Identity Theft
The Porter County Sheriff’s Office has instituted the following procedure to report identity theft:
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Upon the discovery of any suspicious or fraudulent activity on an account, contact the creditor’s security or fraud department immediately to dispute and/or close the affected account. Follow up with the creditor in writing.
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Complete and print the Identity Theft Complaint Form. Provide as much information as possible when completing the form.
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Bring the completed Identity Theft Complaint Form, along with any other supporting documentation, to the Porter County Sheriff’s Office, Monday through Friday (excluding holidays), 8 am—4 pm, to make a police report.
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File a consumer complaint with the Indiana Attorney General’s Identity Theft Unit by phone at 1-800-382-5516 or online.
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File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) by calling the FTC’s ID Theft Hotline at 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338) or online.
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Contact the three (3) major credit bureaus to place a “fraud alert” and/or a “security freeze” on your credit file and request copies of your credit reports:
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Equifax 1-800-525-6285 www.equifax.com
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Experian 1-888-397-3742 www.experian.com
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TransUnion 1-800-680-7289 www.transunion.com
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Additional Helpful Information:
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Set up a folder or file to keep a detailed history of this crime.
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Keep a log of all of your contacts and make copies of all documents.
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Contact all creditors with which you do business and inform them of your identity theft.
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If your driver’s license has been fraudulently used, contact your local Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles license branch for a replacement license.
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If you suspect mail fraud, notify the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at 1-877-876-2455 or online.
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If you suspect fraudulent use of your Social Security Number (SSN), contact your local Social Security Administration office, or phone 1-800-269-0271, or online.
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If you suspect fraudulent use of your tax information, contact your local Internal Revenue Service office, or call 1-800-908-4490, or online.
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If the crime was internet-related, file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) atwww.ic3.gov.