Note: Your bank/credit union will normally take the financial loss and should credit your The following is a list of credit bureaus that may United States Postal Inspectors account. Once this is done, they become the Lake County Sheriff’s Office be contacted when there is a dispute over your www.usp s.gov victim of the “Uttering of a Forgery” case. A i credit. These bureaus can provide you with a Investigates mail fraud and fraudulent victim of “Uttering of a Forgery” is ultimately detailed account of your credit history. Victims determined by whoever suffers the money loss. of economic crimes are encouraged to contact applications for credit by mail Even though your signature has been forged, you the following companies when their identity has www.usps.com or 1-877-876-2455 Peyton C. Grinnell will only be considered a witness in this case. If been compromised by criminal activity. Sheriff the bank/credit union determines that you were negligent and does not credit your account, then EXPERIAN™ 1-888-397-3742 Federal Trade Commission you will become the victim of “Uttering of a www.experian.com Forgery”. www.identitytheft.gov ECONOMIC CRIMES Consumer Response Center If You Are the Recipient of Forged Checks EQUIFAX ™ 1-888-548-7878 (IdentityTheft) 1-877-438-4338 (Stolen or Counterfeit) www.equifax.com If you discover that other unauthorized checks (being stolen or counterfeit) have been cashed or TRANS UNION ™ 1-800-916-8800 deposited into your account, you should go to www.transunion.com Florida Department of Economic Opportunity your bank/credit union with the “original” forged Investigates unemployment fraud checks. You will be required to complete and To obtain a free copy of your credit report once a www.floridajobs.org or 1-800-342-9909 sign “Fraud/Forgery Affidavits”, one for each year from each credit bureau visit: check. Your bank/credit union will investigate www.annualcreditreport.com to determine exactly how and when these stolen Federal Bureau of Investigations or counterfeit checks entered into your account. Internet Crime Complaint Center They will then decide one of the following: This site is the only service authorized by the three credit bureaus for this purpose. Clearinghouse for reporting internet crimes -To accept the financial loss and make an to the FBI for possible follow up “Uttering of a Forgery” report with the law www.ic3.gov enforcement agency holding jurisdiction of where the check(s) were uttered/presented Assumed Identity for payment; or OTHER IMPORTANT NUMBERS U.S. Department of State Check Forgery -Notify the merchant, bank, etc. of whom the Social Security Administration Investigates fraudulent use of lost/stolen passports check was initially received from, return the www.ssa.gov www.state.gov or 1-877-487-2778 Credit Card Fraud check(s) in question and request repayment Investigates fraudulent use of Social for their loss. The merchant, bank, etc. will Security Numbers for employment and Debit Card Theft have to make the “Uttering of a Forgery” SSI/SSDI benefit fraud complaint report with law enforcement Social Security “Hot Line” If you are the victim of one of the crimes agency holding jurisdiction where the check 1-800-269-0271 was presented. listed above, this pamphlet will provide you This brochure was printed with information on organizations that can Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as a service by the If you are the victim of any of the above crimes, assist you. These organizations will assist contact the three credit reporting companies Investigates Federal Tax Fraud Lake County Sheriff’s Office (listed in the next section of this pamphlet) to (They will ask you to report the incident to local law 360 W Ruby St. you in securing your credit history and alert them of your criminal complaint. You will enforcement – a report will be taken for Tavares, FL 32778 preventing further fraud. This pamphlet will need to request that a “Fraud Alert” is placed on documentation purposes only) (352)343-9500 also help you to understand the legal process your personal credit file. This should help prevent Tax Fraud Hotline 1-800-829-0433 involved in prosecuting these crimes. any future acts of fraud. to prosecute the case, listing this loss as a Immediately contact the company or financial and of itself to make an arrest or submit the case “cost of doing business” and will not seek any institution’s Fraud Department where your CREDIT CARD FRAUD further investigation by law enforcement; to the State Attorney’s Office. The evidence information was used to alert them of this must prove in court “beyond a reasonable

fraudulent account and have the account closed doubt” that the perpetrator is in fact the specific If someone has stolen and/or is fraudulently using - T o c h a r g e b a c k a n y f r a u d u l e n t c h a r g e s or cancelled. credit cards that are issued to you (including any (reverse the charges) to the cardholder or individual who committed the crime of Identity Theft. ATM/Debit/Check cards), you will need to take merchant. If this occurs, the cardholder or File a police report with the law enforcement the following steps: merchant will become the victim of any agency holding jurisdiction where the Identity Unfortunately, in today’s fast paced society, the “Fraudulent Use of the Credit Card.” The Theft occurred and obtain a case number. The Immediately notify the credit card company or cardholder or merchant will have to make a preferred method of conducting business is via location of jurisdiction is where the account(s) phone or by the internet, making it extremely financial institution that issued your card. Do separate complaint report with the law were opened or services provided. If your identity not delay as the stolen cards are normally used enforcement agency holding jurisdiction difficult in positively identifying the actual has been assumed outside of Lake County and perpetrator. quickly after being stolen. where the fraudulent use of the credit card you wish to file an “information report” with the occurred; Lake County Sheriff’s Office, you may do so. Immediately report the loss or theft of the credit The report will be forwarded to the jurisdiction card(s) to the law enforcement agency holding -To actively pursue prosecution for any fraudulent charges made within our agency’s where the crime occurred. Note: The Statute of jurisdiction where the loss/theft occurred and Limitations on Identity Theft in most cases is CHECK FORGERY obtain a case number. If the credit card was lost jurisdiction. The issuing credit card company/ financial institution will be required to make three years and prosecution cannot be pursued or stolen and it has been used fraudulently, a once the Statute of Limitations has expired. If you’ve discovered that someone has been theft has occurred. a separate complaint report with the law forging checks on your checking account, you enforcement agency holdingjurisdiction where will need to take the following steps: the fraudulent use of the credit card occurred. Contact the three credit reporting companies listed The cardholder is the victim of the theft of the on the back of this pamphlet to report this Identity card only. Even though a credit card is issued to Theft of Checks Note: As a cardholder, you should keep in contact Theft complaint. You will need to confirm that a a cardholder, the issuing credit card company or “Fraud Alert” is placed on your personal credit Immediately notify your financial institution of financial institution (Visa, MasterCard, Suntrust with the issuing credit card company/financial your checks being stolen. They will “flag” your institution to determine what their investigation file. This alert should help prevent any future acts Bank, MBNA, etc.) has total control over this of fraud involving your personal identification account and determine if any stolen checks have credit account and only extends the privilege of reveals and their decision to seek prosecution. If been cashed (uttered). their decision is to take the loss, there will not be information where a credit check would be its use to the assigned cardholder(s). A cardholder conducted with the three Credit Bureaus. is not deemed to be a victim of the fraudulent any further investigation by this agency. Promptly make a police report for the theft of use of the credit card(s) solely by having their Contact the three credit reporting companies Note: Identity Theft cases are very difficult to checks with the law enforcement agency name embossed on the card. The credit card listed on the back of this pamphlet to report this prove “beyond a reasonable doubt” due to a lack holding jurisdiction where the theft of checks company/financial institution issuing this card credit card theft and/or fraudulent use. You need of adequate physical evidence. This is in part due occurred and ensure you obtain a case number. will normally be the victim of any fraudulent use to confirm that a “Fraud Alert” is placed on your to standard business practices (or policies) when Provide a sworn statement to the deputy/officer, of the card. The victim of the crime “Fraudulent personal credit file. This should help prevent any conducting day-to-day business. Businesses are listing your bank/credit union name, account Use of a Credit Card” is determined by whoever future acts of fraud. normally unable to provide necessary evidence in number, the check numbers of the checks stolen, ultimately suffers the financial loss. the form of written documentation such as signed any possible suspect information, and the fact applications, contracts, receipts, etc. or had no that no one had your permission to take, possess The issuing credit card company/financial IDENTITY THEFT actual personal contact with the perpetrator when and/or use your checks. institution may require the assigned cardholder(s) the fraudulent act using your personal information to complete “Fraud Affidavits” along with any occurred. Checks Forged (Stolen) On Your Account other documents to assist in their investigation When your personal identification information If you discover in your monthly bank statements They will decide on one of the following (name, social security number, driver license that someone has stolen your check(s) and has number, etc.) has been used fraudulently to open For example, after making contact with the options: company or financial institution you may receive cashed them, forging your name/signature, credit accounts, bank accounts, obtain loans, immediately notify your bank/credit union. utilities, telephone services, etc., without your information such as an address, phone number, or -To reimburse your account; an email address used to commit this fraud. You Make a police report for “theft of checks” (as knowledge or permission, you are the victim of described above). You will be a victim of the the crime of “Identity Theft.” If you believe that feel that you now know the location and identity -To “write off” the fraud due to the low dollar of the perpetrator(s) and do not understand why “Theft of Checks” only. You should then amount of the loss or not being cost effective your identity has been stolen, you need to take the respond to your bank/credit union with the following steps. an immediate arrest is not made. This information is a lead in the investigation and is not sufficient in “original” forged checks, complete and sign “Forgery Affidavits”, one for each forged check.