WISCONSIN RAPIDS, Wis (WFHR) – In a recent visit to WFHR studios, Investigative Lieutenant Scott Goldberg shared some updates with The Rapids Report host James J. Malouf. This interview was produced in cooperation with Wisconsin Rapids Community Media.

New Investigators

The conversation began celebrating three new detectives added to the Wood County Sheriff’s Department. Goldberg said these additions came due to retirements, and other shifts in assignments. He first mentioned the addition of Alicia Brundage, whose focus will be on mental health specialization. Dan Barres was next mentioned; he comes from a legacy of investigators in his family. His specialization focuses on computer crimes and technology based investigation. Then, Cody Stride is last mentioned addition. Goldberg described Cody as an incredibly hard worker, and a generally tough person.

Crypto Investigations

Crypto was the next focus of conversation. With the rise in crypto scams, new investigative tactics and measures have been adopted by the Wood County Sheriff’s Department. Goldberg shared examples of recent scams that have been reported in the area. Goldberg noted that there is a lot of pushback from the work being done by the Sheriff’s Department. He says those pushbacks are coming almost exclusively from the Crypto companies, not from anyone locally. Goldberg stated that other leaders, including Sheriff Becker, are trying to develop a law to help protect citizens from these scams.

Red Flags

James asked about red flags to help differentiate a lawful Crypto organization from a scammer. Goldberg said a legitimate bank will never call you for a money transfer. That is the biggest red flag for him. If you receive a call like that, hang up, report it to your local Police Department, then call your bank. Those follow-ups are critical in keeping your finances safe. Goldberg and Malouf ended the conversation with understanding how new and confusing these things can be. They encouraged folks to ask questions, and seek information about these. Staying informed is the first step to your safety.

In Closing

In the closing moments Malouf and Goldberg emphasized how important it is to come forward if you are scammed. You should not feel ashamed, and Goldberg made it clear how helpful your information can be in bringing your money back to you and bring scammers to justice.

Important Links

To listen to the interview in full visit our website here.

For more information on the Wood County Sheriff’s Department visit their website here.

This interview was produced in collaboration with Wisconsin Rapids Community Media, watch it on their Youtube page here.

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