Are you a victim of identity theft or fraud?
Report identity theft and fraud to the Asheville Police Department so you have a record for future needs. Also, these reports help the police department understand criminal trends and possibly catch the people committing these crimes.
Examples of identity theft and fraud include:
- Fraudulent debit and credit card purchases
- Internet scams
- Someone else claiming your tax refund, unemployment, and other benefits
- Someone else using your business name and account information to create counterfeit checks
- Stolen Social Security number
Do you think you are a victim of identity theft or fraud? Follow these steps:
Step 1: Determine what kind of fraud occurred
There are many different types of theft and fraud. Many agencies have been set up specifically to investigate certain types of fraud.
If you can see the fraud you experienced on the list below, please contact that agency. Keep in mind that if you are contacting one of these agencies, you do not need to file a police report with the Asheville Police Department:
- Internet fraud (for example, romance scams, social media scams via Facebook Marketplace/Instagram, rental property scams, and employment scams committed online) should be reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigation: https://www.ic3.gov/
- Public assistance fraud (food stamps, EBT, SNAP, cash assistance, medicare) should be reported to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services: https://www.ncdhhs.gov/contact/report-fraud
- Unemployment identity theft and/or unemployment credit or bank direct deposit fraud should be reported to the North Carolina Division of Employment Security: https://www.des.nc.gov/need-help/unemployment-insurance-fraud
- For mail theft, mail fraud, unauthorized mail forwarding, or unauthorized address change, contact the United States Postal Service Postal Inspector: https://www.uspis.gov/report
- Tax fraud should be reported to the United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS): https://www.irs.gov/faqs/irs-procedures/reporting-identity-theft
- Driver’s license identity theft or fraud and vehicle title fraud should be reported to the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles: https://www.ncdot.gov/dmv/programs/fraud-theft/
How to report cryptocurrency scams
Report fraud and other suspicious activity involving cryptocurrency to:
Step 2: Check your eligibility
If the identity theft or fraud you experienced does not fall under one of the types listed in Step 1, you’re ready to file a report with the police department.
You can only report fraud to the Asheville Police Department if you are a city resident or if the fraud happened within city limits. If you are outside Asheville city limits, you must determine the appropriate law enforcement agency to contact.
Step 3: Gather your information
To report fraud, you will need:
- Basic information about yourself, including driver’s license or state ID number
- Any information about what happened (including any stolen credit card numbers)
- A copy of the Affidavit of Fraud filed with each financial institution involved with the fraud
- Copies of any or all checks, credit/debit card records, and bank account records pertaining to the fraud
- Date, time, and specific location of fraudulent charges, fraudulent check cashing, or fraudulent wire transfers
- Full credit/debit card numbers, full account numbers, full routing numbers
- The total amount of your monetary losses
- Whether or not your bank has refunded your account
Note: This information should be included or attached to your report. We recognize that some victims are only interested in correcting their debt and do not necessarily wish for prosecution; therefore, we request that you only submit this information to APD if you desire prosecution.
Step 4: Report the fraud
You can report identity theft for an individual or a business. If you’re helping someone file a report, please have their ID information and your own.
You can file a report online at https://ashevillepd.policetocitizen.com/ReportIncident
Your report will be assigned a case number. If any additional information is required, a detective may contact you.
Step 5: Place a fraud alert and take steps to protect your identity
You may want to place a fraud alert if you are a victim of Identity Theft. Contact at least one credit report agency:
- Equifax: 800-525-6285
- Experian: 888-397-3742
- TransUnion: 800-680-7289
You may also contact the Federal Trade Commission at 877-438-4338 or at https://www.identitytheft.gov/
Additional steps you can take to protect your identity include:
Step 6: Keep the police department updated and get copies of your report
Once you have been assigned a permanent case number, you can contact us if you find more details to report. To supplement (add additional information) your report, please contact the Asheville Police Department Records Unit at 828-259-5870.
If you need a copy of your report for your records or insurance, you may print or download a copy of a report by using the Police-to-Citizen (P2C) tool or contact the Asheville Police Department Records Unit at 828-259-5870.
Contact Information
Asheville Police Department Records Unit
Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday – Friday
Phone: 828-259-5870
Asheville Police Department Victim Services Unit
Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday-Friday
Phone: 828-259-5912
