The Canyon County Sheriff's Office Financial Crimes Unit is responsible for investigating a wide range of complex financial crimes including Fraud, Theft by Deception and Theft by False Promise.
Fraud
Fraud occurs when a person knowingly or intentionally conceals, misrepresents, and makes false statement to either deny or obtain some monetary benefit, or otherwise profit from the victim. The key to conviction is proving in court that the suspect knowingly or intentionally made the misrepresentation or concealment.
The following are some of the more common financial crimes investigated by the Financial Crimes Unit of the Sheriff's Office:
Elder Abuse/Fiduciary Fraud
Elder Abuse/Fiduciary Fraud typically involves a caretaker, and acquaintance or even a family member. The victims of these crimes are the elderly or vulnerable adults who often suffer from physical or mental disabilities, making daily life difficult. The suspect gains control over the victim's assets. Once in control, the suspect will usually drain the victim's accounts and transfer assets to themselves. These crimes against elderly and vulnerable adults are prosecuted under Idaho Statute.
Identity Theft
Identity Theft is the fastest growing crime in the United States with over nine million victims annually. This crime will impact one out of every four people. Identity theft is when a suspect gains access to your personal information and/or account numbers, then assumes your identity and goes on a spending spree. It is an invisible crime that victims only discover after they receive a bill, collection notice or attempt to make a large purchase such as a car, and then realize their credit has been destroyed.
Not only do identity theft victims spend money out of pocket to clear up their records, but they also must devote their time-up to hundreds of hours in some cases doing so. In the meantime, victims are unjustly harassed by debt collectors, denied credit or employment opportunities, and in some cases even lose their cars, or their homes.
You don't have to be a victim of identity theft for personal information to fall into the wrong hands. In the course of a busy day, how often might you share information about yourself in person, on the phone, or over the internet? Although it is impossible to guarantee that identity theft won't happen to you, there are ways to reduce your chances of becoming a victim. Most victims don't discover the crime until it is too late. It can take a long time to reverse the damage these criminals can do to your credit rating. Any of these indicators could mean that you have become a victim of identity theft:
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Mysterious bills for accounts you are not aware of
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Phone calls from creditors about delinquent payments you don't recognize
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Mail from unknown lenders asking for additional information