How to File an Identity Theft Report and Alert the Authorities

Any personal data breach is scary, but the greatest risk is identity theft and potential financial loss. If someone has gained access to your personal information, you need to report identity theft as quickly as possible, handle the fall out, and establish safeguards to protect yourself from further or future damage. 

When you discover identity theft, it’s frightening and hard to know what to do next. Unfortunately, waiting tends to make the issue worse, so it’s important to report identity theft immediately. If you’ve been the victim of data breach, here are the next steps you should be taking. 

Key Insights

• Reported losses from data theft in the United States are more than $12.5 billion per year. Globally, losses are expected to exceed $10.5 trillion. 
• More than 880,000 consumers have reported identity theft to the FBI in recent years.
• Monitoring your financial accounts and opting for a credit freeze can help protect you from identity theft and financial loss. 

When Should You File an Identity Theft Police Report?

98% of organizations have at least one third-party vendor that has experienced a breach in online account security. That means the vast majority of us are vulnerable to identity theft. But when does a data breach necessitate an identity theft police report? 

There are many consumer issues that might not immediately catch your attention individually, but when combined, they point clearly to the need for an identity theft report. 

Once you’re aware that someone is using your personal data suspiciously, it’s time to file an identity theft police report. The faster you act and freeze accounts, the faster you’re able to mitigate the damage. 

While it’s always worthwhile contacting the authorities, they may choose not to pursue the case if it seems unlikely they can identify the thief. You should absolutely pursue a police report if you:

• Know the person or have specific personal details about the individual or group who stole your information and/or funds.
• Have evidence of information that may be related to additional crime or thefts.
• Know that your personal information was used in the committing of a crime.
• Must have a police report to pursue financial resolution with your bank or financial institution. 

What Information Should You Have to File an Identity Theft Police Report?

Before you can report identity theft to the FBI or police, you must gather the relevant information. This information includes the following:

• The data and time of any notifications about fraudulent account activity.
• Details about the hacker including username, name, email address, physical address, phone number or more.
• The method of attack or theft. Was information stolen by phishing or malware? Through unauthorized access? 
• The type of information compromised including personal and financial details.
• Any additional relevant information that will help protect your identity. 

Steps to Report Identity Theft to the FTC

The Federal Trade Commission works hard to protect consumer rights. Part of this responsibility is tracking and working to prevent identity theft. It’s important to report identity theft to the FTC before pursuing a local police report or reporting identity theft to the FBI. The FTC Identity Theft Report is useful when working with your financial institutions and law enforcement.

Step 1: Go to FTC’s identity theft portal 

To report identity theft to the FTC, you will first visit the official FTC website for reporting identity theft and fraud: IdentityTheft.gov. 

Source: identitytheft.gov

Step 2: Complete the identity theft affidavit form 

Once you’ve accessed the FTC website, you’ll be prompted to complete online forms and fill in information about what happened. This information will be used to create an FTC Identity Theft Report or identity theft affidavit form as well as to create a recovery plan with the next steps and data protection tips for the future. 

The FTC identity theft affidavit form is the official statement of fraud. It will be used in providing that identity theft occurred with your bank, the three credit bureaus, and with law enforcement.

Step 3: Follow the FTC’s recovery steps 

Once you’ve submitted the required forms and completed the FTC affidavit, the FTC will provide you with personalized recovery steps. This information will include how to dispute any fraudulent charges and remove fraud from your credit report. Follow these tips to clear up the damage that the identity theft created. 

However, it's important to understand that complex cases like these can take time to resolve—and you're not alone in feeling frustrated. One frustrated consumer claims they have been subject to a data breach seven times, and they haven’t had much luck cleaning up their credit report by reporting issues to the three credit bureaus.

…I have disputed stuff and kept getting denied for the disputes. I supposedly have the insurance from this and my name was again on the data breach report January this year so I do not know what to do or who to talk to…

Steps to File an Identity Theft Police Report

Once you’ve filed a report with the FTC, your next step is reaching out to your local law enforcement agency and filing an identity theft police report.

Step 1: Gather Evidence and Information

Collect all the necessary documents before going to the police. Be sure you also bring your FTC Identity Theft Report when you go to file your police report. Also bring any proof of fraud including bank statements, credit card statements, debt collection information, and your valid ID.

Step 2: Contact Your Local Law Enforcement Agency

Call or visit the local police department office. Ask about filing an identity theft report. You may have the option to file the report online, but some jurisdictions will require you to file the report manually in the station. 

Step 3: Provide a Detailed Statement

When filing the police report, you will need to provide a detailed account of all the information you have regarding the identity theft and subsequent fraud. Be specific about when and where the theft took place, how you discovered it, what supporting information you have, and what steps you have taken since its discovery.

Step 4: Follow Up and Use the Report

Once you’ve filed your police report, be sure to keep a copy of the official form. This plus the form from the FTC will likely be necessary as you work with banks, creditors, and the credit bureaus. When you begin disputing financial transactions and placing fraud alerts on your credit reports, these forms will almost certainly be required.

How to File an Identity Theft Report with the FBI

A final reporting location for identity theft is the FBI. This is another government agency that will assist in tracking down the perpetrators of identity fraud. People usually seek assistance from the FBI when the crime involves large-scale fraud, organized crime, or cyber-related offenses. While your local police play a direct role in helping you resolve the situation on a personal level, the FBI focuses on broader investigations. 

To get started, visit www.ic3.gov. This is the official website for reporting identity theft that is related to fraud, cybercrimes, and other crimes that cross state lines. 

Source: ic3.gov

Complete the online form with details about how your identity was stolen, any fraud that occurred and any personal information that was compromised.

After you review and submit, you may not hear anything directly from the FBI as they do not respond to every individual case, but your complaint may contribute to larger fraud investigations and will assist law enforcement as they track trends in theft.

Reporting Identity Theft to the Attorney General in Your State

Your individual state may also provide resources to assist you if your identity is stolen. Of course each state will work a bit differently when it comes to reporting identity theft. While the general process is the same—finding the right form with the state attorney general and completing it with the relevant information—the actual location and steps will be different.

For example, to file a complaint in Florida, you will need to print, complete, and mail a form to the Office of the Attorney General rather than completing the form online. To file your complaint, review the requirements for the Office of the Attorney General at the state level and complete the necessary steps. 

Protecting Yourself from Identity Theft

Unfortunately, despite all the various cybersecurity tips out there these days, there is only so much we can do to protect ourselves and our personal information from identity theft. It’s important to report identity theft at each level, starting with your local police, with your state’s attorney general, and with the national FTC and FBI. All these agencies and departments work to investigate and prevent fraud. 

Do your best to monitor your accounts, including using credit and account alerts to keep you notified of account activity. If something does go amiss, work with financial institutions and credit bureaus to straighten the mess out. Finally, once you’ve reported any current identity breach, learn about the best ways to protect yourself after identity theft and to avoid issues like this in the future.