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This article was co-authored by Michael R. Lewis and by wikiHow staff writer, Janice Tieperman. Michael R. Lewis is a retired corporate executive, entrepreneur, and investment advisor in Texas. He has over 40 years of experience in business and finance, including as a Vice President for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas. He has a BBA in Industrial Management from the University of Texas at Austin.
There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
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Credit card fraud is a type of identity theft that can impact your credit health. While it may be tempting to file a police report right away, it’s important to contact your credit card company, a credit reporting bureau, and the FTC first. We’ll walk you through each and every step, so you can confidently advocate for yourself and get your credit straightened out. We’ll even cover some steps you can take after filing a police report, so you can feel more in control.
How do you report credit card fraud to the police?
Reach out to your credit card issuer, a credit reporting bureau, and the Federal Trade Commission before reporting credit card fraud to your local police. When you visit your local police station, bring the paperwork you received from the FTC, along with proof of your identity and proof of your credit card fraud.
Steps
How to Report Credit Card Fraud
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![Step 1 Contact your credit card company.]()
Contact your credit card company. Call your credit card issuer’s main number and ask to be redirected to the fraud department. Explain the circumstances of how your credit card information got compromised, and request that they freeze or completely close down the affected accounts.[1]- Always reach out to your card issuer as soon as you possibly can. You can’t be held liable for unauthorized charges on a card you’ve already reported as missing/stolen.[2]
- Did you know? Credit card fraud is typically legislated at a state level, so it depends on your state (and the severity of the fraud) if it’s considered a felony or not. In some cases, however, it can be treated as a federal crime.[3]
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![Step 2 Contact a credit bureau and request a free fraud alert.]()
Contact a credit bureau and request a free fraud alert. Reach out to either Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion and ask for a fraud alert to be placed on your information. Alerting the credit bureaus lowers the chance of more fraudulent activity happening.[4]- Don’t worry about calling all 3 companies—whichever company you call will let the other bureaus know about your fraud report.
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![Step 3 Submit a report to the FTC.]()
Submit a report to the FTC. Visit the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) website and submit an official report about your credit card fraud. Select “I want to report identity theft” or “Someone has my information or has tried to use it, and I’m worried about identity theft” on the first page of the form and provide as much information as you can about the problem.[5]- Alternatively, call the FTC to report your situation that way.
- After submitting your report, the FTC should give you an Identity Theft Report, which is necessary when filing a local police report.
- The FTC doesn’t technically “investigate” your case on a judicial level, but they do collect and provide Identity Theft Reports to law enforcement agencies.[6] Groups like the FBI help investigate identity theft; in fact, the FBI has asked recent victims of identity theft to get in touch.[7]
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![Step 4 File a credit card fraud police report locally.]()
File a credit card fraud police report locally. Bring your FTC Identity Theft Report, along with a copy of a past bill (or some document with your address), your official ID (like a driver’s license or passport), and any other useful evidence/documentation about the credit card fraud. Once they’ve taken your information, request a copy of the report to have in your own records.[8]- You don’t have to make a police report, but it may be helpful if the credit card fraud happened locally.
Expert Q&A
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Tips
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It’s difficult to say how seriously police will take credit card fraud. No matter what, make sure that you’re reporting your case to your credit card company, the credit bureaus, and the FTC.Thanks
References
- ↑ https://www.identitytheft.gov/#/Steps
- ↑ https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/am-i-responsible-for-unauthorized-charges-if-my-credit-cards-are-lost-or-stolen-en-29/
- ↑ https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/credit-cards/credit-card-theft-fraud-serious-crime-penalty
- ↑ https://www.identitytheft.gov/#/Steps
- ↑ https://www.usa.gov/identity-theft
- ↑ https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/topics/identity-theft
- ↑ https://forms.fbi.gov/seeking-victims-in-identity-theft-investigation
- ↑ https://www.identitytheft.gov/#/Steps
- ↑ https://www.identitytheft.gov/#/Steps
- ↑ https://www.identitytheft.gov/#/Steps
- ↑ https://www.identitytheft.gov/#/Steps
- ↑ https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/credit-cards/actions-credit-identity-fraud
- ↑ https://www.identitytheft.gov/#/Steps
- ↑ https://www.usa.gov/identity-theft
- ↑ https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-recognize-and-avoid-phishing-scams
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