TGCSO: Forgery Cases On the Rise in Tom Green County

SAN ANGELO, TX- Forgery offenses are becoming more common in Tom Green County, as shown by the consistent number of cases recorded by the Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office (TGCSO) and the San Angelo Police Department.

TGCSO reported an increase in forgery from calendar year 2015 to calendar year 2016; the number of cases doubled. Seven cases have been reported in calendar year 2017 as of February 7, which is the halfway point for the entire year of 2015. That number is definitely expected to rise.

TGCSO Statistics 2015-2017:

In regards to city cases, the numbers remain consistent.

San Angelo Police Department:

Forgery is identified by the Texas Penal Code as a “means to alter, make, complete, execute, or authenticate any writing so that appears to claim or falsely show.”

The following are some of the cases in the penal code that define what forgery is.  

• To be the act of another who did not authorize that act;
• To have been executed at a time or place or in a numbered sequence other than was in fact the case.
• To be a copy of an original when no such original existed.

The methods of committing forgery can be done through writing via the following methods:

• printing or any other method of recording information;
• money, coins, tokens, stamps, seals, credit cards, badges, and trademarks;  and
• symbols of value, right, privilege, or identification.

“Theft of financial information is on the rise,” said TGCSO Lt. Terry Lowe. “Although prevention is increasingly more difficult, there are steps individuals can take to limit the vulnerability of their financial information. Individuals should always secure financial items (such as check, credit cards, and debit cards) in their residence when they are not being used."

The basis for forgery charges occurs if a person commits an offense by forging documents through writing with the intent to defraud or harm another, according to the Texas penal code. This offense is classified as a class A misdemeanor within the statute.

Follow the link to review the Texas Penal Code: http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/PE/htm/PE.32.htm.

If a person attempts to forge a will, mortgage, credit card, or check to name a few cases, that can result in state jail felony for the offense of forgery.​

The most common form of forgery or fraud involves debit and credit card abuse as a result of theft, Lt. Lowe said.

“Either the credit or debit cards are stolen and the physical cards are used to make unauthorized purchases, or the credit/debit card information is stolen and purchases are made,” Lowe said.

It’s becoming more crucial to always look after personal financial information. By protecting this information, the rate of forgery crimes would be expected to drop in the coming years. 

Also, in regards to identity theft, people can check their credit at creditkarma.com for free without any "hard hits" to their credit. The process is free, and people can check frequently to ensure their financial information is safe.

The TGCSO urges citizens to never leave financial items in unsecured or unattended vehicles or personal bags. Many financial institutions have programs to help prevent misuse of financial instruments. Any misuse should be reported to the financial institution as well as local law enforcement at the first sign of fraudulent activity.

In cases of identity theft, people also want to contact the Social Security Administration to report their social security number has been used, and contact the three credit reporting agencies. Those numbers are listed below:

• Social Security Fraud Hotline: 800-772-1213
• Experian: 888-397-3742, or visit www.experian.com to add an alert.  
• Equifax: 800-525-6285, or visit www.equifax.com.
• TransUnion: 800-680-7289, or visit www.transunion.com.

Please note: Once people contact one credit bureau and a fraud alert is processed, the other agencies get the notification.