Fraudulent Checks

If your checkbook has been stolen or lost, call your financial institution immediately and have a "stop payment" put on your checks.

If your stolen/lost checks are being used in Bay City by someone forging your signature, or you received a "No Account Check" you need to first contact your bank. Once completed, call the Bay City Department of Public Safety at 989-892-8571 and file a complaint. If you have documents supporting the complaint, please provide them to the officer.

Checks returned for "NSF" or non-sufficient funds are handled through the Bay County Prosecuting Attorney's Bad Check Restitution Program. A "Bad Check Crime Report" form can be picked up at the Bay County Law Enforcement Center's front desk.

Credit Card Fraud

Suspects are also compromising the credit card industry by obtaining credit cards via the internet application process using stolen personal information. They are also obtaining stolen credit cards through mail theft, burglary from vehicles, and other related crimes. Another form of credit card fraud occurs when the offender obtains the credit card numbers from discarded receipts, applications, and other paperwork discarded into dumpsters.

The Bay City Department of Public Safety will only take a report if the physical plastic card has been stolen. Call 989-892-8571 to make a theft report.

If only the credit card number has been compromised and you still have possession of the plastic card, immediately notify your bank or credit card issuer to cancel the card. You will also need to complete a dispute form for any unauthorized charges. The credit card company may issue you a "temporary credit" and send a "charge-back" to the business that accepted the card number, without seeing the physical card. The business, who now suffers the loss, will need to complete the police report, if they so desire.