Forgery Report Package

Citizens wishing to report forgery incidents, that have not already been reported to their financial institution, may call the Tempe Police Department’s non-emergency number at 480-350-8311.

IDENTITY THEFT  

ID Theft Report Packet

Financial Identity Fraud, more commonly known as ID Theft, is the fraudulent use of someone's name and a personal identifying number to obtain credit, merchandise or services.  It is a criminal offense. 

 Personal identifying numbers include:

• Social security number.
• Birth date.
• Drivers license number.
• Checking or savings account number.
• Credit or debit card numbers.
• Any other number that can be used to access a person's financial resources. 

ID Theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the United States.  

How can you be affected?

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), people who have had their identities stolen may spend months or years and thousands of dollars cleaning up their credit histories and clearing their names.  In the meantime, those victims may lose job opportunities, be denied credit or loans, or even be arrested for crimes they did not commit.  The victim deals with endless calls from creditors on loans they did not take out, usung their personal time and resources to make phone calls, write letters and fill out affidavits to close these accounts that they did not open.  The victims are stuck having to prove that they are indeed victims.

Can it happen to you?

• An FTC study released in September of 2003 found that 27.3 million Americans had been victims of identity theft in the last five years. 

• That same study showed that (1 in 8) adults nationwide learned that they had been a victim of identity theft in the past five years. 

How can your information be used?

A suspect can use your information to:

• Open credit card accounts in your name or add authorized users to your existing accounts. 

• Open bank accounts in your name.

• Obtain loans in your name (real estate, auto or personal). 

• Establish utilities (power, gas or phone) in your name. 

• Obtain cell phone accounts in your name. 

• Counterfeit checks using your bank account information and drain your account.  

How can someone obtain your information?

An individual can obtain your personal information by:   

• Stealing your wallet or purse                                 

• Breaking in to your vehicle. 

• Stealing your mail. 

• Filling out a change of address form to divert your mail to another address. 

• Going through your trash looking for financial documents or pre-approved credit offers.   Going through the trash at businesses, or "dumpster diving". 

• Stealing from businesses where you are a customer, patient, or student ; or getting it from an employee who may have access to the information. 

• Scamming you into giving it to them.  They may pose as an employee from a legitimate sounding business and ask you for the information to open or to update an account.

• Gathering the personal information that you share on an unsecured website.  

What can you do to protect yourself?

DON'T GIVE CRIMINALS AN EVEN BREAK!

While it is impossible to prevent identity theft entirely, there are steps that you can take to reduce the risks of becoming a victim.

• Review your credit reports with the three major credit bureaus annually to ensure the accuracy of those reports.  (See the information at the bottom of this page regarding Fair Credit Reporting Act.)

• Know to whom you are giving your personal information, and how it will be used. 

• Minimize the amount of personal information that your carry in your wallet.  Do not carry extra credit cards or your social security card. 

• Do not place outgoing mail in your mailbox.  Place outgoing mail only in a secure box. 

• Install a locked mailbox for incoming mail or use a post office box. 

• SHRED IT OR DREAD IT!!!!  Never throw away financial documents, receipts, or pre-approved credit offers or any direct mail order forms with your name and address, without shredding them first. 

• Reduce the amount of your information in circulation.  Consider removing your name from the marketing lists of three major credit-reporting agencies.  This will limit the number of pre-approved credit offers you receive. 

• Never write down your passwords or personal identification number (PIN).  Memorize them!!! 

• Protect your social security number—release it only when necessary. 

• Pay attention to your billing cycles and follow up with companies if your bills do not arrive on time.                                                                 

• Secure personal information in your home so that it is not readily accessible to others. 

• Never leave personal or financial information in your vehicle.

• Password protect your cellular, utility, credit card and bank accounts.  

If you suspect you are a victim of ID theft:  

• File a report with the jurisdiction where the crime occurred.  

• If the crime involved U.S.Mail, report it to your nearest U.S.Postal Service office.  Click here for a link to the U.S. Postal Service  (www.usps.com/postalinspectors).

• If the crime involved counterfeit credit cards or computer hacking, report it to the credit card company and to the U.S. Secret Service.  Their information website is www.secretservice.gov.

• Contact one of the three (3) major credit-reporting bureaus (Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion) to report the fraud.  Ask that a fraud alert be placed on your file and request a copy of your credit report.   The other two credit bureaus will automatically be notified to place a fraud alert on your credit file and all three reports will be sent to you free of charge.  

o       Equifax: 800-525-6285               www.equifax.com

o       Experian:  888-397-3742            www.experian.com

o       TransUnion  800-680-7289         www.transunion.co

Review your credit report for accuracy.

• Contact the creditors for the accounts that have been tampered with or opened fraudulently to close those accounts.  Advise them of the fraudulent use of your information and request that they send you a fraud dispute form.  Most creditors will accept the FTC fraud affidavit  

       You may be advised to close some or all of your accounts.  At the least change your 

        PIN codes and passwords immediately.

• Keep a record of the names and phone numbers of people with whom you discussed your case, and of all reports and supporting documents.

• Report ID theft online with the Federal Trade Commission at www.consumer.gov/idtheft, or call its Identity Theft Hotline at:

1-877-IDTHEFT. 

The FTC has counselors to help you resolve financial and other problems that can result from this crime.   

TIPS

• Act quickly and be persistent!!!

• Follow up with creditors in writing
• Keep an organized file including any correspondence you have received and documentation you have collected

Identity Theft Quiz

Crime Prevention Unit  (for tips on how to avoid becoming a victim)

Other Fraud Prevention and Reporting Resources

Report of Rental Property Theft Form