Victims’ Rights & Legal Services
As a victim of crime, you have legal rights:
-For information on victims’ rights by state and a list of federal rights, please see NCVLI’s library.
-The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) provides an Identity Theft Victim Statement of Rights under federal law.
-For state-specific laws and rights you can visit the Identity Theft Resource Center or contact your local State Attorney General’s Office.
Legal Services:
-To contact an attorney for assistance in a criminal investigation or prosecution related to financial fraud or identity theft, please see our list of clinics providing victim representation in criminal proceedings.
-If you are a resident of Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico or Colorado, you may be eligible for services through Victims Initiative for Counseling, Advocacy and Restoration of the Southwest (VICARS). You can visit their website or call at 1-888-343-4414.
-If you wish to contact an attorney to file a civil lawsuit as a victim of crime, please see our information on locating an attorney for civil proceedings.
-To learn about the difference between the criminal and civil justice systems, click here.
-If your case is being investigated and/or prosecuted outside of the United States, contact NCVLI at 1-888-768-6556 for further information.
-Some states have created self-help websites with legal forms for financial fraud and identity theft. Visit LawHelp Interactive to search for forms by state.
If you are an attorney or advocate assisting a victim of identity theft you may want to utilize the Federal Trade Commission’s Guide for Assisting Identity Theft Victims.
