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Crime prevention

Theft prevention tips

Leave it and Lose it campaign 

With the aim of protecting your personal belongings while you are on campus, Concordia's Campus Safety and Prevention Services team will be launching a new awareness campaign as of December 1. Any items unattended for longer than 15 minutes will be taken by a member of Campus Safety and Prevention Services to the nearest Protection and Prevention desk for safe keeping. This includes items left unattended in libraries. Security agents will leave a postcard in place of the confiscated item with pick-up instructions.  

Tips to prevent thefts in Concordia residences

  • Have your Concordia ID card and room key with you at all times.
  • Do not let visitors or strangers into the residences.
  • Should you notice someone or something suspicious, immediately inform Campus Safety and Prevention Services at 514-848-3717.
  • Lock your doors before leaving the premises.
  • Avoid posting a message on your door informing people you are away.
  • If you intend to be away for an extended period of time, inform the Residence Director of your absence and expected date of return.
  • Never leave the access doors to the residences open.

Tips to prevent thefts at the office

  • Lock your doors, filing cabinets and drawers while away from your office.
  • Have a password on your computer to protect your information.
  • Never leave valuables in plain sight.
  • If there are strangers in your area who do not seem to have a purpose for being on campus, you can contact Campus Safety and Prevention Services 514-848-3717 or ext. 3717 from a university phone.
  • Always have your keys and your access cards in your possession. If you lose them, inform your department or Campus Safety and Prevention Services immediately.
  • Engrave your electronic equipment.

 

Tips to prevent thefts in public spaces

  • Be aware of your surroundings. If you notice any suspicious behavior, inform Campus Safety and Prevention Services immediately by calling 514-848-3717, or ext. 3717 from a university phone.
  • Do not leave your laptop, bags, or other personal belongings unattended.
  • Be sure to remove any peripherals (for example, USB memory keys, hard drives, CDs, DVDs) from your computer.
  • Do not rely on others to watch over your personal possessions.
  • Remember: You are the only person responsible for the protection of your personal property.

Bike theft prevention

Did you know approximately 2000 bikes are reported stolen in Montreal annually? Follow these guidelines to prevent becoming a victim of bicycle theft:

  • Register your bike: You can register your bike online, with the Tandem organization, or at your local SPVM station.
  • Lock your bike to one of the designated bike stands on campus.
  • Use a reliable lock, take any easily removable pieces with you.
  • Choose different locations to lock your bike, rather than the same place every day.
  • Document your bicycle information, such as year, model, colour, number of speeds, serial number, etc.
  • Sign up for Project Numéro with the SPVM to have your bike engraved and registered.
  • Have your bike engraved at Concordia (offered in conjunction with SPVM) during the month of September.

 

For more information on theft prevention:

Fraud and cyber safety

Perpetrators of fraud are successful because they prey on our carelessness in our daily lives.  By being careless when conducting business transactions, when responding to calls or to requests for donations solicited over the internet, or when discarding personal documents without shredding them, we increase the risk of becoming victims of fraud.

The most common types of fraud are:

  • Bank or credit card fraud
  • Internet fraud
  • Identity fraud

For more information, see Fraud, Service de police de la Ville de Montréal

Protect your devices and data

In addition to the helpful tips below, Concordia’s IT Services has guidelines and tools to help you keep your devices and data safe. Read more on the IT Services site.

Stay up-to-date on phishing e-mails circulating at Concordia on the Phishing emails page.

Reporting incidents

  • Report IT security incidents immediately on the Report a security incident page.
  • Suspicious emails: Contact Concordia’s IT Service Desk.
  • Ransomware is a form of malacious software that encrypts a victim's files. The attacker then demands a ransom from the victime to restore access to the data upon payment. If you fall victim to ransomware, contact the IITS Service Desk immediately at 514-848-2424, ext. 7613 or  help@concordia.ca.
  • Keylogger devices are small usb-like devices used by individuals as method of capturing and recording your keystrokes, including sensitive passwords. If you see a suspicious device on a Concordia computer, contact Concordia’s Campus Safety and Prevention Services immediately at 514-848-3717 or at ext. 3717 if using a university phone and wait for a security agent to arrive. You should also report the incident to Concordia’s IT Services by submitting the Report a security incident form. You can also access this form by logging in to the Student Hub and going to Services & resources.

 

Questions, comments or concerns?

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Report an incident to Campus Safety and Prevention Services?

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