Dubois County chamber hosts free fraud workshop for businesses

Dubois County businesses got a free, hands-on fraud workshop that put local bankers and the Huntingburg Police Department on the same panel to show workers how to catch fake bills, fraudulent checks and common scams before money disappears. The session was designed for store owners, managers and employees who handle cash or process payments every day.

The Dubois County Chamber hosted the seminar on June 5 as a practical training session, not a broad awareness talk. Organizers centered it on a live panel discussion that brought in banking professionals and law enforcement, giving attendees a look at both sides of the response chain: how suspicious activity is first spotted in the financial system and how it can be turned into a report that police can investigate.

The focus was specific and immediate. Attendees were set to learn how to spot counterfeit money, recognize fraudulent checks and identify common scam tactics that can slip past busy employees at a checkout counter or in a back office. The workshop also addressed what to do when fraud occurs, a step that matters for anyone reviewing deposits, handling customer transactions or deciding whether to accept a bill or check.

While the Chamber framed the event around businesses, the warning reaches farther across the county. Nonprofits, schools, churches and small organizations also handle cash at fundraisers, concession stands and community events, making them vulnerable to the same tactics that hit retailers and offices. In a place where many transactions still happen face-to-face, even a single bad bill or altered check can spread quickly from one operation to another if workers do not know what to look for.

The Huntingburg Police Department’s presence gave the workshop a local enforcement angle that matters when a scam turns into a crime report. For merchants and employees, that combination of banking expertise and police response offered a clear message: fraud is not just a financial nuisance, it is a local loss that can be reduced when suspicious activity is recognized early and reported fast.