The Incredible SFPD Fraud Unit Backlog

Imagine you’re the target of fraud – someone’s stolen your bank account information and your password, and is slowly draining your savings. You turn to the SFPD Fraud Unit, but discover they have a seven to eight month backlog. That’s the topic of tonight’s investigation. Why does it take inspectors so long to get to a case?

The bottom line – Police Chief Heather Fong has cut the number of inspectors in the Fraud Unit from 19 four years ago, to six today. She declined to be interviewed for today’s report, and she didn’t show up at last week’s Police Commission meeting where we hoped to catch up to her. Her press office issued a statement that the department puts a priority on violent crime. So, eighty fraud cases are waiting to be assigned, some involving millions of dollars. Many go unsolved.

In the case we highlight tonight, the owner of San Francisco Window Factory, Hossein Vaheid, says his former office manager has stolen $50,000 to $60,000 using passwords to the company’s bank and credit card accounts. Vaheid reported the crimes three months ago and didn’t hear back from a fraud inspector – until we got involved. He had a meeting this afternoon.

Vaheid says the former office manager, twenty-four year-old Eddie Feinstein, installed a key logger on the company’s computer network. So, after he left and Vaheid tried to change the passwords and open another account, Feinstein was able to capture the new information. In addition, Vaheid says Feinstein has been using the company’s e-mail accounts to send messages to customers, canceling business deals. One e-mail read, “We are tired of dealing with you. Please stop being a deadbeat.”

As part of our investigation, I ran Eddie Feinstein’s criminal record and came up with several felony convictions for fraud, forgery, grand theft and elder theft. The Ventura County Sheriff’s Department provided Feinstein’s booking photos from a 2004 case.

I reached Feinstein at his home in North Hollywood this past weekend. He denied everything and agreed to an interview for today, but then backed out. He sent an e-mail saying he’s “in the process of retaining an attorney to ensure my rights and character is upheld.”

We’ll keep on top of this and tell you if and when the case moves forward.

Comments

[John]

This has been long time coming, The Inspectors at the Fraud Detail have been asking for help for years. When it comes to property crimes the brass from the Deputy Chief of Investigations to the Chief just don't care, this goes back to Deputy Tabak. They all have had the opportunity to increase the staffing but just chose to ignore the problems there. Unless you knew the bosses you case You have to lose over ten thousand dollars before your case will be assigned then you have to wait until an Inspector was available to take the case. Other details were given addition personnel nut not Fraud. Don't blame them, blame Fong and Shinn. This office receives over five thousand to six thousand reports a year and with only six Inspectors, if you do the math its easy to see why there's a backlog. Good luck to all victims of fraud in San Francisco you'll need it.

[Fraudster]

I'm surprised there are not more comments here. The people of San Francisco deserves more answers from the chief and deputy chief for their lack of response to the questions being asked, violent crimes have not gone down as promised by fong and other crimes are out of control. When is slick newsom going to do anything positive for this city and get rid of this useless waste of a chief.

[Concerned citizen]

The chief displayed a poster that has been disseminated all over the city, regarding anonymous tips for guns/arrest, when she gave a press conference in the heat of 8 people shot in the mission, and 3 to 4 dead. To-date we understand that there was a caller, who has not received the reward money, yet there was three arrest made on this supposed gun charge. The question is this, how can they (the authorities) blame the communities most effected, for not helping themselves, when they are clearly lied to. According to sources they are looking for money to pay this person. All of a sudden, no one knows what the payout plan is or who will pay it. The Mayors Criminal Justice Office, whom we understand devised the program, are at odds with SFPD regarding such payments. More contradictions, more bureaucy, more lies to the public. IF these were not minorites, it would be a whole different reaction, period...

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