Local police getting tips from feds on how to handle identity crimes
Washington-AP -- The federal government is giving hometown police some new ammunition in the war on identity theft. The Secret Service says electronic how-to kits are being sent to 40-thousand local departments. That's because they're usually the first ones called by someone when personal information gets swiped and a bank account is drained.
There's a wide range of materials for police -- including questions to ask and things to look for when conducting identity crime investigations, the best way to seize electronic evidence, and advice on how to detect bogus credit cards and passports.
Complaints about identity theft have topped the government's list of consumer complaints for three straight years. Experts say it's because of technology available to would-be thieves.
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