{"id":766,"date":"2023-04-14T07:45:01","date_gmt":"2023-04-14T07:45:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dataprot.net\/?p=766"},"modified":"2023-05-06T09:08:34","modified_gmt":"2023-05-06T09:08:34","slug":"do-police-investigate-identity-theft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dataprot.net\/articles\/do-police-investigate-identity-theft\/","title":{"rendered":"Reporting Identity Theft: The Role of FTC and Law Enforcement"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Identity theft victims face serious financial and emotional challenges. Your reputation can also be compromised, especially if the identity thief uses your personal information to commit crimes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many forms of cyber attacks<\/a> could happen to you and compromise the safety of your personal information. According to Crime Museum<\/a>, over 9 million Americans experience having their identity stolen. Identity theft statistics<\/a> also showed about 397,000 government or benefits fraud complaints in 2021. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In most cases, victims of identity theft turn to the police for help. However, the question remains: do police investigate identity theft? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Read on to explore the role of law enforcement in investigating identity theft and the steps that victims can take to report the crime and protect themselves from further harm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Federal Identity Theft is covered by US Code 18 U.S.C. \u00a7 1028<\/a>. This law considers misusing someone\u2019s information for financial or personal gain a crime. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This law dictates the penalties a person should face if they use someone else\u2019s personal information with the intent to defraud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Federal law enforcement agencies typically do not intervene in minor or small-scale identity theft involving insignificant financial losses. They focus on investigating intricate and complex schemes where a substantial amount of money has been stolen through identity theft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Knowing when to file a police report for identity theft can be challenging. However, certain circumstances may warrant filing a report with law enforcement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You may be able to file a police report if:<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s important to note that filing a police report doesn’t always guarantee an investigation. Due to the complex jurisdictional issues surrounding identity theft, it may be challenging for local law enforcement to pursue the culprit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Therefore, providing as much information as possible is crucial to help the authorities identify and charge the offender.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Taking immediate action is important if you suspect someone has stolen your personal information. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You can help protect your identity and recover damages by filing an identity theft report with your local police department and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The following are the steps you can take to report your case to the FTC and your local police department:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Reporting accurate information when filing an identity theft report is crucial. The FTC provides a customized recovery plan and an identity theft affidavit for review and update.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Follow these steps to file a report with the FTC:<\/p>\n\n\n\nDo Police Investigate Identity Theft?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
How To Report Identity Theft<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Reporting to FTC<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Step #1: Visit the FTC’s Identity Theft Portal<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n