Forgery and Fraud
Forgery and Fraud Unit
Contact information
- Minneapolis City Hall, Room 108
350 S. 5th St.
Minneapolis, MN 55415
- 612-673-3395
- [email protected]
What we do
- We investigate financial crimes that occur in the City of Minneapolis.
- Some crimes may be reported by phone through Minneapolis 311 or in person at your respective precinct. To find your precinct, use Police Precinct Finder.
If you accepted a forged check
Call 911 to request a police officer come to your residence or business. The officer will take your report and obtain and turn over the forged check to the police jurisdiction where the event took place.
If a merchant accepts an "NSF" check:
See the statute for a description of the process to follow prior to reporting to law enforcement in the jurisdiction where the check was paid: MN 609.535. They will need to send the notice of nonpayment or dishonor as described in the statute.
If your checks or credit cards are lost or stolen (this includes check cards, debit cards and EBT cards):
- Tell your bank or credit card company.
- Ask your bank to mark all returned checks as FORGERIES.
- Make a police report to cover the theft or loss of your checks or cards. Call Mpls 311 or go to your respective precinct to make your report.
- Call the credit reporting bureaus to report the loss and ask them to put a FRAUD ALERT on your account so no new credit will be issued without your authorization.
- Experian: 1-888-397-3742
Trans Union: 1-800-680-7289
Equifax: 1-877-576-5734
- Experian: 1-888-397-3742
If your stolen checks or cards have been used:
- You must contact the banks and/or businesses that accepted your checks or cards to notify them of the fraudulent use.
- Your bank or credit card company should have you sign an affidavit of check forgery or credit card fraud, and they should reverse all of the checks/charges relating to the fraudulent transactions.
Identity theft
- In Minnesota, identity theft becomes a crime only when you suffer a monetary loss.
- Call Mpls 311 and make an identity theft report or go to your precinct to make your report. To find your precinct use,Police Precinct Finder
- Call the Federal Trade Commission Identity Theft Hotline.
- 1-877-438-4338
- Notify the credit reporting bureaus to put a Fraud Alert on your data and immediately request a credit report. .
If you are a victim of internet fraud
- File a report in the jurisdiction where the money was received (the suspect’s location). You will need to know dates, addresses, and amounts involved. They will give you a case number at the time you file the report.
- If the Suspect resides in Minneapolis, or the money or product was sent here, 311 or go to your respective precinct to make your report.
- If you sent payment by mail, contact the US Postal Inspector's Office in your area and file a complaint for mail fraud.
- If your transaction was being conducted with a business rather than an individual, notify the Minnesota Attorney General's Office and file a consumer fraud complaint.
If your social security card was lost or stolen
- Report the loss or theft to the Minneapolis Police Department. Call Mpls 311 and make a report or go to your respective precinct.
- Call the Social Security Administration Fraud Hotline to notify them of the loss and get information on how to get a duplicate card.
- S.S.A. Fraud Hotline website or 1-800-269–0271.
- Notify credit reporting bureaus. Request a copy of a credit report for several months after the theft to make sure no fraudulent accounts are being opened.
If you driver’s license was lost or stolen
- Report the loss or theft to the Minneapolis Police Department. Call Mpls 311 and make a report or go to your respective precinct to make your report
- Apply for a new driver’s license as soon as possible. Ask them to "flag" your driver’s license as stolen to help prevent identity theft. Use the link below, print and complete the form and mail back to DVS.
- Notify the credit reporting bureaus and request a credit report after one month.
If Your Passport Was Lost or Stolen:
- Report the loss or theft to the Minneapolis Police Department. Call Mpls 311 and make a report or go to your respective precinct to make your report (reports may not be made by phone to your precinct).
- If you are unsure which precinct you are in, you may enter your address and look it up here: Police Precinct Finder
- Notify the U.S. State Department of the loss.
Other resources
- Federal Bureau of Investigation – Common Fraud Scams
- National White Collar Crime Center (NWCCC)
- Minnesota Attorney General Publications
- U.S. Government Official Website \
- Federal Citizen Information Center
Last updated Nov 1, 2019
