A Week of Fraud Awareness and Prevention, Nov. 11-17

GUEST BLOGGER

Scott Patterson
ACFE Media Relations

There is still a prevailing attitude in some cultures and countries that fraud is “business as usual.” It isn’t fully regarded as the risk factor and danger to businesses that we know it to be.

That's why the excitement is building at the ACFE for this year’s International Fraud Awareness Week. We call it “Fraud Week” for short, and it’s coming up soon: Nov. 11-17, 2012. This grassroots campaign to raise fraud awareness went international in 2006 – prior to that, it was strictly a U.S.-focused affair. Ever since the ACFE expanded the scope of the campaign, we’ve had organizations from all over the world sign up as Official Supporters, and we’ve seen the participant list grow from a little more than  100 supporters six years ago, to more than 600 today.

It is free to sign up as an Official Supporter of Fraud Week, and the ACFE provides training tools and other resources to help your organization shine a spotlight on fraud.  This is truly a win-win proposition. First of all, it positions your organization as one of the key players in a movement taking a stand against fraud.  

Secondly, involvement in Fraud Week provides an opportunity for your organization to strengthen its own fraud detection and prevention methods. By educating employees about fraud and communicating the risk factors and red flags, business owners and managers are setting a strong anti-fraud “tone at the top.”

Supporters host various activities during the week to help support the cause. For example, last year, the Montana Department of Administration, Risk Management & Tort Defense Division hosted a four-hour seminar on fraud prevention awareness for managers. More than 400 managers participated in the event. This year, a collaboration between Franklin University, the National White Collar Crime Center, the Ohio Ethics Commission, the Ohio Inspector General’s Office and the Ohio Investigators Association will present a two-day training conference:  “Targeting Fraud – Safeguarding Integrity.”

Some organizations use the occasion to survey their employees to assess levels of fraud awareness within their organization. One easy way for businesses and government agencies to spread the word is by including anti-fraud information in blogs, social media, e-newsletters and other communications (among employees, clients and/or the public). There are also opportunities to contribute to awareness through media exposure.

We have a freshly redesigned website and new resources available, including a tip sheet for implementing an anti-fraud program and a “Fraud of the Day” feature (provided by LexisNexis) for government organizations. There is no better time than now to get involved and plan your Fraud Week activities.

To learn more about International Fraud Awareness Week and to add your organization as an Official Supporter, visit FraudWeek.com.