Division LAPD Commercial Crimes

Reasons case(s) may be prolonged:
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LAPD Fraud Section
(213) 486-6630
The Fraud section of Commercial Crimes Division
is compromised of five (5) separate units, each
with their own distinct duties and areas of
expertise. The units are:
Delay in receiving additional records
from victim (forensic audit records and/or
documents to establish the crime, i.e.,
checks, promissory notes and/or
agreements)
Search warrant preparation for bank
records(Could take 3 to 6 months to
receive records)
Availability of victim(s) and/or witnesses
Workload of assigned detective
(Detectives routinely investigate multiple
cases at the same time)
District Attorney review (completed cases
are often left at the District Attorney's
Office for review before the filing of a
complaint)
White Collar Crime Unit (WCCU)
(213) 486-6630
Conducts specialized major fraud investigations
involving multiple victims and/or suspects.
Types of crimes investigated:
• Offers of bribes or theft cases involving
City employees or public officials
• Large Scale Embezzlements
• High dollar loss in excess of $300,000.00
• Crimes involving High profile victim(s)
and/or suspect(s)
• Corporate Security Act violations
)=. Bunco crimes
>. Complex Grand Thefts (including Ponzi and
Pyramid schemes on a case by case basis)
Statute of limitations:
The statue of limitations on cases investigated by
the Fraud Section is typically four years.
Prosecution shall be commenced within four years
after discovery of the commission of the offense,
or within four years after completion of the
offense, whichever is later.
One member of the WCCU is assigned to the Los
Angeles County Health Authority Law
Enforcement Task Force (HALT). HALT is
responsible for investigating Illicit
Pharmaceuticals, Unlicensed Doctors/Dentists,
Medi-Cal Fraud and any type of fraudulent
medical practice occurring in Los Angeles County.
)=. Note: The statute for the crime of Grand
Theft is three years.
To order copies of other LAPD reports, contact
Records Unit at (213) 486-8130
Elder Persons Estate Unit (EPEU)
LAPD Commercial Crimes
Division
(213) 486-6630
Conducts investigations of complex fiduciary elder
abuse crimes related to theft or embezzlement
from elders or dependent adults when a substantial
loss of the victim's entire estate is at risk.
Real Estate Unit (REU)
(213) 486-6620
Conducts complex real estate fraud investigations
wherein the title was forged and "complex"
fraudulent loan modification cases involving
multiple victims. The REU investigates rent scam
incidents on a case by case basis.
Auto Fraud Unit (AFU)
(213) 486-8734
The AFU conducts investigations of automotive
repair facilities and criminal rings, which consist
of attorneys, medical providers, adjusters and
repair shops that defraud insurance companies.
Computer Crimes Unit (CCU)
(213) 533-4657
Conducts investigations of any crime committed
using computer stored information, or sabotage to
computer stored information. The CCU serves two
major functions:
1. Forensics — The Forensic section is
responsible for conducting forensic analysis
of computer media for Department
personnel.
2. Investigations — The Investigative section
conducts investigations on a city, state and
nationwide level wherein computers are the
target of illicit activity, including the
handling of complex Internet-Related or
high technology related crimes.
LAPD ID Theft Sections:
Metropolitan Financial Section
(213) 486-5920
Valley Financial Section
(818) 374-9420
West LA Financial Section
(310) 444-1517
All of the above sections mentioned are part of the
Commercial Crimes Division and handle
investigations involving: Identity Theft, Forgery
and Embezzlements with elements of forgery.
Note: Embezzlements where no forgery exists
are handled by divisional area investigators.
Identity Theft
Embezzlement
Mandatory element for this crime involve the
suspect being employed & entrusted with control
over the finances of a company. That means
having fiduciary responsibility such as; in a
position of accountant, bookkeeper, accounts
payable clerk, Co-Owner or Chief Financial
Officer and elements of forgery & identity theft
exist.
Additional Crimes investigated by
Metropolitan Financial or Valley
Financial Section (MFS or VFS)
include:
Burglary/Theft where airline tickets or airlineticket validators are the primary objects of attack;
Forged Airline Tickets; Burglary/Theft where
blank checks and/or check writing equipment are
the principal object of attack; theft cases by means
of an ATM (automated teller machine) card; also
illegal card reader "skimmers" investigations; and
Forged Prescriptions.
This crime occurs when key pieces of a business
or person's identity have been obtained in order to
assume that person's identity. The key pieces of
information could include: Social Security
Number, Driver's License Number, Date of Birth,
Mother's maiden name and address. This
information allows the identity thief to commit
numerous forms of fraud. They could take over
your financial accounts, open new banking
accounts, obtain utility services, purchase a
vehicle, apply for a loan or credit card, obtain
employment, Social Security benefits and/or rent a
home or apartment.
A police report of this nature would need to be
filed in a police department in your area of
residence. If you have any pertinent documents,
take a copy of the documents with you. Your
report will be forwarded to the agency that has
jurisdiction where the loss or transaction occurred.
Forgery
Case Categorization:
The making (signs the name of another, real or
fictitious person) or alteration of a document
without the authority of the uttering (presenting) of
such document with the intent to defraud.
Case Categorization is primarily based
upon the likelihood of prosecution, past
criminal records and significant leads
How do you file a report?
After my report was made, nobody calls
me .......
A detective may or may not call you based on your
report categorization. If you have additional
information that would assist the detectives with
your case, please contact the appropriate financial
section detectives.
1.
2.
Note: Reports taken at an area police station or
other law enforcement agencies; will experience
a delay in reaching our section.
3.
What to do after filing a police report?
Contact:
• Contact all creditors by phone and in
writing to inform them of the problem.
• If your ATM card has been compromised,
get a new card.
• Place a special security feature (password)
on all your accounts. Make it something
involving numbers, letters and symbols.
Most thieves would not have access to this
information.
3 If your mail has been fraudulently changed
to receive credit cards in your name, contact
a postal inspector.
3 For Social Security Number intrusion,
contact the police first then the Social
Security Administration to report someone
working under your number.
• If someone is using your driver's license
number or name for identification, make
sure to report those violations to the
Department of Motor Vehicles.
• The (3) Major credit reporting agencies (or
bureaus)
Equifax (www.equifax.com )
(800) 525-6285
or
Write: Equifax
Consumer Fraud Division
P.O. Box 740241
Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
Experian (www.experian.com )
(888) 397-3742
or
Write: Experian's National
Consumer Assistance
P.O. Box 9554
Allen, TX 75013
Trans Union(www.transunion.com )
(800) 680-7289
Or
Write: Trans Union
Fraud Victim Assistance Department
P.O. Box 6790
Fullerton, CA 92634-6790
If you have any checks stolen or bank accounts set
up fraudulently you can report it to the following
companies:
National check fraud service (843) 571-2143
http://www.ckfraud.org/
SCAN (800) 262-7771
http://www.scan-checks.com/
TeleCheck (800) 710-9898 or 800-927-0188
http://www.telecheck.com/
CheckRite (866) 483-4905
http://www.checkritesystems.com/
CrossCheck (800) 552-1900
http://www.cross-check.com/
Ceretegy 800-437-5120
https://www.askcertegy.com/
US Postal Inspectors 877-876-2455
Victims of identity theft are entitled to a free
copy of their report per Cal Penal Code 530.5.