E-fraud is no joke. UWO student helping sheriff track troubling data, alert community

University of Wisconsin Oshkosh senior Abigail "Abi" Thede spends part of each week at her internship with the Winnebago County Sheriff's Office, where she researches fraud cases and assists detectives with a variety of tasks.

E-fraud is increasingly a threat to people in Winnebago County. And University of Wisconsin Oshkosh criminal justice and psychology student Abigail "Abi" Thede has been digging into the data to better understand and strategize how to help the county sheriff's department and residents shield themselves from the risks and the fraudsters.

"By working on this research, I intend to raise awareness of this growing problem and the ongoing need for solutions," Thede said. "We can achieve this by increasing funding and personnel for fraud detection, enhancing public awareness and prevention efforts, and highlighting recent fraud trends. Together, we can empower the community to recognize and address these issues."

A discussion about career plans led Thede, a senior, to a personalized internship with the Winnebago County Sheriff's Office. There, she is researching fraud cases and getting a front row view of law enforcement and investigations.

Thede examined the entire slate of Winnebago County Sheriff's Office fraud cases from 2021 through 2023. Her internship involved looking at data and trends of fraud cases across the county. She started the internship in January and plans to continue until she graduates in May 2025.

"The fraud idea had come up because I kept hearing from officers who were former students that fraud cases were increasing," said Matt Richie, associate professor in the UWO criminal justice department. "Because fraud does not typically fall under traditional crime stats, I wanted to know two things: First, is fraud actually increasing (in frequency and amount stolen) and second, what can be done about it?"

Studying scams

Throughout Winnebago County, the most prevalent type of fraud reported the past three years involved fake cryptocurrency exchanges, with victims experiencing financial losses that ranged from $50 to staggering amounts in the thousands, Thede said.

Research focused on data rather than the underlying circumstances, but authorities know traits shown by victims may include unreasonable trust, inattention, naivety, or falling for a scammer who is trying to build a false relationship to try and acquire money.

"As an office, we have found our partnership with UW Oshkosh and Abi, to be one of great value," said Winnebago County Sheriff's Office Detective Lieutenant Michael Sewall. "This collaboration helps foster a relationship between the University and law enforcement, to better our community."

Sewall said Thede was able to analyze and organize a complex data set related to fraud-related activity in Winnebago County.

"Through her work, our team has a better understanding of the needs and impact these types of cases have on our community," he added. "This opportunity also allowed Abi to utilize what she has learned at UW Oshkosh and apply it to real world issues and have a genuine impact."

Troubling data

Thede found that Winnebago County had 709 reported cases of fraud in 2021, 667 cases in 2022, and 630 cases in 2023. While the baby-boom generation reported the most cases, the data shows that scams are affecting individuals across all age groups.

"It's important to note that as the years progress, the amount of money individuals are losing continues to rise, even if the total number of reported frauds is going down," Thede said, pointing out losses in 2021 totaled $112,693 and so far in 2024, have exceeded $250,000.

Richie said there were a lot of reports of online and telephone scams, but other types of fraud including contractor fraud, turned up too.

Experiential learning and research

Richie and Thede presented, Grandparent Scams: Fraud in the Digital World, last month in Chicago at the Midwestern Criminal Justice Association's annual meeting. The data also will be presented at a future meeting of the Winnebago County Board of Supervisors, making people aware of the dangers and prevalence of online crime.

Thede is on track to graduate with Bachelor of Science degrees in psychology and in criminal justice, along with a behavioral science certificate. She's not yet settled on a specific career, but she knows she wants to continue in the field of law and criminal justice.

The internship was everything she could have wanted and more.

What started as e-fraud analysis has branched into helping the sheriff's office manage evidence storage, observe execution of search warrants and assist as needed in active investigations or continued review of cold cases.

"This experience has exceeded all my expectations and has only strengthened my passion for the field of law and criminal justice," she said.

Learn more:

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