Dear Editor,

The frequency of white-collar crimes in Jamaica is alarming. Nearly every month we hear of another high-profile case in which banking officials defraud customers.

In a culture in which corruption involving senior public officials is rampant, people seem to think they can do these things and get away with it.

Incidents have been reported at Sagicor, Stocks and Securities Limited (SSL), and National Commercial Bank.

Many of these cases involve relatively young professionals at critical points in their careers. These people are supposedly educated, yet they risk everything they’ve worked hard for and in the process ruin their careers and reputations.

Banks use to be safe places to keep money and invest, not so anymore. People who are inclined to defraud should be aware that companies have intricate audit procedures, internal and external, to detect and raise red flags. Technology and systems are advanced.

I am convinced that some lifestyles we see on social media create an illusion of wealth, which is often fake. Many people flaunting wealth live empty lives and need validation and ‘likes’ to boost low self-esteem.

All that glitters is rarely gold. Stealing other people’s money is not worth it. You will get caught and be made to suffer the consequences. I’ve always maintained that fraud cases, unlike other criminal cases, are not difficult to prove in court, investigators will follow the money and paper trail.

My advice to those inclined to defraud others is to work honestly for what you have and live within your means until you can do better. These crimes will never pay.

P Chin

chin_p@yahoo.com