ByHow to File a Police Report for Identity Theft in NYC
Identity theft is one of the most common cases of fraud in the United States, with thousands of people being affected by the problem. Common types of identity theft can include credit card fraud, stolen stimulus checks, and unauthorized access to personal information from companies such as the IRS, Experian, and Equifax.
The most common question after is how to report identity theft. So, how do you file a police report for identity theft in NYC? There are two ways: by yourself or with DoNotPay.
By yourself, you're looking at a more complicated and time-consuming process, but with DoNotPay, you only have to give a few details and sit back while we do all the work for you.
What Is Identity Theft?
Identity theft refers to crimes where someone uses another person's personal information without authorization to access accounts and money that is not their own. For instance, there are at least four categories of identity theft:
| Medical | Using someone else's information to get free medical care or at the victim's expense. |
| Financial | Using someone else's identity to obtain a good or service (i.e., accessing bank accounts or credit cards to order groceries, take out, clothes, gift cards, etc.). |
| Criminal | Using someone else's identity to commit a crime to avoid arrest or avoid detection from the police. |
| Child | Using a child's information to open accounts like cable, utilities, residence, etc. This is most common among parents and adults close to the child, with easy access to their personal information. |
Signs That You May Be a Victim of Identity Theft
Any time your finances or an account seem off, there's a chance that it is due to identity theft. This is especially true if you notice money missing or a transaction on your accounts or cards that you did not make.
Five signs to look out for to immediately respond to identity theft (or prevent yourself from being victimized) include:
- Checking bank statements
- Monitoring your credit card transactions and credit report
- Getting bills in the mail for services you did not purchase
- Debt collectors contact you for repayment on unauthorized transactions
- Being denied tax filing due to taxes already being filed under your name
How to File a Police Report for Identity Theft in NYC
Typically, it is recommended to file your identity theft report to the FTC (Federal Trade Commission), but there are some cases where it is necessary to file a police report for identity theft in NYC. The most common reason to file a report with the police immediately is if you know who the person is that stole your identity.
Whatever the reason, however, you can file a police in NYC on your own by taking these recommended steps provided by the New York City Office of the Chief of Police:
- the case to 1-888-NYC-SAFE (1-888-692-7233)
- Notify your local NYC police department
- Have documentation of all contacts and copies of correspondences.
- Fill out an identity theft complaint form (be specific and as detailed as possible)
- Make copies of the report (helps dispute fraudulent activities to companies)
- Discuss in detail what you know with a police officer
- Contact companies and creditors to file a dispute and start an investigation
- Social Security Administration Fraud Hotline: 1-800-269-0271
- Credit Bureaus: Equifax (1-800-685-1111), Experian (1-888-397-3742), and Trans-Union (1-800-916-8800)
- FTC: 1-877-438-4338 (file a complaint)
- For check fraud: Telecheck (1-800-710-9898) or Equifax (1-800-437-5120)
How to File a Police Report for Identity Theft in NYC Using DoNotPay's Services
Instead of taking on the task of reporting identity theft and dealing with the whole process that follows on your own, let DoNotPay take care of it for you. This means that in just these three quick and easy steps, DoNotPay can have you covered:
- Search "identity theft" on DoNotPay and select the type of incident you would like to report.
- Tell us more about the incident that occurred, including the location, date, time, financial loss, and any suspect information you may have.
- We'll identify whether you should file an FTC report, contact the IRS, freeze your credit report, contact state agencies, or file a police report. Once we guide you through the best options, we'll automatically submit the reports on your behalf!
What Our Identity Theft Product Can Do for You
With our identity theft product, you can do more than file a police report in NYC. You can also:
- File an official report with the FTC
- Alert state agencies about unemployment insurance fraud
- Alert the U.S. Department of Justice's National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) about unemployment insurance fraud
- Contact the IRS about tax fraud
- Contact the credit bureaus to set up fraud alerts and freeze credit reports
Other Issues We Can Resolve
DoNotPay isn't just the best solution for reporting that someone filed for unemployment in your name or figuring out how much you can send demand letters to for identity theft. Our services can also address other common issues like:
- Getting compensation for victims of a crime
- Contacting government representatives
- Request and receive chargeback and refunds
- Take your problem to small claims court
- Make insurance claims