Protect yourself this Identity Theft Awareness Week

Published on January 27, 2025

Jan. 27 – 31 is Identity Theft Awareness Week and the Menlo Park Police Department wants to help ensure that you have the tools to protect yourself from becoming a victim of identity theft. Identity theft can have devastating consequences, such as monetary losses, lower credit scores and unwanted stress from recovery efforts. Please consider taking the following precautions to avoid being a victim of identity theft: 

• Shred the following documents: bank statements, credit card bills, tax forms and other documents that contain private financial information.
• Remove the shipping labels from your packages before disposing of them.
• Reset your online passwords. Use unique passwords for each account. Regularly monitor your bank account statements for signs of fraudulent activity.
• Take inventory of your important documents (social security card, passport, license, etc.) and report them missing or stolen if they are unaccounted for.
• Check your mailbox daily to avoid important mail from being stolen.
• Do not share private information over the phone, legitimate institutions would not ask for this information.

If you discover that you are a victim of identity theft, take the following steps:

• Write down the timeline of events.
• Collect any documentation you have related to the crime, including bank statements and bills.
• Contact, credit card companies, banks and notify them of the theft or fraudulent charges.

File a police report in person or by calling 650-330-6300. You cannot file online for this crime.

Visit the City's identity theft guidance page for more tips and resources.