ROBERTA NEE ADAMSStaff Writer

Frauds and scams are ever on the rise, with scams becoming more sophisticated all the time. Last year consumers are being scammed out of over $16 billion, an increase of over four billion stolen in 2023.

Tennessee ranks 19^th in the state, having over $190 million stolen by online scammers in 2024. Just last month an 86 year old Fayetteville man was scammed out of $150,000 by scammers posing as bank officials.

The FBI and financial institutions work diligently to keep ahead of scammers and get the word out to consumers about what to watch for to keep from being taken. To help educate consumers, Tullahoma Sunrise Rotary is hosting a Fraud Awareness Forum. Susan Haley, SmartBank VP and Fraud Officer, will speak on current scams, how to spot them, and how to keep your resources safe.

The event will take place on Tuesday, May 20, 5:30 p.m. at the Tullahoma High School Lecture Hall. The event is free of charge and the public is invited.