Identity Theft- Fraud

Identity Theft occurs when someone uses your personal identifying information without your permission to commit an unlawful act. In the State of Texas, this type of offense is known as Fraudulent Use or Possession of Identifying Information. This statute covers the Offenses of Credit/Debit Card Abuse and Forgery, but each has its own separate statutes as well. This information may include your:

• Address
• Birth Date
• Date of Birth
• Driver License Number
• Financial Information Such as Your Bank Account, Credit Card or Debit Card Number
• Mother’s Maiden Name
• Name
• Social Security Number

REPORTS FROM VICTIMS

The Garland Police Department takes reports from victims of identity theft under the following circumstances:

• Any part of the fraud occurred within the City of Garland
• The victim is a resident of the City of Garland

The Financial Crimes Unit recommends that victims of identity theft take steps to repair the damage done to the victim's name and credit.

• Get a copy of your credit report and check it for open accounts you did not authorize. Your credit report can be obtained from one of the three credit reporting agencies, Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian. There are links below for each of the credit reporting agencies.
• Have the credit reporting agency place a security alert on your credit report. This will make it harder for anyone to open new accounts in your name.

If you do not live in the immediate area please contact your local police department and make the report with them. If the misuse of your information occurred in the City of Garland your local department can forward the report to us for further investigation by email or by faxing it to 972-485-4803. 

For questions or to make a report please contact the Police Service Desk at 972-205-2018. For more information, visit the Federal Trade Commission's Identity Theft website.