More than 63,000 reports of fraud and a record $228 million lost to scammers. That’s the current state of cyberfraud in Ohio.
Over the last several years, there’s been an explosion in the rate at which Ohioans are being targeted online by criminal actors. Cyberfraud is no longer a random crime. Across the globe, criminal organizations run scam centers, where exploited workers are forced to prey on Americans and rob them of their savings.
The types of scams are too numerous to count. There are government imposter scams, romance scams, crypto scams, and more. Through various messaging channels and across every financial platform, scammers have figured out a way to steal from unsuspecting Americans.
So far, the public policy response to this problem has been tepid. Congress has focused more on the financial channels where Americans are being conned than the criminals pulling the cons.
It’s time our officials do more to protect us.
First, put the focus where it belongs, on the crooks. Second, give law enforcement more resources to find, track, and shut down the scammers. Lastly, we need the administration to work with our allies to shut down the foreign scam factories that are taking advantage of our citizens.
The only way to protect Americans is stop fraud and scams at the source. Ohio’s leadership must push for comprehensive solutions that aim at reigning in criminals. Anything less is a half measure.
-Amy Bush
Amy Bush is a Farmer and small business owner married with two kids from Edison, OH
