Why Filing a Police Report for Identity Theft Alone Won’t Fix Your Credit

If you’ve been a victim of identity theft, filing a police report is a natural first step, and it’s important to keep a copy for your records. But a police report alone won’t repair the damage done to your credit.

To truly protect yourself, you need to send the report (along with other supporting documents) to the credit bureaus. In this article, I’ll walk you through that process and explain what it really takes to restore your credit report after criminals have used your identity.

Police Report Identity Theft: Why It Matters for Your Credit

A police report establishes an official record that you’ve been the victim of identity theft. Even if your local police department doesn’t conduct a full investigation, the report becomes an essential piece of documentation.

Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), credit bureaus must block fraudulent information within four business days once they receive an identity theft report — which generally means an FTC Identity Theft Report filed with the Federal Trade Commission paired with a local law-enforcement report, such as a police report.

How to File a Police Report for Identity Theft

The exact process depends on where you live, but most consumers will follow the same general steps.

Step 1: File an FTC Identity Theft Report (Recommended First Step)

Go to IdentityTheft.gov and complete the online form. This generates an FTC Identity Theft Report and recovery plan. While not legally required before going to the police, many departments ask to see this document before they’ll take your report. Having it in hand also makes your case stronger when dealing with credit bureaus and creditors.

Step 2: Gather Supporting Documents

Before heading to the police station or filling out an online form, collect your paperwork. Bring a government-issued ID, proof of address, and copies of fraudulent statements, bills, or notices. If you filed with the FTC, bring that report too.

Step 3: Contact Your Local Police Department

With your documents ready, reach out to your local police department. Some allow online filing, while others require an in-person visit. If your local department won’t take the report, the FTC advises trying another agency, such as your state police, and documenting your attempt.

Step 4: Get a Copy of the Report

Always request a copy for your records. You’ll need it when you send disputes to the credit bureaus.

What Happens When You File a Police Report for Identity Theft

Prosecuting identity theft is a tall task for police departments. These crimes are often carried out internationally and with technology that hides the perpetrators’ tracks. But filing a police report is not just about bringing fraudsters to justice — it also gives you a powerful tool for cleaning up credit damage.

Once you have both your police report and your FTC Identity Theft Report, send them to each credit bureau that is reporting fraudulent information in your name. Include a cover letter explaining which accounts are fraudulent, along with proof of identity (such as a driver’s license and a utility bill).

Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), once a credit bureau receives this packet, it must block the fraudulent information from your report within four business days. After completing its investigation, the bureau must permanently delete the tradelines within 30 days unless a creditor can prove they are valid.

This package of documents triggers your rights under the FCRA’s dispute process — and it is a mandatory step before you can file a lawsuit against a credit bureau or creditor. We break down the dispute process in more detail here: How to Fix a Credit Report Error in 3 Simple Steps.

When Filing an Identity Theft Report with Police is Not Enough

If you’ve already sent your police report, FTC Identity Theft Report, and dispute letter to the credit bureaus but the fraudulent accounts remain on your credit report, the next step may be filing a lawsuit under the FCRA.

The law requires credit bureaus to block fraudulent information within four business days of receiving your documentation. They must also complete a reinvestigation within 30 days, and if the creditor cannot prove the account is legitimate, the bureaus must permanently delete it. If you see that fraudulent information is still on your report after these time frames, the FCRA gives you the right to take legal action.

Through an FCRA lawsuit, you can force credit bureaus and creditors to delete fraudulent accounts permanently, seek compensation for harms like credit denials or higher interest rates, and in many cases require the defendants to pay your attorney’s fees if you win.

Your police report becomes powerful evidence in court, showing that you followed the law and gave the bureaus every opportunity to correct the error. If they failed to act, that failure can be the basis for holding them accountable.

When to Call a Consumer Protection Attorney

There is a reason the FCRA requires consumers to first send a dispute letter to the credit bureaus before filing a lawsuit. These are enormous companies with an immense amount of data to monitor. Mistakes happen, and criminals exploit them.

But once you notify the credit bureaus that certain information on your report is the result of fraud, the law is clear: they must remove it. You may have been a victim of identity theft, but you don’t have to also be a victim of bureaucratic failure. If the fraud remains on your credit report after you’ve followed the dispute process, the FCRA gives you the right to take legal action.

At Reznik Consumer Law, we help consumers hold financial giants accountable when they fail to follow the law. Contact us today to learn more about your legal options.

FAQs About Filing a Police Report for Identity Theft

How do you file a police report for identity theft?

Start at identitytheft.gov to create an FTC Identity Theft Report. Then bring that report, proof of your identity, and evidence of the fraud to your local police department to file a police report for identity theft.

What happens when you file a police report for identity theft?

Most police departments will not launch a full investigation, but the report creates official documentation. Credit bureaus and creditors use this report to block or delete fraudulent accounts from your credit file.

Do I need a police report for identity theft or is the FTC report enough?

The FTC Identity Theft Report is the key document recognized by law, but filing a police report for ID theft strengthens your case and helps with creditors and collectors who may demand it.

Can I file a police report for identity fraud online?

In many areas you can file online, while some police departments require an in-person visit. If your local department refuses to take your report, the FTC advises trying another agency, such as your state police, and documenting your attempt.

What if filing a police report for identity theft doesn’t fix my credit report?

Filing a police report is only the first step. You must then send it, along with your FTC Identity Theft Report and a dispute letter, to the credit bureaus. If the bureaus fail to block the fraudulent accounts within 4 business days or permanently remove them after 30 days, you may have grounds to file an FCRA lawsuit.