Financial Crimes

The Financial Crimes unit is under the command of Lieutenant Joey McGill. It is staffed by Sergeant Mike Scott as well as Detectives D Wright, B. McClain, F. Kiley, and J. Gregory. All investigators work 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. 

Department Focus

The Financial Crimes Unit is responsible for investigating crimes in which a financial instrument is used by the criminal element for monetary gain. The Financial Crimes Unit investigates credit/debit card abuse offenses, fraudulent use or possession of personal identifying information (identity theft), counterfeit or forged checks, false statement to obtain credit, and counterfeit U.S. Currency cases (in conjunction with the U.S. Secret Service).

Investigations of forgery and fraud cases are detailed in nature and require specialized investigative techniques. These cases take an extraordinary amount of time to complete. The investigation will involve following a paper trail to build the case for prosecution. If the case does not meet the minimum criteria, it will be suspended and/or closed.

Filing a Report

The first step in any financial crime-related case is to file a police report and provide any pertinent evidence. To start this process, you can come to the station in person at 1201 Davis St. or call 713-477-1221 so that an officer can assist you. 

Our unit investigates financial crimes (forgery, credit card abuse, and identity theft) which occurred in the City of Pasadena. In order for any possible investigation into these listed offenses, the offense must have occurred within the past 7 years.

Most financial crimes reports are completed in person at our police department since the complainant (victim) is required to provide supporting documentation which shows a crime has occurred. The officer taking your report will require the appropriate documentation to be provided at the time the report is being made. After the report is made, your case will be reviewed by the division’s supervisor to determine if there is sufficient information available to proceed with an investigation. The investigator assigned to your case will contact you via phone call (or email) if further information is required. Your cooperation is appreciated.

Reports must be accompanied by supporting documentation.

Certain reports require specific information, and it must be provided at the time the initial report is made:

• A color copy of your government-issued form of identification when reporting any offense.  
• A current cellular or telephone number and email address.
• The original forged document(s) or a copy of the document.  If this is a financial instrument (check, money order, or cashier’s check), provide a sharp, clear image of the front and back of the instrument.
• For Credit/Debit Card Abuse:  a copy of the victim's bank or credit card statement(s) showing the fraudulent charge(s). Statements must contain the bank's logo and the victim's name and account information. The full credit/debit card number of the compromised card is required.   
• Identity Theft:  Documentation showing how the victim's identifying information was used (credit report, credit card or loan application, bank account, etc.) When submitting credit reports, please include only the first page, which reflects the victim's name, and the page(s), which reflect the fraudulent accounts or inquiries.  If a credit card or bank account has been opened using your personal identifying information, provide a copy of the documents for the account(s).

If providing these documents via email, submit all documents in PDF or other legible formats. Make sure all unauthorized transactions are highlighted or circled.  

NOTE: Both consumers and businesses must provide the dates, times, and locations where the unauthorized transactions were made (this can be obtained from your financial institution). Most of the time, the bank or credit card statements show the date the transaction was posted (this could be 2-3 days after the transaction was physically completed). The transaction dates are necessary for the case investigation in order to possibly obtain surveillance video from an in-person transaction.  

Fraudulent Use/Possession of Personal Identifying Information (Identity Theft)

We will investigate any identity theft offenses which occur in the City of Pasadena. We will also report identity theft offenses for Pasadena residents when the offense occurred outside the Pasadena area, or the offense location cannot be determined. For offenses that occurred outside the City of Pasadena, we will not be able to conduct a criminal investigation but will forward information to the appropriate outside agency as needed.

Federal Income Tax Issues

The Pasadena Police Department does not investigate Identity Theft or Theft of an IRS return as it relates to Federal income tax issues. To report a fraudulent income tax filing or make a complaint against a tax preparer, please contact the Internal Revenue Service directly at (800) 908-4490 or irs.gov/individuals/identity-protection. To report an IRS impersonation scam, please contact the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at treasury.gov/tigta.

Tips to protect your identity

• Never provide your information over the telephone or internet, unless you personally initiated the contact with the bank or business.
• Check your credit history, bank records, and credit card statements frequently. Most financial institutions require disputes of fraudulent activity to be reported within a short period of time.
• Always take your wallet with you and never leave it inside your vehicle.
• Periodically shred all documents that contain personal identifying information and account numbers.

Tips on how to recognize a scam

• The IRS, SSA, or any law enforcement agency does not ask for payment over the phone.
• Unsolicited job offers or employment offers that promise exorbitant pay for working just a few hours a day or from your home.
• Phishing: Scammers masquerading as legitimate organizations send official-seeming emails to get you to reveal sensitive data. If you receive an email, or pop-up, asking for personal or financial information, DO NOT reply. DO NOT click any links. Contact the organization mentioned using a phone number you know is genuine, or open a new window and type the company’s correct web address. Use regularly updated anti-virus and anti-spyware software, as well as a firewall.
• Do not allow someone the ability to remote access your computer or cellular device.
• Unless you purchased a lottery ticket from a legitimate store, chances are, you did not win the lottery. Sending money to strangers for “taxes” on the winnings will only result in you losing money.
• A sure sign of a scam is the requestor will ask you to pay in an unusual way, such as gift cards, Bitcoin, prepaid debit cards, or digital currency, including Zelle. Legitimate business transactions will not request these types of payments.
• There is a good chance your grandchild is not in jail or injured in another state or country. If someone requests any type of payment, hang up the phone immediately and get in touch with that family member to verify they are not in jail or injured.
• Check your mail daily and look into receiving their Informed Delivery from the United States Postal Service: Informed Delivery - Mail & Package Notifications | USPS.