When people lose money to an investment scam, many assume reporting it won't make a difference. The Better Business Bureau says that's not always true.Lisa Schiller of the Better Business Bureau said reporting is critical."You h ave to turn around and take time to file a complaint. You have to report it," Schiller said. Watch the video report below: BBB says filing a fraud complaint can help crack investment scams, Milwaukee case shows whySchiller said one complaint can help identify patterns, connect potential victims and provide information that may help investigators. That is especially important with investment scams, where victims may not immediately realize others are reporting similar experiences.A recent Milwaukee case illustrates the point. One of the earliest complaints against businessman Joseph Nantomah who marketed himself online as "The Black Mentor" was filed with the BBB in 2023. It involved a significant investment loss and promises of returns that never materialized. The BBB referred the complaint to state regulators, and more complaints followed, long before federal charges were filed. The case was eventually investigated by the IRS, the FBI and the Securities and Exchange Commission.Nantomah was recently sentenced to four years in federal prison after pleading guilty to fraud charges. Prosecutors identified 39 victims with losses topping $2.7 million. Nantomah admitted to taking money from investors who believed they were funding real estate deals, then using some of that money for personal expenses and to pay earlier investors.A federal judge ordered Nantomah to pay $2.7 million in restitution to victims and included a three-year probation term.This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.Its about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for TMJ4 on your device.Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.Report a typo or error ...read more read less