Dixon Women's Improvement Club members meet monthly to socialize and hear a variety of guest speakers, such as last year's Raffi Boloyan's talk on the City of Dixon's growth.

DIXON, CA (MPG) - Holidays bring many out shopping or using online shopping from home computers, often making themselves more vulnerable to fraud and scams so it's time for a refresher course on protecting ourselves. 

On Nov. 20, the Dixon Women's Improvement Club will hear a presentation that can help them protect themselves from fraud and scams.

Dixon Women's Improvement Club members and their guests are invited to hear from First Northern Bank's Diana Rowell, CAMS/VP/BSA Officer.

“It is so important to get the information out there and I am thankful for (your group) to include this topic for one of your meetings. As the BSA Officer for the bank, I see first-hand how these types of fraud and scams affect our customers and communities,” said Rowell.

Rowell is a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS), a professional who is skilled at tracking cash that originates in fraud or other crimes but has been subjected to complex financial maneuvers to obscure its origins.

The BSA after her name stands for the Bank Secrecy Act, a law that requires financial institutions and other businesses to comply with reporting and other requirements to help prevent and detect money laundering. The Bank Secrecy Act is also known as an “anti-money laundering” (AML) law.

The Bank Secrecy Act requires banks to establish a process for reporting and monitoring suspicious activity; develop anti-money laundering programs based on risk; and file and report certain data about financial transactions, including cash transactions over $10,000.

Her coworker is Curt Watkins, fraud specialist, who will also help with the presentation. The meeting will be held in the Fellowship Hall of the Dixon United Methodist Church, 209 N. Jefferson using the B Street entry.

The Dixon Women's Improvement Club was established in 1899 in Dixon. The founders were women with families who had settled in the Dixon area following the Gold Rush of 1849 and were interested in beautifying and improving the town. 

The nonprofit organization’s purpose is to beautify, improve and promote the best interests of the City of Dixon through club-directed projects and community activities. Members meet on the third Wednesday of the month from September through May and membership is $40 annually. For more information plus additional information and times of meetings, email [email protected].