Types of Restraining Orders:

• Domestic Violence - These restraining orders are "FREE," and apply to
  parties involved in a dating or marital relationship. Family members who live
  in the same household (such as brothers and sisters) also are covered by
  domestic violence orders.
• Civil Restraining Orders - These are given in instances where domestic
  violence does not apply; the cost is $192. However, fee waivers are available
  if you qualify.

Once the court grants a restraining order, you must serve the person(s) to be
restrained and file the restraining order along with the "proof of service" with the
law enforcement agency in the jurisdiction(s) where you live/work in order for
the restraining order to be valid. The initial restraining order is only "temporary."
The order may be made permanent following a later hearing at the Pasadena
Superior Court where both the restrained party and the protected person are present.
Any violation of a restraining order should be reported to the law enforcement
agency where the violation occurs. Only the judge who issued the order can modify it.
You should keep a copy of the signed order and proof of service on hand. Assistance
for victims of domestic violence can be obtained from the National Domestic Violence Hotline. Call 800-799-SAFE 24 hours a day for referrals to state and local programs.

The instances of fraud using counterfeit checks have skyrocketed. Where once a
skilled technician with equipment costing tens of thousands of dollars was required
to counterfeit checks and other financial instruments, now anyone can acquire a
computer, software, scanner and color printer that makes counterfeiting a do-it-
yourself operation. Blank check stock intended for legitimate uses is also readily
available to counterfeiters.

Key points:

1. Know your customer when cashing checks. If an individual presents a payroll
   check drawn on a company that's not local to you and their identification shows
   an address some distance away, ask yourself why they are shopping with you.
   Unless you have great prices or unique merchandise they can't find closer to home,
   ask yourself why this customer is patronizing your store. This is especially true at
   markets on weekends when verifying the validity of the check with the employer
   or bank is not an option.
2. Nearly all fraudulent payroll checks passed at local merchants are computer-
   generated. They are often for amounts just shy of $400.00. Misspellings and inconsistencies in addresses or other information that appears on the face
   of the check are commonly seen errors on fraudulent documents.
3. Be cautious of accepting cashiers checks from strangers on weekends.
   Cashiers checks are a favorite with counterfeiters and are often used to
   purchase high dollar items such as vehicles, computer equipment, and jewelry.
   Ideally, accompany the purchaser to the bank that issued the check to verify its
   validity. If that is not possible, do not ship or deliver your merchandise until
   you confirm that the check is valid.

1. Keep your passwords private--even from your best friend! Your online service will
   never ask for them, so neither should anyone else.
2. Use only your Log-In Name and/or email address when chatting or sending email.
   Never give out personal information such as your name, address or phone number.
3. Always delete an unknown email attachment as it could contain a destructive virus.
4. Remember that nothing you write on the Web is completely private, including email.
   So be careful what you write.
5. People are not always as nice, charming or entertaining as they may seem in an
   email correspondence, so be careful when meeting "on-line" friends in person.
   Children should always ask for permission before meeting an "on-line" friend in
   person and a parent or guardian should accompany them on the first visit.
6. Don't respond to messages that make you feel uncomfortable or uneasy.
7. Never give out a credit card number or on-line password over the Internet.

8. For additional information, see the L.A. District Attorney's website 
   "Protecting our Children."

Alhambra Police Department
Financial Crime Report Form

Victims of identity theft often do not discover this crime until they apply for and are
denied credit. They find that they have several unknown debts or creditors listed on
the their credit report. One way criminals obtain a victim's personal information is by stealing mail containing credit card numbers or checks. Criminals also obtain the information from places where victims have applied for credit such as car dealers,
loan brokers, furniture stores or other businesses. Once a thief obtains the victim's
social security number and other personal information, he or she applies for loans and credit cards in the victim's name, using a "mail drop" address different from the victim. Thieves either create forged documents or apply for and receive a genuine duplicate driver's license from DMV in the victim's name bearing their picture and "new" address. Tracking identity thieves is difficult due to the amount of time that usually passes
between the time the crook is running up bills and when the victim discovers his/her
identity has been stolen. The thieves are also highly mobile and their crimes cover
many jurisdictions.

Victims who suspect their identity has been stolen should do the following:

1. Contact the bank or creditor immediately and explain the situation. Usually the bank
   or creditor will have you sign an affidavit stating that you did not make the purchase(s) and that the charge(s) are fraudulent. The bank or creditor may also absolve you of
   the charges. In that case, the bank or creditor becomes the victim of the fraud and
   no further action is required on your part.
2. Sometimes a bank or creditor will require a police report before they will accept
   an affidavit. In this case, you must file a report with the proper agency. This is
   sometimes confusing. If you can positively determine where the theft of identity
   occurred such as from your mailbox or work place, then that city is where you
   should file the report. However, if it cannot be determined where the theft occurred,
   then you should report the crime where the check or credit card was passed.
   If multiple jurisdictions are involved (and that is usually the case), the unwritten
   rule is that the jurisdiction with the highest dollar amount or greatest number of transactions is where the report should be taken.
3. Contact the credit reporting bureaus and obtain credit reports to see if there are
   other unauthorized accounts:
   
   Equifax (800)525-6285 http://www.equifax.com
   Trans Union (800)680-7289 http://www.tuc.com/
   Experian (888) 397-3742 http://www.experian.com/

For additional  information, view IdentityRestore.com.

Call 626-570-5163 to reach one of the Division's Subpoena Control Officers.
The Alhambra Police Department's Investigations Division serves subpoenas issued by
the District Attorney. If you have received a subpoena from the Los Angeles County
District Attorney's Office, you are either a victim or witness to a crime. The subpoena
is an order from the court to appear in person at a specific time and place. Failure
to appear is a contempt of court and can lead to your arrest. Only the District Attorney
or the Court can excuse you from appearing. The back of the subpoena has further information about the court system. If you have questions about the case or why you
were subpoenaed, you may call the District Attorney's Office. The name and phone
number of the Deputy District Attorney issuing the subpoena is located on the bottom
right-hand corner of the subpoena. Some subpoenas are "on call". This means that you
do not have to appear in court, but you need to make arrangements with the District Attorney so they can reach you if your presence is required. Instructions will be found
in the box entitled "Special Instructions to Witness." Another type of subpoena is the Subpoena Duces Tecum, commonly referred to as an SDT. This subpoena requires
that someone, usually the "custodian of records," bring specified documents or other business records to court. Personal appearance may not be required for a SDT.
The subpoena will explain the procedure for compliance. Questions should be
directed to the District Attorney issuing the subpoena.