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How does the FTC help victims of identity theft?
How do I file a complaint?
What should I do if I've filed a complaint, but
get additional information or have additional problems?
How does the FTC use the information I provide?
Will an investigation be opened if I file a complaint?
How does the FTC help victims of identity theft?
The FTC is the federal clearinghouse for identity theft complaints.
Although the FTC does not have the authority to bring criminal cases,
we help victims of identity theft by providing them with information
on the Web, in print, and through our toll-free Hotline to help resolve
the problems that can result from this crime.
We also make the complaints we receive from victims available to other
federal, state and local law enforcement officials worldwide. Complaints
also may be shared with some private companies, such as credit bureaus,
and other appropriate entities for the purpose of correcting identity
theft-related problems and preventing fraud.
How do I file a complaint?
You can file a complaint with the FTC using the online complaint form; or call the FTC's Identity Theft Hotline, toll-free: 1-877-ID-THEFT (438-4338); TTY: 1-866-653-4261; or write Identity Theft Clearinghouse, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20580.
The only thing you need to file with the FTC is your complaint. Please
do not send the FTC your completed ID
Theft Affidavit (PDF, 56 KB), your police report, your credit reports, financial
information, or any other documents relating to your case. If a law
enforcement agency decides to open an investigation on your case, they
will contact you directly and let you know what documents they need.
What should I do if I've filed a complaint, but get additional
information or have additional problems?
Whenever you have any additional information or problems, contact us,
and we'll update your complaint. If you filed a complaint online, you
will need to call our hotline (1-877-ID-THEFT) to give us the update.
How does the FTC use the information I provide?
We enter the information you send into the Identity Theft Clearinghouse,
an electronic database. The Clearinghouse is a system of records covered
under the Privacy Act of 1974. In general, the Privacy Act prohibits
unauthorized disclosures of the records it protects. It also gives individuals
the right to review records about themselves. Learn more about your
Privacy Act rights and the FTC's Privacy Act procedures by contacting
the FTC's Freedom of Information Act Office: 202-326-2430; www.ftc.gov/foia/privacy_act.htm.
The information you submit is shared with FTC attorneys and investigators.
It also may be shared with employees of various federal, state, or local
law enforcement or regulatory authorities. The FTC also may share your
information with some private entities, such as consumer reporting companies
and any companies you may have complained about, where it believes that
doing so might help resolve identity theft-related problems. You may
be contacted by the FTC or any of the agencies or private entities to
whom your complaint has been referred. In some limited circumstances,
including requests from Congress, the FTC may be required by law to
disclose information you submit.
You have the option to submit your information anonymously. However,
if you do not provide your name and contact information, law enforcement
agencies and other organizations will not be able to contact you for
more information to help in identity theft investigations and prosecutions.
Will an investigation be opened if I file a complaint?
Although the FTC does not have the authority to bring criminal cases,
your complaint will be entered into the FTC's Identity Theft Data Clearinghouse.
As a result, law enforcement officers, through their membership to the
Clearinghouse, can search the information provided by you in the course
of their criminal investigations. You will be contacted by a law enforcement
agency if your case becomes part of one of their criminal investigations.
As there is no guarantee, though, that your complaint will be investigated
through the Clearinghouse, you should always maintain direct contact
with your local police department to stay updated about the progress
of your case.
Most law enforcement agencies agree that identity theft cases should
be investigated aggressively. However, issues such as staff resources,
caseloads, budget, and prosecutorial guidelines all affect whether or
not a law enforcement agency will pursue your case. So when reporting
your crime, be as accurate as possible about actual monetary loss and
about any information relating to the suspect - such as actual name, address and date of birth - that you may know. The accuracy of this information could
be the difference between having a case investigated or declined.
Ask your police department to search the FTC's Consumer Sentinel database
for other complaints in your community. You may not be the first or
only victim of this identity thief. If there is a pattern of cases,
local authorities may give your case more consideration.
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