How to File a Police Report for Identity Theft

To file a police report for identity theft, first complete an Identity Theft Affidavit at the FTC’s IdentityTheft.gov, then bring that printed affidavit to your local police department along with a government-issued photo ID, proof of your current address, and evidence of the fraudulent activity. Ask the officer to attach or incorporate your FTC affidavit into the police report itself. That combined document is what federal law calls an “Identity Theft Report,” and it unlocks recovery rights that a standalone police report or FTC complaint cannot.

Start at IdentityTheft.gov

Before you go to the station, complete your report at IdentityTheft.gov. The FTC’s system walks you through the details and produces two things you’ll use throughout recovery: an Identity Theft Affidavit summarizing your case, and a personalized recovery plan with next steps.¹ Print or save the affidavit as soon as you finish. It becomes the backbone of your police report.

The form asks for your personal information, how you discovered the theft, which accounts or services were affected, and anything you know about the person who did it. Be specific. Creditors and credit bureaus can request more documentation later if your affidavit is thin, and a detailed affidavit gives the officer something concrete to work from.²

What to Bring to the Police Station

Show up with everything the officer needs so you’re not sent home for paperwork. The FTC’s checklist for victims lists the following:³

Your printed FTC Identity Theft Affidavit from IdentityTheft.gov.
A government-issued photo ID: driver’s license, passport, or state ID.
Proof of your current address, such as a mortgage statement, rental agreement, or utility bill.
Evidence of the theft: bank or credit card statements showing unauthorized charges, collection letters for debts you didn’t incur, IRS notices about duplicate tax filings, or credit reports showing accounts you didn’t open.
The FTC’s Memo to Law Enforcement, a one-page document you can print from IdentityTheft.gov that explains why victims need a police report.

Bringing the evidence matters more than people realize. A stack of statements with the fraudulent charges highlighted turns a vague complaint into something the officer can process quickly.

At the Station

Call the department’s non-emergency line first and ask whether they accept identity theft reports in person, online, or both. Some agencies have online portals for fraud and property crimes. Others require an in-person visit.

The officer will review your FTC affidavit and ask follow-up questions: when you first noticed the fraud, which accounts were affected, how much was involved, and whether you suspect anyone. Answer honestly and stick to what you know. If you don’t know how the thief got your information, say so. Guessing can complicate things later.

You may also need to fill out departmental forms. Whatever paperwork the agency uses, ask the officer to attach or incorporate your FTC Identity Theft Affidavit into the police report itself. That combination is what creates the formal “Identity Theft Report” under federal law.⁴

Before you leave, get a copy of the report or at least the report number. You’ll need it for almost every recovery step that follows.³

If the Police Are Reluctant to Take Your Report

This happens. Some departments treat identity theft as low priority, especially when the fraudulent activity occurred somewhere else. Officers may tell you there’s nothing they can do or suggest you file elsewhere.

The FTC’s Memo to Law Enforcement exists for exactly this situation. It explains that a detailed police report qualifies as an “Identity Theft Report” under the Fair Credit Reporting Act and that victims need it to exercise their federal recovery rights.⁵ Print the memo from IdentityTheft.gov and hand it to the officer. The FTC’s own recovery checklist tells victims to do exactly that when officers push back.⁶

If that doesn’t move things forward, ask for a supervisor. You can also try a different agency. A report filed with any federal, state, or local law enforcement agency qualifies under the FCRA’s definition of an Identity Theft Report, so you’re not limited to your city police department. The county sheriff’s office is a common alternative.²

Why the Combined Report Matters

The reason to insist on the FTC affidavit being part of the police report, and to walk out with a copy, is that the combined “Identity Theft Report” triggers legal rights an ordinary police report doesn’t.

Blocking Fraudulent Information From Your Credit Report

When you send an Identity Theft Report to a credit bureau with proof of your identity and a description of the fraudulent accounts, the bureau must block that information from appearing on your credit report within four business days. The block also prevents the fraudulent debts from reappearing later. Without an Identity Theft Report, you’re stuck with the standard dispute process, which is slower and less definitive.⁵

Stopping Debt Collection on Fraudulent Accounts

An Identity Theft Report can also prevent companies from continuing to collect on debts created by the thief, or from selling those debts to collection agencies. Fraudulent debts that get sold to collectors can follow you for years if you can’t prove the theft to each new collector’s satisfaction.⁵

An Extended Fraud Alert

Anyone can place a one-year fraud alert on their credit file. With an Identity Theft Report, you qualify for an extended fraud alert lasting seven years. During that period, creditors must take extra steps to verify your identity before opening new accounts in your name.⁷

What to Do Right After You File

Once you have the report number in hand, a few steps follow immediately.

Place a fraud alert or a credit freeze. A fraud alert requires only one call; whichever of the three bureaus you contact must notify the other two.⁸ With your Identity Theft Report, ask for the seven-year extended alert instead of the standard one-year version.⁷ A credit freeze is more protective and blocks anyone from pulling your credit report at all. Since 2018, placing and lifting a freeze is free at all three bureaus, and you contact each one separately:

Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
Experian: 1-888-397-3742
TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289

Contact each financial institution touched by the fraud. Send the fraud department a copy of the police report and ask for unauthorized transactions to be reversed and fraudulent accounts closed. If a debit card or bank account was hit, do this the same day you discover the fraud. Federal law ties your liability for unauthorized electronic transfers directly to how fast you report: liability is capped at $50 if you notify the bank within two business days, can reach $500 if you report after that but within 60 days of your statement, and can be unlimited for transfers occurring after that 60-day window.⁹ For unauthorized credit card charges, federal law caps your liability at $50, and most issuers offer zero-liability policies that go further.¹⁰

Keep copies of everything you file and a dated log of every call, including who you spoke with and what was said. Fraudulent accounts can surface months after the initial theft, and each one may require you to produce your police report number, your FTC affidavit, and supporting evidence again.

One boundary worth noting: if the thief used your Social Security number to file a tax return or work under your name, the police report doesn’t reach those problems on its own. Tax-related identity theft is handled through IRS Form 14039, and Social Security number misuse is reported separately to the SSA’s Office of the Inspector General. Those are separate tracks from the police report itself.

1
Federal Trade Commission. Identity Theft: IdentityTheft.gov
2
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. CFPB Regulation 1022.3 Definitions
3
Federal Trade Commission. Identity Theft Recovery Steps
4
Office for Victims of Crime. Steps for Victims of Identity Theft or Fraud
5
Federal Trade Commission. Memo from FTC to Law Enforcement
6
Federal Trade Commission. IdentityTheft.gov Recovery Checklist
7
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 1681c-1 – Identity Theft Prevention; Fraud Alerts and Active Duty Alerts
8
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Credit Card and Debit Card Fraud
9
eCFR. 12 CFR 1005.6 – Liability of Consumer for Unauthorized Transfers
10
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 1643 – Liability of Holder of Credit Card