Do police investigate credit card theft? Having your credit card stolen is one thing, but having money taken out of your account is quite another. You would have so many thoughts running through your head and some of them could even have a panic attack. To make sure this doesn’t happen to you, make sure you handle your credit card and personal information securely and carefully.
If you’ve been the victim of a credit card theft, you’re probably wondering if the do police investigate credit card theft. How do they do that? And how often is credit card fraud detected?
In this article, we will answer some of your questions. Feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions.
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Do Police Investigate Credit Card Theft?
The police rarely investigate credit card theft. One reason is that most victims of credit card theft don’t bother to report it to the police. I mean, if your credit card company or bank returns your money, what’s the point of reporting it to the police?
While most people don’t bother reporting it, others simply cancel their cards right away so no money is stolen. So all they have to do is buy a ticket. Another reason police rarely investigate credit card theft is that this type of crime is non-violent, unlike other major and extremely violent crimes that they have to investigate with their limited resources.
Plus, more often than not, the stolen money will be a small amount and you can’t expect the police to drop a murder case to focus on a $200 credit card theft. And when it comes to a large sum of stolen money, chances are they can’t do anything about it, as the crime was likely committed by an offshore operation outside their jurisdiction.
This does not mean that you should not file a report with the police. If someone steals your credit card, it may not be the first time. You could even give the police tips about a wanted criminal, so don’t hesitate to report it and they’ll be more likely to investigate if the thief uses the stolen card locally. The police are also strict against credit card thieves when they are caught. We recommend reporting credit card fraud to your credit card company before going to the police.
You must also notify them immediately of your credit card theft. By doing so, you can prevent fraudulent purchases from interrupting your credit history and lowering your credit score.
- Experian Fraud Alert Center: https://www.experian.com/fraud/center.html
- TransUnion Fraud Alert Center: https://www.transunion.com/fraud-alerts
- Equifax Fraud Alert Center: https://www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/credit-fraud-alerts/
Do Police Investigate Credit Card Theft Under $500?
Police generally will not investigate stolen credit cards under $500. They are more likely to investigate if the amount exceeds $2,000. They are also more likely to investigate a theft under $500 if you are one of many victims, which would bring the total of all victims to a fairly large amount, or if you are in a small town where such crimes are rare.
Carry Out Stolen Credit Card Charges
The first step to take if your credit card has been stolen is to let your credit card company know about the situation and provide them with any useful or relevant information you may have. They will then cancel your card and send you a replacement card, and if you report the crime early, we will refund your money. Then file a report with the local police, this can help to catch the criminal. You can also go to IdentityTheft.gov to submit an identity theft report so they can start the investigation.
Once this is done, you should also find a lawyer and check your credit card statement for any new signs of fraud. Also, check the credit reports on all your cards to make sure there are no other signs of fraud. You should also be more careful to protect yourself against credit card fraud in the future.
How Often Is Credit Card Fraud Detected?
Credit card fraud often goes undetected, especially because there is not always an investigation. However, with the use of modern technology, banks, and credit card companies are making it much more difficult for thieves to commit credit card fraud.
Credit card fraud is difficult to detect because, just as banks use new technology to reduce the fraud rate, criminals are also finding new and improved ways to commit crimes.
How Should You Protect Yourself Against Credit Card Fraud?
While the police can do little or nothing about credit card fraud, that doesn’t mean all hope is lost. The good news is that under federal law, your liability is limited to $50, assuming you immediately report these unauthorized charges to your card issuer. Since most major credit card issuers offer a zero liability fraud policy, chances are you will end up paying nothing in those cases.
Some credit cards will also come with features to help protect consumers when they shop online. For example, Apple Card offers a one-time virtual card that cardholders can use when shopping online. Even if there is a data breach in an online store, the cardholder’s information is still protected.
You should still take active steps to protect yourself, as credit card fraud, regardless of these safeguards, is still undesirable. It is not ideal to contact your card issuer, cancel your current card and wait for your new card to arrive in the mail. Therefore, it is necessary to follow good security practices. Therefore, beware of phishing techniques used by people seeking access to your financial information, and be sure to check all your finances for possible fraudulent activity. And most importantly, notify your credit card company as soon as you notice any fraudulent activity.
Conclusion – Do Police Investigate Credit Card Theft
Do police investigate credit card theft? Not often, but you still need to file a report with the police as you could be one of many other victims or you could be part of a large-scale scam and the report could help catch criminals. If you own a credit card, chances are you will experience credit card theft at least once in your life. You should always try to protect yourself so as not to become a victim.