Financial abuse is when someone controls your access to money, assets or financial information. It can look like a partner who controls every bank account and hands out an allowance, a family member who opens credit cards in your name, or someone who keeps you from working. It’s often harder for others to see than other forms of abuse, and it can make leaving harder by removing the money you’d need to do it.
If the signs below feel familiar, safety comes before any financial step. A helpline or shelter can help you make a safety plan that includes money, and can advise on steps that won’t alert the person if they monitor your accounts or devices. This page is part of the life stages hub; for money lost to someone outside the family, see finances after being scammed.
Warning signs
| Pattern | What it can look like |
|---|---|
| Controlling access | Passwords changed, accounts hidden, cards taken, cash withheld |
| Controlling spending | An allowance you must account for; needing permission for any purchase |
| Keeping you in the dark | Not being shown bills, statements or balances |
| Interfering with work | Sabotaging interviews or shifts, pressure to quit, taking your pay |
| Debt and credit | Loans or cards in your name you didn’t apply for; being pressured to sign for debt |
| Taking assets | Draining joint accounts, selling your belongings, pressure to transfer property |
| Benefits | Someone else claiming or keeping benefits paid for you |
Protecting your money and credit
These steps can help, but take them in an order that keeps you safe; a support worker can help you decide which ones are safe to take now.
- Your own account. An account at a different institution from any joint accounts, with a mailing address the other person can’t see (a trusted friend or a post office box) and online statements.
- Your credit reports. Both Equifax and TransUnion let you see your report online for free (Financial Consumer Agency of Canada). Look for accounts, debts or credit checks you don’t recognize, and dispute them with the bureau.
- Fraud alerts and freezes. A fraud alert tells lenders to confirm your identity before approving credit; place it with each bureau. In some provinces you can also place a security freeze, which blocks access to your report. See how to read your credit report.
- Records. Copies of bank statements, tax returns, property documents and bills, and screenshots of shared accounts, kept somewhere safe outside the home.
- Identity documents. Your ID, SIN information and birth certificate, or copies of them, kept somewhere you can get to.
- Devices and passwords. New passwords (and security answers the other person wouldn’t know) and two-factor authentication on financial accounts, using an email address only you can access. Checking a shared phone or computer can be noticed, so consider using a device the person has no access to.
Identity theft and fraud can be reported to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre and the police.
Where to get help
| Organization | Contact |
|---|---|
| Emergency | 911 |
| Assaulted Women’s Helpline (Ontario) | 1-866-863-0511 |
| VictimLinkBC (British Columbia and Yukon) | 1-800-563-0808 (call or text) |
| Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters | 1-866-331-3933 |
| SOS violence conjugale (Quebec) | 1-800-363-9010 |
| Klinic Crisis Line (Manitoba) | 1-888-322-3019 |
| ShelterSafe.ca | Shelters across Canada |
| Government of Canada | Family violence helplines and services by province and territory |
For money matters, a non-profit credit counselling agency can help with debts and a budget, legal aid offices in each province help people who qualify with family law, and 211 connects you with local services. The government benefits guide lists income support you may be able to claim on your own.
Rebuilding
Once you’re safe, rebuilding usually starts with income paid into your own account, a basic budget of what you need each month, and a small cash reserve. A secured credit card can help rebuild credit that was damaged. Dividing property and debts after separation is governed by provincial family law, so legal advice is worth getting before you agree to anything.