When interviewing fraud victims, refrain from any outward comments or facial expressions that might add to their embarrassment. Despite how bizarre or humorous the victim's description of the offense might be, assure them that these types of crimes can, and do, occur every day. Furthermore, that nobody is immune.

Have the victim repeat their description of the offenses more than once. You must overcome their tendency to alter the story in an attempt to avoid appearing gullible.

Details do make a difference. Because all con artists are creatures of habit, they tend to use the same method of operation during each offense. Be sure to note any names used, props, time of day, location of initial contact, and all other pertinent information. The more details you obtain, the better your chances of identifying the suspects.

Most of all, make certain that you know how the scam you are investigating is committed. You cannot document the elements of the crime in your reports unless you know what those elements are. Again, details do make a difference.