October 19, 2007, Newsletter Issue #22: Information You Need to Provide on an Identity Theft Report

Tip of the Week

As with any crime, the more details you can provide to report identity fraud, the more helpful the identity theft report will be to investigators.

Identity theft reporting begins with a local, state, or federal law enforcement agency. This includes agencies like the police department of the city where the crime occurred, the State Attorney General, the FBI, and the Federal Trade Commission. Provide as much information as possible about the theft including:

The date or date range of the theftNames of places or web sites that fraudulent charges were made, the item purchased (if recorded on your statement), and the date / time of the chargesExisting accounts affectedKnown new fraudulent accounts openedPossible suspects of the crime and their descriptionsUnfortunately, most identity theft crimes are difficult to track and go unnoticed for days, weeks and even months. Yet, with the right information, some thieves can be tracked and apprehended. For example, a charge made to your credit card for online or mail order purchases may be tracked to a shipping address. A time stamp for a cash withdrawal from an ATM could lead to a picture of the thief from the bank’s surveillance camera.

You may find yourself filling out a stack of forms and reports and it is a good idea to keep track of every one of them. Consumer reporting companies may ask for information in addition to the police report or FTC-filed complaint. Be sure to note and comply with deadlines for providing the requested documentation or you may find yourself having to resubmit your identity theft report all over again.

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