How to Check If Your Identity Was Used in a Crime and Clean It Up

Discovering that your name is linked to someone else’s crime or a criminal record you did not create can be distressing. Police may have stopped, booked, and charged someone who provided a false identity (your identity) to avoid consequences, leaving you to deal with the aftermath. As strange as it sounds, this happens to many people and can result in unexpected warrants, court notices, or criminal records appearing under their names for offenses they knew nothing about.

Criminal identity misuse is a hidden crisis that can disrupt your life. It may go undetected for a long time and then surface in the worst possible moment, such as a routine police stop. The consequence can be serious and long-lasting. Knowing how to check whether your identity has been used in a crime through public records and understanding the steps required to clear your name can help you reclaim your identity.

Criminal Identity Misuse vs. Financial Identity Theft

Not all identity theft results in strange credit card charges or drained bank accounts. In some cases, the names of unsuspecting individuals end up on a court docket, police report, or even a criminal record for an offense they knew nothing about.

Financial identity theft occurs when someone uses your banking or personal information, such as your credit card or Social Security number, to take out loans, make purchases, or open accounts in your name. When this happens, you may notice unexplained charges on your credit card or bank statements or drops in your credit score. Debt collectors may even start calling about purchases you never made.

On the other hand, criminal identity misuse occurs when someone pretends to be you to avoid certain consequences, resulting in a record that is not yours. They provide your name, driver’s license number, date of birth, or any other personal details to police during a traffic stop, arrest, or booking. Unlike financial identity theft, which steals your money, criminal identity misuse typically tarnishes your clean record. While criminal identity misuse can damage your driving record and reputation, financial identity theft usually affects your credit history and finances.

Below are some common indicators of criminal identity misuse:

• A suspended driver’s license with no explanation for violations you did not commit.
• Receiving tickets or citations from states or cities you have never visited or learning about missed court dates in those places.
• Receiving unexpected warrants issued in your name, court notices, or court mail for lawsuits you know nothing about.
• Discovering arrests or charges under your name with no matching history.

If you notice any of these common red flags of criminal identity misuse, it is time to dig into public records, verify what is at stake, and immediately initiate the clean-up process.

How to Check Public Records for Your Name 

If you suspect someone has used your identity in a crime and want to confirm your suspicion, knowing where to look is important. Typically, the best places to search are official public records. Here is how to start checking whether your identity has been linked to any criminal record:

• Gather Your Identifiers - Criminal records are typically indexed by personal identifiers like name and date of birth. Therefore, before checking public records to find out if your name was used in a crime, collect all personal information you have ever used, including your full legal name, former names, nicknames, date of birth, and driver’s license number.
• Begin Your Search From State or Local Court Databases - Search your exact name and date of birth on all your state or county judiciary online case search tools. Check traffic and criminal divisions because misdemeanors and citations sometimes appear separately. Repeat the searches with your nicknames or any former names.
• Check Third-Party Sites - Conduct a public record search on third-party sites like RecordsFinder by your first and last names. Check the search results for criminal records or civil court cases and note any entries (if any) that do not belong to you. 
• Check Local Law Enforcement Offices and Sheriff’s Records - Search recent arrest logs, booking records, and warrant lists maintained by police departments and sheriff’s offices. Be sure to do more than just check your name; confirm results by matching address, photo, date of birth, or driver’s license number. If you find your name linked to an unfamiliar entry, save or print it as proof.
• Check Federal Court Records - Federal records will not include minor traffic cases but can include criminal matters or warrants. If you suspect your identity was misused in a federal case, search the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) with your name and verify possible records using your address history or date of birth.
• Search State Criminal Record Repositories - Criminal records are the most authoritative sources for what is officially tied to your identity, whether true or not. You may request a personal record through the criminal record repository maintained by your state’s Department of Public Safety or police. Once you have the report, review it carefully for any entries that are not yours.

Pay attention to every entry or record you find and document photos, reference numbers, screenshots, case numbers, dates, and agencies, and save them. They may be essential in helping you uncover criminal identity misuse involving your name or any other personal identifier.

What to Do If You Find a Case That Isn’t Yours

If you find a ticket, warrant, booking details, or criminal case listed under your name that is not yours, double-check to confirm it, gather proof, and document every step. Take the following actions to clear your record through the appropriate agencies:

• Confirm the Record Is Not Yours - Before anything, double-check to ensure it is a true case of criminal identity misuse. You may ask the police department or court to confirm if the personal identifiers linked to the record are yours. If there is any discrepancy, gather every piece of evidence you can.
• Gather and Save Proof - Collect clear proof showing that your identity was misused. Documentation such as emails, screenshots, case numbers, correspondence, photos, names, and dates are all the evidence you need to clear your name.
• Contact the Clerk of Court - For records that appear in court, contact the clerk of court with proof of criminal identity misuse and ask how to file a record correction or an identity challenge request.
• Contact Law Enforcement Agency - For records created by law enforcement, contact the records or identification unit of the arresting or reporting agency and check for identity theft. Provide evidence to show your identity was misused, and ask for any arrest documentation or other records tied to false arrest records. Then, request the unit to update their files based on your proof.
• Create a Documentation Packet - Organize copies of record correction requests acknowledged by agencies, correspondence with agencies and clerks, official records, letters of correction issued by agencies, and other important documentation.
• Notify the State Criminal History Records Division - Contact the state criminal record repository and provide it with proof of criminal identity misuse and official letters of correction (if already issued by relevant agencies). Ask the division to review your state record and dispute entries you know nothing about. Then, request a cleared or corrected record notice showing the dispute is resolved.

You may follow up with periodic checks to ensure your identity misuse does not reappear in other states.

FAQs 

How to Check If Someone Is Using My Identity in a Criminal Case

To check if someone is using your identity in a criminal case, search public records sources such as Recordsfinder, law enforcement arrest records, court case search portals, state criminal history repositories, and DMV records. Use your full name and date of birth as the search parameters.

How to Know If Someone Stole Your Identity for Tickets or Arrests

You will know someone has stolen your identity for tickets or arrests when you start noticing some red flags. These may include an unexpected warrant in your name, a suspended driver’s license with no prior notice, tickets under your name for violations you know nothing about, and receiving legal notices or court mail from locations you have never visited.

What If I Find a Warrant in My Name?

If you find a warrant in your name and know it was a mistake, contact the issuing law enforcement agency or the court to confirm the details. Then, collect evidence showing that the case is not yours and present it to the court or law enforcement agency. Afterward, ask them about the process to prove it was a case of criminal identity misuse to enable you to clear your name.

Can I Clear My Name Without Hiring a Lawyer?

Yes. You do not necessarily need a lawyer to clear your name in a criminal identity misuse case. Typically, law enforcement agencies and courts have procedures that enable individuals to correct their records in identity misuse cases. You can start by requesting official records from the relevant agency, proving your identity, and gathering details. Once you have proof, submit it to the court or law enforcement to correct the records and clear your name.

Will This Affect My Record Permanently?

Criminal identity misuse may affect your record if you fail to act quickly. However, once you provide evidence and the relevant agency verifies the situation, they can update their records or remove false records and then clear your name.