Credit Card Fraud – Taking the steps necessary to resolve it. 

Has one or more of your credit cards been lost or stolen and been used to make fraudulent charges? 

If someone has stolen or is fraudulently using one of your credit cards, including Debit/Check/ATM cards, you need to take the following steps to correct the situation:

• As soon as possible, notify the credit card company or the financial institution that issued the card in question.  Notification should be as soon as possible because stolen cards are normally used quickly after being stolen.

• Make a police report for the loss or theft of the credit card or cards, if more than one is missing.  This police report needs to be made with the law enforcement agency that has jurisdiction where the loss or theft of the card occurred.  Be sure to obtain a case number.  The card company will need this number because, if the card was lost or stolen and it has been used fraudulently, a theft has occurred.

Who is the true victim in the fraudulent use of a credit card?

The victim of the crime known as fraudulent use of credit card is determined by whoever ultimately suffers the financial loss.  A cardholder is not deemed to be a victim just because their name is embossed on the card.  Normally, the credit card company or financial institution issuing the card is the victim. 

What steps should be taken to resolve this crime?

The issuing credit card company or financial institution may require the cardholder to complete a fraud affidavit, and possibly other documents as well, to assist in their investigation.  Possible courses of action may include:

• The reimbursing of your account

• They may write off the loss if it is a low dollar amount, decline to prosecute, or list the loss as a business expense.  Usually, there will be NO further investigation by a law enforcement agency.

• They may actively pursue prosecution for any fraudulent charges made with the agency holding jurisdiction where the charges occurred.

• They may charge back any fraudulent charges to the merchant, or even the cardholder.  Should this occur, then the merchant or cardholder becomes the victim. 
  
  This is important to note:  Should this occur, then you as a card holder would need to file a complaint with the law enforcement agency where the fraudulent charges took place and this might not be the law enforcement agency where you live.  

Is the card holder free of any further responsibilities at this time?

As the cardholder, you need to stay in contact with the issuing credit card company or financial institution.  This is necessary to determine what the outcome of the investigation may be and if there was a decision to seek prosecution, and also to know if any of the fraudulent charges will be coming back to you.  If the card issuer has decided to take the loss, then no there will be no further investigation by either them, or law enforcement.

Also, you need to contact the 3 credit reporting agencies to report this credit card theft and/or fraudulent use.  You need to confirm that a fraud alert has been placed in your personal credit files.  This will help in preventing future acts of fraud.  (You can check the Crime Prevention area of our site for a listing of these agencies.)

In addition, find out the web address of your credit card holders and establish a sign-in with secure password.  This will allow you to check your credit card accounts for fradulent use immediately and you will not have to wait for the monthly bill to arrive by mail to discover such use. 

For more information, contact the Community Affairs Section at (904) 810-6603, request more information through our Crime Prevention Information Form or send an email to any of the following:

Sgt Kim Bucher – kbucher@sjso.org (904) 810-6603

Dep Diana Bryant – dibryant@sjso.org (904) 810-6694

Dep Ricky Domingo – rdomingo@sjso.org (904) 810-6747

Dep Melissa Swindull – mswindull@sjso.org (904) 810-3623