Filing a Police Report for Identity Theft
Filing a Police Report in Texas for Identity Theft
Relevant Texas Laws
The state law in Texas defining identity theft has changed, effective September 1, 2019. This change is intended to support victims of financial abuse when debts have been incurred in their name by an abuser and they have received no benefit for those debts.
Section 32.51(b)(1) of the Texas Penal Code states the updated definition of identity theft:
Article 2.29 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure states that a police report must be made when someone alleges that identity theft has occurred. It also states that the victim will get a copy of the report if the victim asks for it.
REPORT REQUIRED IN CONNECTION WITH FRAUDULENT USE OR POSSESSION OF IDENTIFYING INFORMATION.
(a) A peace officer to whom an alleged violation of Section 32.51, Penal Code, is reported shall make a written report to the law enforcement agency that employs the peace officer that includes the following information:
(1) the name of the victim;
(2) the name of the suspect, if known;
(3) the type of identifying information obtained, possessed, transferred, or used in violation of Section 32.51, Penal Code; and
(4) the results of any investigation.
(b) On the victim’s request, the law enforcement agency shall provide the report created under Subsection (a) to the victim. In providing the report, the law enforcement agency shall redact any otherwise confidential information that is included in the report, other than the information described by Subsection (a).
Sherriff’s Offices of the 10 Largest Counties in Texas
| County | Address, Phone Number, and Web Address of County Sheriff’s Office | Notes on Filing an Identity Theft Police Report | |
| Harris | This is the appropriate law enforcement agency if you live in Harris County. You can file the police report either over the phone or in person, depending on your situation and which you prefer. | ||
| Dallas | https://www.dallascounty.org/dep artment/sheriff/sheriff_index.php | You can call and they will send out a deputy so that you can make your report in person. You can get a copy of your identity theft report after making it. | |
| Tarrant | This is the correct law enforcement agency to contact if you live in an unincorporated area in Tarrant County. Otherwise, call your city’s police department. To file an identity theft report, first make a report by phone. An officer will call you back or come out to you to complete the report and investigate. | ||
| Bexar | You can file the police report entirely over the phone. It is optional to have a deputy come out and to file the report with the deputy. When you have filed the report you will get a case number that you can provide to the records department. After about a week, the records department can give you a copy of the police report. This is the correct law enforcement agency for people who live in Bexar County but outside of San Antonio city limits. | ||
| Travis | Call to see if this is the appropriate agency, or if you should file with Austin Police Department. If you live in the jurisdiction for Travis County Sheriff’s Office, you can file over the phone or by having a deputy come to you. | ||
| Collin | You can file a police report by either going in to the physical office or by calling, and an officer will go out and take your police report in person. You can get a copy of the police report after it has been filed. | ||
| Hidalgo | To file an identity theft report, you can call and they will send a deputy to you to make the report in person. You will then be able to get a copy of your report. | ||
| Denton | You can call and make an identity theft report over the phone. You can then contact the records division andget a copy of your identity theft report. | ||
| El Paso | You can’t file a police report over the phone. You should call and they will send out a deputy so that you can make your report in person. You can then get a copy of the report after you have filed it. | ||
| Fort Bend | https://www.fortbendcountytx.gov/ government/departments/adminis tration-of-justice/sheriff-s-office | You can call and they will send out a deputy to help you make the identity theft report in person. You can’t file the report over the phone. After you have filed the report, you will be able to get a copy of the report. | |
Police Departments of the 10 Largest Cities in Texas
| Houston | You can call and you might be able to file your police report over the phone. However, if it is too busy, you might have to call back the following day or you might have to go to any Houston Police Department station to file the report. After you file the report, you will get an incident report number. You can contact the records division and they will send you a copy of the police report. | ||
| San Antonio | You would file a police report with this law enforcement agency if you live in the city limits of San Antonio. You can file either over the phone or you can have a police officer come to you so you can file it in person. If the totally amount of money in dispute is over $20,000, you will need to file the police report in person. You can get a copy of the police report after 7-10 business days. | ||
| Dallas | You can call the financial crimes number, listed in the column to the left. They will be able to advise you on your next steps. You can also go into any Dallas Police Department substation and speak with an officer and they will be able to tell you where to file the police report in person. | ||
| Austin | You can file a police report online at http://www.austintexas.gov/page/offenses. You can also call the non-emergency 311 number and they’ll put in the request with Austin Police Department. The police department will contact you with the directions for completing the filing of the police report. They will also be able to give you a report number that you can use to get a copy of the police report. | ||
| Fort Worth | You can file a police report over the phone. The department might need to send someone out if supporting documents are needed. You can get a copy of your identity theft report by going through the records division. | ||
| El Paso | You can call during business hours and file the identity theft police report over the phone. If you file over the phone, you can get a copy after 2 business days at any police station. You can also file online, regardless of whether or not you know who has stolen your identity. If you file online, you can then pick up your police report in 5 days at any police station. | ||
| Arlington | 911 (This is the correct number to call for non-emergency crimes in Arlington.) | If you are in Arlington, you can call 911 and make a police report for identity theft over the phone. | |
| Corpus Christi | You can call and make the police report over the phone. If it is a complicated case, they might ask you to be in person to make the police report. You will get a case number. After a few days, you can call back and make arrangements to get a copy of the police report. | ||
| Plano | You can file a police report for identity theft over the phone or online, but only if there is no known suspect. If there is a known suspect, you might be able to make the police report over the phone, but you will likely need to come into station or make the report with an officer who comes to you. You can call them back after your police report has been filed to get a copy of the report. | ||
| Laredo | You can file an identity theft police report by coming into the station (see address to the left) and filing the report in person. You can get a copy of the report after it is filed. | ||
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