First-Party Fraud Explained: Why More Canadians Are Lying to Get Credit

First-Party Fraud Explained: Why More Canadians Are Lying to Get Credit

Cherolle Prince, Director of Fraud and Identity Management at Equifax Canada, unpacks the alarming rise of first-party fraud — when individuals misrepresent their own identity or inflate their income to qualify for credit. With economic pressures pushing more Canadians to the financial edge, Equifax data shows first-party fraud is up over 30% year over year, doubling in both credit cards and banking. Cherolle explains how AI-powered detection tools and lender collaboration are fighting back, and why this growing trend ultimately tightens credit access for everyone — even those who play by the rules. Connect on LinkedIn [http://www.linkedin.com/in/cherprince](Cherolle), X [https://x.com/EquifaxCanada], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/EquifaxCAN/], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/equifaxcanada], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@EquifaxCanada1], and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/equifax-canada/](Equifax).

HELOC Explained: How Home Equity Lines of Credit Really Work (and the Risks)

Ron Butler, principal broker at Butler Mortgage and host of the Angry Mortgage Podcast, breaks down exactly how home equity lines of credit work, the key differences between a HELOC and a traditional mortgage, and the real risks of using one to cover vacations, pay off credit cards, or fund rental properties. He also explains why a HELOC is a demand loan — meaning the bank can reduce or call it on just 24 hours' notice — and offers one simple self-assessment to determine whether you have the financial discipline to manage one responsibly. Find out more at butlermortgage.ca [https://www.butlermortgage.ca/] and connect on X [http://x.com/ronmortgageguy], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/ronmortgageguy/], and Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/ButlerMortgage].

Thoughtload: Why Your Brain Feels Overwhelmed at Work

Organizational psychologist Dr. Liane Davey explains the concept of "thoughtload" — the invisible drain on your performance caused by cognitive overload, emotional triggers, and depleted energy. She shares how to identify your overwhelm style (whirlwind, stickler, brooder, or rogue), why multitasking is counterproductive, and practical tools like three-tiered priority lists and dedicated "focus and forge" time blocks to help you work smarter, reduce anxiety, and replenish your energy reserves. Find out more at lianedavey.com [https://lianedavey.com/] and connect on LinkedIn [http://ca.linkedin.com/in/lianedavey], YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@DrLianeDavey], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/lianedavey/], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/DrLianeDavey/], and X [https://x.com/LianeDavey].

Overwhelmed and Overextended: Thoughtload, HELOC Risks & the Rise of Credit Fraud

In this episode of Moolala: Money Made Simple, host Bruce Sellery tackles three pressing issues facing Canadians today. Organizational psychologist Dr. Liane Davey introduces the concept of "thought load" , an invisible tax on your performance and presence driven by rising cognitive demands, emotional triggers, and depleted energy reserves. Liane shares practical strategies to identify your overwhelm style and reclaim your focus. Then, Ron Butler, principal broker at Butler Mortgage and host of the Angry Mortgage Podcast, breaks down the pros and cons of home equity lines of credit (HELOCs), explaining how they work, when they make sense, and the critical difference between a mortgage and a demand loan. Finally, Cherolle Prince, Director of Fraud and Identity Management at Equifax Canada, reveals why first-party fraud, which is when individuals misrepresent their own financial information to qualify for credit, is surging at over 30% year over year, and what lenders and AI tools are doing to fight back. To find out more about the guests check out: * Dr. Liane Davey: lianedavey.com [https://lianedavey.com/] | LinkedIn [http://ca.linkedin.com/in/lianedavey] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@DrLianeDavey] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/lianedavey/] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/DrLianeDavey/] | X [https://x.com/LianeDavey] * Ron Butler: butlermortgage.ca [https://www.butlermortgage.ca/] | X [http://x.com/ronmortgageguy] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/ronmortgageguy/] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/ButlerMortgage] * Cherolle Prince: LinkedIn [http://www.linkedin.com/in/cherprince](Cherolle) | X [https://x.com/EquifaxCanada] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/EquifaxCAN/] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/equifaxcanada] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@EquifaxCanada1] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/equifax-canada/](Equifax) Bruce Sellery is a personal finance expert and best-selling author. As the founder of Moolala and the CEO of Credit Canada [http://creditcanada.com/], Bruce is on a mission to help you get a better handle on your money so you can live the life you want. High energy & low B.S., this is Moolala: Money Made Simple. Find Bruce Sellery at Moolala.ca [https://moolala.ca/] | X [https://xr.com/brucesellery] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/MoolalaMethod/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brucesellery]

Buy Now, Pay Later: The Debt Trap Canadians Don’t See Coming

Licensed insolvency trustee and Spergel partner Rob Kilner joins Bruce to break down the explosive growth of Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) platforms and the serious financial risks they pose for Canadian consumers. Rob explains the concept of debt stacking of how small incremental payments across multiple accounts can quietly spiral into unmanageable debt and reveals that "interest-free" BNPL isn't truly free, as costs are typically baked into product pricing. He also shares what happens to BNPL debt in a consumer proposal and offers practical principles for using these platforms more responsibly. Find out more at spergel.ca [http://spergel.ca/] and connect on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/spergelinc/], X [https://x.com/spergelinc], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/spergelinc/] and TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@spergel.ca].