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WHY ARE YOU DRIVEN TO YOUR WORK? I love law enforcement and investigations. I am passionate about helping people recover some sense of normalcy after being victims of financial crimes, and making sure that those responsible for these crimes are held accountable for their actions. Financial crimes can be devastating. Often, the targets of these crimes are our most vulnerable citizens: elderly or disabled adults who are having their life savings stolen, and children whose credit is ruined before they can even understand what credit is. It is imperative that victims of these crimes know that someone is on their side and willing to assist them. WHAT COULD PEOPLE DO TO MAKE YOUR JOB EASIER? As a financial crimes investigator, what would make my job easier is if more people would concentrate on prevention. One of the easiest and most effective measures available to the public is a credit freeze. A credit freeze is a free service offered by all three of the major credit bureaus that stops the unauthorized use of a person's credit by preventing a lender from accessing the credit file. People should also learn to better protect their personal information. Most people carry their Social Security card in their wallet. That information, along with a date of birth (typically found in the same wallet), is all someone needs to access and create accounts in your name. Do not carry your Social Security card around with you! Know the difference between a debit and a credit card. A credit card uses the bank's money, where as a debit card is linked directly to your checking account. While in most cases, both cards offer the same protections against fraud, with a credit card you will not have to wait to get your money back in your checking account. Lastly, review your bank and credit card statements regularly. Often, I see cases where the victim has discovered fraud that has been ongoing for months or even years. WHAT MAKES YOU FEEL APPRECIATED? Obviously, professional recognition is great! Getting an award, promotion or a letter from a supervisor really makes you feel good. However, a sincere "thank you" from a victim makes all the effort and work worth it. Kind words of support and appreciation from the victims of crimes that I have investigated can really motivate me to move on to the next case. WHAT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR WORK? Financial investigations are very different from other types of criminal investigations. These investigations usually take much longer and involve court orders for financial records, search warrants, interviews and recovery of video evidence when available. Unfortunately, TV and movies have given people a false perception of the steps taken to do this and how quickly this information is obtained. We do not have access to satellite imagery, and there is no "computer guru" who we can ask to "hack" into someone's accounts. This is illegal, and I always cringe when I see it happening on TV shows like "CSI." There is no shortcut to doing things legally. Sometimes, this means having to wait what seems like an unreasonable amount of time to get the records we need for the investigation – sometimes months. CORPORAL MICHAEL PARROTT Bibb County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigation Division's Financial Crimes Unit Often when I contact a victim about their case, they will not answer the phone or are reluctant to believe I am with law enforcement. I blame this on all of the telemarketing calls we all get and the numerous phone scams. I have no problem with someone wanting to verify who I am. Ask for the officer's name, badge number, their agency and phone number. Then verify independently before talking to them and providing them with information. WHEN YOU WAKE UP IN THE NIGHT, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT? I do worry about when I am going to be the victim of one of these financial crimes. Even though I try to protect myself and my family from these types of crimes, I understand that it does not make me immune to them. Knowing how much damage can be done and the work involved in fixing and repairing the damage really makes me worry. IF I HAD MORE TIME, I WOULD: Spend more time with my family. Often, I get so caught up and focused on work that I forget that it is a job, and my primary focus should be on family – this is a professional hazard of a career in law enforcement. I also like to garden. It is a nice contrast to work and is a good way to relieve stress. JUNE/JULY 2021 | maconmagazine.com 81