NC report finds rise in white-collar crime from 2020 to 2024

RALEIGH — Reported white-collar crime increased in North Carolina between 2020 and 2024, according to a new analysis released by the N.C. Department of Public Safety’s Criminal Justice Analysis Center.

The report was presented at the quarterly meeting of the Governor’s Crime Commission in Raleigh, according to the department. White-collar crime in the analysis includes fraud, embezzlement and extortion.

The Criminal Justice Analysis Center reviewed data submitted by North Carolina law enforcement agencies to the National Incident-Based Reporting System. The center found that reported incidents of fraud, embezzlement and extortion increased over the five-year period, while reported counterfeiting decreased.

The report also found that incidents of extortion, including blackmail, more than doubled. According to the department, the data showed a 2023 spike in the number of male victims under age 30.

The analysis also found that the rate of fraud increased most among adults ages 65 to 74.

Caroline Farmer, executive director of the Governor’s Crime Commission, said law enforcement agencies across the state have seen more calls involving “deception, trickery and coercion.” She said the crimes can have a major effect on victims and require complex investigations.

The Criminal Justice Analysis Center is housed within the Governor’s Crime Commission and serves as the state’s federally designated statistical analysis center. It compiles statewide data on crime, criminal justice activity, traffic stops and deaths in custody.

The center also provides public access to crime and criminal justice data through the N.C. Justice Data Portal.

DPS said victims of white-collar crimes should file a report with their local law enforcement agency. Residents may also contact the N.C. Department of Justice at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM or file a complaint online through the department.

The report adds statewide data to ongoing policy discussions about scams, financial exploitation and fraud enforcement, particularly as older adults and younger online users face different types of financial crime risks.

Editor’s note: This article was drafted with the assistance of artificial intelligence and was reviewed and fact-checked by a member of the NC Political News editorial team before publication.