an acceptable privacy policy and sticks to it.

Information such as income levels and debts is especially valuable in the information marketplace. But it's also the kind of information you may not want others to know. Deal with only those you trust, and ask questions about what is happening to your data.