Every four months at the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy on the campus of Camp Dodge, a military base on the outskirts of the Des Moines metro, a new class of law enforcement recruits from across the state learn about the fundamentals of investigating card fraud. It’s a training course created by SHAZAM back in 2017 for law enforcement officers as part of the company’s mission of Strengthening Financial Institutions.
It started with the development of a two-hour block of instruction for law enforcement. Since then, SHAZAM has been responsible for administering the course as part of their basic training for new recruits. As of July 2024, SHAZAM has conducted over 50 training sessions for nearly 2,000 Iowa law enforcement officers. These officers represent over 300 Iowa law enforcement agencies across the state.
The knowledge gained by officers goes beyond Iowa. Mike has provided card fraud instruction for the Nebraska Law Enforcement/County Attorneys Conference, Midwest Organized Crime Information Center and the Missouri Investigators Association.
“Anytime we can train officers in areas such as card fraud, cardholders and businesses benefit,” says ILEA Assistant Director Sherry Poole. “The knowledge from this training can be passed along to others in their departments, businesses and the communities through many venues, which then empowers others to know more and be less susceptible to skimming devices.”
Mike Burke, SHAZAM Senior Robbery and Crisis Management Consultant, developed the curriculum and exams for the training sessions. Mike has over 30 years of experience in retail loss prevention, criminal justice education and law enforcement. His comprehensive presentations are an invaluable resource for future law officers who will be responsible for conducting their own card fraud investigations.
The training Mike conducts for law enforcement officers is part of ILEA’s mission to provide quality training to all peace officers who serve the people of Iowa. Card fraud training is part of the investigation framework within basic training and aligns itself with other topics such as document fraud, insurance fraud and financial crimes. Investigation is one of eight focus areas for new recruits as part of their 16 weeks of training to be recognized by the state of Iowa as a police officer. Within card fraud specifically, new officers are given the knowledge needed around debit cards and skimming devices, how to investigate incidents of card fraud, and what is needed for successful prosecution.
“Mike brings so much value due to his passion for training, his past experience in law enforcement and his expertise around card fraud,” says Poole. “He connects with recruits and is in his element when facilitating his course.”
Beyond the training Mike provides to law enforcement, he ensures SHAZAM clients and association partners receive relevant and timely education on several security-related risks. He serves as a speaker and panelist at various conferences and events, sharing his subject matter expertise with audiences across the country. “Scammers are constantly trying to find new ways to steal money,” says Buke. “Our law enforcement officers are key partners in investigating card fraud to help us protect financial institutions and cardholders from fraud losses.”
Card fraud isn’t slowing down. According to FICO, over 315,000 debit cards from over 3,500 unique financial institutions were compromised from skimmers in 2023. That’s almost twice as many as in 2022. The FBI estimates this adds up to over a billion-dollar cost to financial institutions and accountholders.
“Knowledge around card fraud not only helps with investigations and prevention, it also provides comfort to victims,” says Poole. “When officers know what and how to investigate card fraud, they can put the victims that worry nothing will be done at ease. They can also inform others with the knowledge they gain from training — whether it be businesses, the community or other officers in their area.”
For more information, contact
Matt Morrow
mmorrow@Shazam.net
Regional Director of Sales
Shazam
