However, meeting the needs of fraud victims should be one of the primary goals. Assess local, state, and regional governmental and nonprofit agencies and programs that currently provide services or support to fraud victims. Identify gaps in current programs and services. Determine how best to address those gaps. Force Membership A fraud victim task force should include a mix of governmental and community-based professionals and officials, community leaders, members of the public, and victim representatives so that a variety of expertise and experience can be drawn upon.
Some task forces serve as one body to address all issues surrounding the primary subject area.
Others create subcommittees to look at particular issues or concerns in depth and then report back to the full task force with findings or a plan of action. Task force structuring that allows for subcommittees lets members select issues related to their area of expertise or interest and make substantial contributions quickly. The committee also works to raise understanding, among other victim service agencies and the general public, of fraud crimes and the emotional and financial impact to victims and the larger community. Public awareness and education campaigns can also be useful in reducing the social stigma that many fraud victims experience. Opportunities include hosting community or regional citizen forums, distributing fraud alerts to target victim populations, and arranging a speakers' series to address topics relevant to fraud crimes.