White-Collar Crime Rises in North Carolina

Reported cases of white-collar crime, which includes fraud, embezzlement and extortion, rose between 2020 and 2024, according to a report released today by the NC Department of Public Safety's Criminal Justice Analysis Center. CJAC Director Michelle Beck presented the data at the quarterly meeting of the Governor's Crime Commission in Raleigh.

"Law enforcement agencies across the state have seen an influx of calls about deception, trickery and coercion," said Caroline Farmer, executive director of the Governor's Crime Commission. "These crimes can have a devastating impact on victims and require complex investigations, demanding partnership across the criminal justice system."

The Criminal Justice Analysis Center analyzed data submitted to the National Incident-Based Reporting System by North Carolina law enforcement agencies and found that:

• Reported incidents of fraud, embezzlement and extortion increased, while counterfeiting decreased between 2020 and 2024.
• Incidents of extortion, which includes blackmail, more than doubled, with data showing a 2023 spike in the number of male victims under the age of 30.
• The rate of fraud increased most among adults aged 65-74.

Read the full report: White-Collar Crime in North Carolina, 2020-2024

In North Carolina, victims of white-collar crimes should file a report with local law enforcement agencies. They may also call the NC Department of Justice at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM or file a complaint online. Visit the NCDOJ website for more information and to read consumer safety tips.

The Criminal Justice Analysis Center sits within the Governor's Crime Commission in the NC Department of Public Safety and serves as the state's federally designated statistical analysis center. CJAC compiles statewide data on crime, criminal justice system activity, traffic stops and deaths in custody. It also coordinates with state agencies that collect data relevant to public safety and publishes data-driven analyses that inform conversations among the public, the Governor's Crime Commission and other criminal justice partners.

CJAC provides public access to crime and criminal justice data at the state and county level via the N.C. Justice Data Portal and leads an advisory group focused on the alignment and analysis of multiagency justice data sources in the state of North Carolina.