APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) — A rise in fraud in the Fox Valley and elsewhere has prompted law enforcement to team up with a local credit union to form a new “Fraud Squad” aimed at protecting people from scams.
Lt. Meghan Cash with the Appleton Police Department says it’s a growing problem.
“We saw a huge spike over the last two years of frauds and scams happening to people across the Fox Valley,” Cash told WTAQ.
It’s not just older, less tech-literate people getting conned, either.
“Teenagers, college students. 41% of people ages 20-29 reported losing money to a fraud,” Cash added.
The main difference between generations is the amount of funds being stolen. Older people are far more likely to lose far more than younger people.
Appleton Police are working with the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office, Fox Crossing Police, and Verve Credit Union on the effort. The Fraud Squad will providing training and education to retailers and consumers alike on fraud avoidance.
