Mar 12, 2015 2 min read

The Washington County district attorney’s office, together with Fraud Investigative Service, will present a free seminar on theft and fraud prevention for community organizations March 24.

This seminar is designed to provide tools that can help small community volunteer groups such as fire departments, PTAs, sports organizations and others avoid internal and external theft problems.

The seminar will feature retired U.S. Postal Inspector Andrew Richards of Fraud Investigative Services. Richards is the former head of the fraud section of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Richards handled almost every type of scheme and scam committed on businesses, government entities and individuals.

Richards was also the supervisor of the financial crimes/major crimes section, which included being the supervisor of the Financial Crimes Task Force of Southwestern Pennsylvania, a nationally recognized multiagency task force. Richards has addressed gang activity in identity theft, counterfeit checks, account takeovers and criminal forfeiture.

During the seminar, District Attorney Gene Vittone will also speak about the impact of local thefts that have occurred in community organizations in Washington County.

“Volunteer groups are vitally important to enhancing and protecting the lives of those in the community,” stated Vittone. “To have many years of accumulated financial resources drained by a thief in a matter of months can be devastating.”

The seminar will held at the South Strabane Volunteer Fire Department No. 2 Social Hall located on Oak Spring Road in Washington, beginning at 6 p.m. The program is expected to conclude before 8 p.m.

The seminar is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be provided. Please call 724-228-6790 for further information or to register.