How to File a Police Report for Identity Theft (and Why It Helps)

To file a police report for identity theft, contact your local police department (many let you file online or at the front desk for non-emergencies), bring your FTC identity theft report from IdentityTheft.gov, a photo ID, proof of address and any evidence of the fraud, and ask for a copy of the report or its report number. You can file even if the police can’t investigate: the report is still useful as an official record, especially if a creditor asks for one, you know who the thief is, or someone used your name with law enforcement.

A police report doesn’t replace the FTC report, and the FTC report doesn’t always replace a police report. This guide explains when you need each, how to file, and what to do if an officer is reluctant to take the report.

Do you need a police report for identity theft?

For many victims, the FTC identity theft report from IdentityTheft.gov is enough. Credit bureaus and most businesses accept it as proof when you ask them to block fraudulent information or close accounts. Our guide to the FTC identity theft report explains how to file one and what it’s used for.

A police report is worth adding when:

• A creditor, bank or collector asks for one before it will close an account or remove a debt.
• You know or suspect who stole your identity, such as a relative, roommate or former partner.
• Someone used your name during an arrest, citation or traffic stop, which can create a criminal record in your name.
• Your identity theft involved another crime, such as mail theft, a stolen wallet or a burglary.
• You’ve lost a significant amount of money and want it on record with law enforcement.
• An insurance policy or another agency requires one to process a claim or correct a record.

Filing both gives you the most complete record. Our step-by-step plan for what to do if your identity is stolen explains where each report fits in the wider recovery.

Why a police report helps even if police don’t investigate

Identity theft cases are often hard for local police to investigate, especially when the thief is anonymous, overseas or used your details online. Many reports won’t lead to an arrest. That’s normal, and it doesn’t make the report pointless.

• It’s an official record that you reported the crime, with a date.
• It supports your disputes with creditors, collectors and agencies that want law enforcement documentation.
• It helps if a crime is later traced to you, because it shows you reported the theft before any trouble arose.
• It may connect to other cases. Police sometimes link reports from several victims to the same suspect.

Step 1: File your FTC report first

Before you contact the police, report the theft at IdentityTheft.gov. The FTC report lists the fraudulent accounts and events in an organized way, and the FTC suggests bringing it with you when you file a police report. Print a copy or have it on your phone.

Step 2: Gather what to bring

• Your FTC identity theft report.
• A government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license or passport.
• Proof of address, such as a utility bill, lease or bank statement.
• Evidence of the fraud: statements showing unauthorized charges, collection letters, notices about accounts you didn’t open, IRS letters, or screenshots of fake profiles.
• Your credit reports with the fraudulent items marked.
• A written timeline of what happened and who you’ve already contacted.
• Anything about a known suspect, if you have it: name, relationship, how you think they got your information.

Step 3: Decide where to file

Usually you file with the police department where you live. Some situations call for a different or additional agency:

Situation	Where to file
General identity theft	Your local police department or county sheriff where you live
Fraud happened in person somewhere else	Your local police, and possibly the agency where the fraud took place
Someone used your name during an arrest or citation	The law enforcement agency that arrested or cited the impostor, plus the court handling the case
Mail was stolen	Your local police, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service

Many departments let you file non-emergency reports online or by phone. If yours doesn’t, go to the station at a quieter time and ask to file a report at the front desk. Don’t call 911 for identity theft unless you’re in immediate danger.

Step 4: File the report and ask for a copy

1. Explain that you’re an identity theft victim and want to file a report.
2. Give the facts in order, using your timeline. Stick to what you know and say what you suspect separately.
3. Offer your FTC report and evidence so they can be attached or referenced.
4. Ask for a copy of the report, or at least the report number, the officer’s name and how to get a copy later.
5. Keep the report with your FTC report and your log. You’ll send copies to creditors and agencies as needed.

A worked example

This is an illustrative scenario, not a real client.

A graduate student finds that her former roommate opened a phone account and a store card using her details and the address they used to share. She files at IdentityTheft.gov and freezes her credit. The phone carrier’s fraud department tells her it needs a police report because she named a known suspect.

She files online through her city police department’s non-emergency reporting page, attaching her FTC report, the carrier’s letter and her credit report with the accounts highlighted. A few days later she gets a report number and a copy by email. An officer follows up with a phone call to take more details about the former roommate.

She sends the carrier and the store her police report and FTC report together. Both accounts are closed and marked as fraud. Whether the police pursue charges is up to them, but her disputes don’t depend on it.

Criminal identity theft: when your name is on someone else’s record

If someone gave your name to police, you might find out through a background check, a warrant, a court notice or a license suspension. This is more serious than financial identity theft and usually takes longer to fix.

1. Contact the law enforcement agency that made the arrest or issued the citation. Ask how to show you are not the person involved. You may need to provide fingerprints, photo ID and documents.
2. Contact the court handling the case to ask how to correct the record.
3. Ask about official documentation. Some states have a process, sometimes called an identity theft passport or a clearance letter, that you can show to police or employers. Your state attorney general’s office can tell you what’s available.
4. Talk to a lawyer. A criminal defense attorney can help clear records and deal with any warrant. Our guide to identity theft lawyers covers when legal help matters and how to find it at a lower cost.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Skipping the police report because “they won’t do anything”. The record is useful even without an investigation.
• Filing without evidence. Bring your FTC report and documents so the report is complete.
• Leaving without a report number. You’ll need it to get a copy and to show creditors.
• Exaggerating or guessing. Keep it factual. Filing a false police report is a crime.
• Treating the police report as the end of it. You still need to dispute each fraudulent account and freeze your credit.

When identity theft shows up online

Criminal identity theft can leave court records, mugshots or news items under your name that others find in searches. Once the record is corrected at the source, search results don’t always update on their own. If they stay, our personal reputation management service can help.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a police report for identity theft?

Not always. The FTC identity theft report is often enough for credit bureaus and businesses. File a police report too if a creditor asks for one, you know the thief, someone used your name with police, or another crime was involved.

Can I file an identity theft police report online?

Many police departments accept non-emergency reports online or by phone. Check your local department’s website. If it doesn’t offer online filing, you can usually file in person at the station.

What if the police won't take my identity theft report?

Explain that creditors require a report, show your FTC report, and ask for a miscellaneous or incident report if they won’t open a full case. If that doesn’t work, try your county sheriff or contact your state attorney general’s office.

Should I file a police report or an FTC report first?

The FTC report first. It organizes the details of the theft, and bringing it with you makes the police report quicker and more complete.