Q: My vehicle was broken into and my wallet, checkbook, social security card, driver license, and credit cards were stolen. A police report was taken. What should I do if someone uses my stolen checks, credit cards, or establish credit using my name and social security number?
A: First, contact the Auto Theft Bureau and make sure the items (checkbook, social security card, driver license, and credit cards) are listed on the Theft from a Motor Vehicle incident report.
Second, report the theft of your checks and credit cards to your bank or other financial institution. Also, notify the check-processing companies listed above regarding stolen checks or check fraud.
Third, if your stolen checks are being used, complete an Affidavit of Forgery at your bank, and advise the business that the transactions involved were fraudulent and encourage the business to file an incident report with the police. It is not necessary for you to file a second incident report.
Fourth, if your stolen credit card is used to make a purchase, then the business accepting the credit card is responsible for filing an incident report with the police. It is not necessary for you to file a second incident report.
Fifth. Your identity has been compromised when your social security number has been used to establish credit. You are now an Identity Theft victim and should file an Identity Theft incident report, and follow the instructions outlined above.
Q: I received cancelled checks from my bank. I did not write these checks, nor did I authorize these checks to be written. What should I do?
A: File a police report for the theft of the check, if you haven’t already done so. Take the checks to your bank along with a copy of your police report, and complete an Affidavit of Forgery for each check. The bank should return the check to the business that accepted the check.
Q: I received notices from businesses demanding payment of returned checks I did not write. What should I do?
A: Advise the business that the transactions involved were fraudulent and encourage the business to file an incident report with the police. Provide the business with a copy of your police report and an Affidavit of Forgery.
Q: The person who forged my checks driver’s license number was written on the checks. Why is that information insufficient to establish the individual’s identity?
A: Individuals involved in fraudulent activities will assume stolen or counterfeit identities when negotiating forged checks. The counterfeit identification will often contain either fictitious information or another person’s information.
Q: My checks or credit cards were stolen from the mail. (I ordered checks, but they never came, or my new credit card never arrived.) Can I file a police report?
A: Yes, a police report can be filed. However, the United States Postal Inspection Service has jurisdiction for investigating mail thefts.
Q: What is an Affidavit of Forgery?
A: An Affidavit of Forgery is a notarized, sworn statement, attesting that the signature appearing on it is indeed a forgery. The account holder must provide an Affidavit of Forgery for each forged or counterfeited item.
Q: How did they (the identity thief) get my information?
A: Social Security numbers can be obtained from your place of employment, your doctor’s office, the mortgage company that processed your loan, and many other places. The places that you have grown comfortable with are the same places that are vulnerable to identity theft.