HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014 06-11 Lawmakers talk fraud, an emerging crime trend MAPLEWOOD REVIEW Lawmakers talk fraud, an
emerging crime trend
Led by Ramsey -„ ..
County attorney John
Choi, a group of attor-
neys, lawmakers and
officers held a summit
to discuss the dangers of
online fraud and finan-
cial fraud Thursday, t I
June 5 at Maplewood's I /
Keller Golf Course club-
house. a n
"We need to have col- r A
laborative law enforce- j
ment efforts to address
the fastest growing i
crimes in America: I,
financial fraud," said 4 ,,,
Dakota County attor- °_
ney James Backstrom.
"We're not just talking '
about identity theft,
we're talking about
scams to our senior a '
citizens, we're talking
about insurance fraud, Tim Faklis/Review
welfare and public assis-
tance fraud. There's a in this area. Part of the work within this realm
large level of fraud going reason for the lack of of crime is "enormous".
on in our country, and funding has to do with For example, he said
has become organized how new this crime the financial task force
crime in our country." truly is. is "overburdened," and
According to Back- "I know that, in our might be looking for
strom, every Minneso- office, in the insurance funding at a state or
tan spends $1400 out of fraud context, we didn't local level.
pocket due to insurance have any referrals in "Crime is changing,"
fraud, not counting the our office before 2010," Choi said. "We in law
other types of fraud that Choi said. "Now, over enforcement need to
occur not just in Minne- the past year, we've had understand that, and
sota, but on a national dozens. I think a lot of start changing our-
level as well. things are changing. selves. But a big part of
They're looking for an Law enforcement is rec- that was said before, on
increased level of fund- ognizing this is becom- the [lack of] resources,
ing in order to further ing a bigger problem." and we'll continue to
investigate these crimes, But, again, Choi work 3u,haft.' 2014
as well as increase the mentioned a lack of
level of law enforcement resources, saying that — Tim Faklis
the amount needed to