When you hear the term ‘property crime,’ you might think of a robbery or car theft, but in Marysville the majority of property crime cases involve some form of fraud. 

Is your personal information safe? That question is becoming harder to answer, with scammer tactics constantly changing in a world that becomes more digitally focused by the day. Marysville Detective Derek Carlile explains: “Most of the scams really are convincing you that I’m somebody that I’m not and I really need your help.” Carlile serves on the North Snohomish County Property Crimes Task Force. The most common form of property crime in the area is identity theft. This happens when someone uses information about you without permission, according to Detective Sergeant Wallace Forslof. This could include using your name, address, bank account number, Social Security number, or medical insurance information. Not only is it extremely time-consuming to investigate these types of crimes, but it can also often be impossible to trace back to the original perpetrator. 

“ID theft is a big portion of what we deal with, and in today’s world ID theft isn’t as simple as, ‘Hey was your check stolen?” said Detective Carlile. “A lot of these are crimes of opportunity... [ID theft] is so easily committed nowadays with electronic devices, credit cards, [gym theft], and all the online deposits.” 

Even with a staffing shortage, the North County Property Crimes Unit is closing these cases. Marysville’s property crime is 44.27% lower than levels in 2017, according to FBI Crime Data Explorer. “That’s really the number one issue is not having enough cops to manage a massive amount of caseload,” said Detective Sergeant Forslof. “The results they have achieved for our community as a small yet mighty team are greatly appreciated. I look forward to the day when we can grow this team larger and regain a regional focus on property crimes, which we know ignore the boundaries of our cities,” Marysville Police Chief Erik Scairpon said. 

The biggest message from investigators: you can take steps to protect yourself from becoming the next victim.

• Don’t write your debit card pin anywhere a criminal can access it. Never write the pin number on your card.
• Don’t carry your Social Security card in your wallet. Only give out your SSN number when necessary.
• Don’t leave your wallet anywhere it could potentially be compromised. Instead of locking it in a gym locker or car, keep the essentials on your person. This also includes your workplace breakroom, unless it’s locked and secure.
• Check your bank statements regularly for inconsistencies or unfamiliar charges.
• Collect your mail every day. Place a hold on your mail when you’re away from home.
• If you think your information has been compromised, freeze your credit. You can do so by contacting Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. When your credit is frozen, no one can look at or request your credit report.
• Shred your documents before throwing them out. There are still cases of dumpster diving to get your personal information.

For other ways to protect yourself from ID theft and fraud, visit https://www.usa.gov/identity-theft.