In numerous cities across the U.S., check-related fraud rates are on the rise. In Chicago alone, banks have reported twice as many check fraud-related crimes over the last year than they did during the previous two years. Local news outlets have reported that some fraudsters feel so emboldened by their success that they are bragging about their efforts online.
If you are an upstanding member of the financial industry or the business community, this news shouldn’t be of any concern to you, right? Not exactly. If someone perceives that you are taking unlawful actions, you could find yourself in trouble very, very quickly. Perception isn’t always based on reality but someone’s life could certainly be turned upside down based on perception alone, regardless.
Proactive approaches could make or break your situation
If you work in the financial industry, it is critically important that you remain on top of what is “trending” when it comes to white-collar crime. When certain kinds of criminal activity spikes, law enforcement tends to crack down on those activities in order to stabilize the trend. As such, even if you are completely innocent, you should be looking over your shoulder and acting with particular care regarding related activities so that you are less likely to be falsely accused of wrongdoing.
With that said, if you are already being investigated for suspicious activity or you’ve already been charged with wrongdoing, it is also important to be defensive in your approach to better ensure that your case ends with a favorable outcome. Seek legal guidance as soon as you can so that you can benefit from knowledgeable legal experience concerning the best ways to proceed.