Social Insurance Number (SIN) is confidential. With Service Canada, you share the responsibility of protecting your SIN from inappropriate use, fraud, and theft.
To protect your SIN, Service Canada recommends:
- Provide your SIN only when you know that it is legally required.
- Store any document containing your SIN and personal information in a safe place—do not keep it with you.
- Contact Service Canada if you change your name, if your citizenship status changes, or if information on your SIN record is incorrect or incomplete.
- Take immediate measures to protect your SIN when you suspect someone else is using your SIN fraudulently.
- Never use your SIN card as a piece of identification.
- Never provide your SIN over the phone unless you make the call and you know with whom you are dealing.
- Never reply to e-mails that ask for personal information like your SIN.
- Shred paper records with personal information and your SIN once you no longer need them.
Source: Your Social Insurance Number: A Shared Responsibility! Protect it! Safeguard it! – Service Canada
For more information about protecting or providing your SIN, please visit Service Canada’s web page (http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/sin/info/yoursin.shtml).
