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1. What is Identity Theft?

Identity theft occurs when someone steals your personal information and uses it for financial gain. Personal information may include your social security number, date of birth, credit / debit card numbers, or bank account numbers.

2. Should I file a police report?

Yes. Police reports often assist other agencies with repairing damaged credit. Generally speaking, the police report should be filed with the jurisdiction where the charges or accounts were generated.  If you are a Loudoun County resident, you may file a report here, even if your information was not used in the County. The law does allow for either jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute the offenders if captured, however, investigation leads are easier to advance with the jurisdiction where the offense occurred.

3. Besides filing a police report, what else should I do if I am a victim of identity theft?

1. Right away, you should cancel any accounts that may have been compromised.
2. Call the financial institution and speak with a fraud specialist.  Make sure you document any conversation and obtain their full contact information. Often, you will be asked to complete an Affidavit of Fraud, which should be provided by them.
3. Contact these three credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, or Trans Union, and request that a fraud alert be placed on your credit report.
4. If the Identity Theft involved the use of the Internet, you should also file a report with the Internet Crime Compliance Center (IC3). IC3 is a partnership with the FBI and National White Collar Crime Center. Their mission is to receive, develop, and refer criminal complaints regarding cybercrime. 

4. What are some resources I could use to assist me?

The Commonwealth of Virginia, Office of the Attorney General, has put together an informational booklet to assist victims of Identity Theft. The booklet contains a wealth of information which includes helpful advice to avoid falling victim to identity theft as well as providing victims with information on the specific steps they can take when they become a victim of identity theft.