Policy Text
Policy
345Fremont Police Department
Identity Theft
345.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
Identity theft is a growing trend that frequently involves related crimes in multiple jurisdictions. This
policy is intended to provide guidelines for the reporting and investigation of such crimes.
345.2 REPORTING
(a)While the crime of identity theft should be reported to the law enforcement agency
where the victim resides, officers of this department should investigate and report
crimes occurring within this jurisdiction which have resulted from the original identity
theft (e.g. victim resides outside FPD jurisdiction but the identity theft occurred in FPD
jurisdiction).
(b)Officers should include all known incidents of fraudulent activity (e.g., credit card
number applied for in victim's name when the victim has never made such an
application, amounts, dates, time and locations used).
(c)Officers should also cross-reference all known reports made by the victim (e.g., U.S.
Secret Service, credit reporting bureaus, U.S. Postal Service and DMV) with all known
report numbers.
(d)The reporting officer should inform victims of identity theft that the California Identity
Theft Registry is available to help those who are wrongly linked to crimes. The registry
can be checked by law enforcement and other authorized persons to investigate
whether a criminal history or want was created in the victim's name ( Penal Code §
530.7). Information regarding the California Identity Theft Registry can be obtained by
calling toll free (888) 880-0240.
(e)Advise victims of identity theft to place a fraud alert on their social security number.
This can be done through the Federal Trade Commission web site at www.ftc.gov/
idtheft.
(f)Following supervisory review and departmental processing, the initial report should
be forwarded to the appropriate detective for follow up investigation, coordination with
other agencies and prosecution as circumstances dictate.
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Published with permission by Fremont Police DepartmentIdentity Theft - 1