Making Membership Mean More

GUEST BLOGGER

Scott Patterson
ACFE Senior Media Relations Specialist

Planning for the year ahead. Setting new goals. Making resolutions. These are just a few rituals that many of us dig into with the coming of a new year. It is only natural and healthy to be forward-looking. Yet one project has taught me the value of looking at the past, as well. 

Every year, starting in December, we start putting together the ACFE Report to Members. It is a chance to reflect on accomplishments and achievements during the course of the year, and keeps us grounded and focused on where we are headed for the future. For example: the ACFE’s international presence continued to grow in 2012, with historic fraud conferences in Greece and South Africa. Telling these stories may inspire other international chapters and their members as they plan their events for 2013, along with conferences like the fast-approaching 2013 ACFE European Fraud Conference, March 17-19 in Prague.

As editor of The Fraud Examiner e-newsletter, I've already got a month-to-month snapshot of many ACFE happenings throughout the year. But there are resources such as our free, members-only webinars and new online career events that occurred not just once, but regularly, during 2012. The Report gives us the chance to reflect on all of those accomplishments.

Our Report to Members for 2012 has a theme: Making Membership Mean More. Nice alliteration, right? But it is also a sincere expression of our commitment to making your ACFE membership as valuable as it can be -- the most beneficial and irreplaceable professional membership around. That is our focus, and every year our entire staff works hard to develop new ways to fulfill this commitment.

You can read in the Report about the initiatives we took in 2012 to do this -- I won't spoil it. But I will tell you what's new about the publication itself. This year, we rolled it out in a new format -- those of you on iPads can download the specially developed iBooks version of the Report to Members. You'll be able to view the multimedia features inside the document itself. Of course, we know not everyone carries an iPad, so the Report is still available in PDF format, as well. 

In addition to a letter from our president and CEO, James D. Ratley, CFE, and highlights for the year, we've included a member profile and a video interview. There is also a link to our new podcast series, Fraud Talk, as well as a slideshow of images from different events throughout 2012. We hope you enjoy all the different ways to look back on last year through these special features.

Most of all, I hope you get as much inspiration from looking back at 2012 as we do. The Report to Members is available for download here.

No Substitute for Hands-On Experience

MEMBER PROFILE

David Wilson, CFE
Security and Asset Protection Manager
Coca-Cola South Africa 

There is no substitute for hands-on experience in fraud examination. This reality has helped guide David Wilson, CFE, in his career and is also a key piece of advice he imparts to others looking to enter the profession. As security and asset protection manager for Coca-Cola South Africa, Wilson earned the CFE credential in 2010 – and regards that, along with his successful investigations, among his proudest accomplishments.

What first interested you in the ACFE and inspired you to seek the CFE credential? 

Initially, I was just an associate member of the ACFE. Once I started receiving the communications, advice, courses offered and the professional development opportunities, I learned the value of the CFE credential.

What specific advantage has it given you in your career?

The credential has given me many advantages. One of the most important is that it adds value to court testimony as the credential is well respected by the legal fraternity in South Africa.

What are some ways you’ve been able to apply your CFE training to your job? 

I have downloaded the training material, which I intend rolling out at our offices to educate finance personnel regarding red flag indicators. I am launching a fraud risk assessment and implementing proactive strategies to mitigate the risk of occupational fraud in the workplace. These preventative strategies are ways in which I leverage the CFE credential daily.

In your opinion, why is anti-fraud education and awareness important for businesses and government agencies?

Having readily trained associates within the workplace contributes to the reduction of fraudulent schemes. Fraud may be detected much earlier, ensuring that the median loss is greatly reduced.

What advice would you give to someone just starting their career as a CFE? 

Shadow a seasoned investigator to learn the tricks of the trade. You can’t learn everything from the manuals. Having the CFE will certainly provide the groundwork, but hands-on experience is a great advantage.

What impact has being a member of the ACFE had on you personally and professionally? 

It has enabled me to network with like-minded individuals and share experiences and learn new skills. The ACFE Fraud Conference in Orlando gave me a great sense of the organization and the resources at my disposal.

Read David's full profile in the Career Center on ACFE.com.

ACFE South Africa Chapter Conference Wraps Up in Johannesburg

LIVE FROM THE CONFERENCE

Allan Bachman, CFE

ACFE Education Manager

Monday morning during the opening session of the Fifth Annual South African ACFE Chapter Fraud Conference I said, “Good morning” in 12 languages, representing most of the 18 nations in attendance. My efforts were well received and much appreciated, and it created an immediate bond with the attendees. Every ACFE conference is truly an international event, and this event was no exception.

The South African ACFE Chapter Fraud Conference is the second largest anti-fraud conference in the world after our ACFE Annual Fraud Conference. This conference, however, is fully hosted by the ACFE South Africa Chapter. This year, they welcomed more than 700 attendees over three full days of events; quite an accomplishment.

Speakers from across Africa addressed issues familiar everywhere: bribery, corruption, procurement fraud and much more.

Keynote speaker Stephen Powell, a former prosecutor from Cape Town, had the attendees amazed and amused with his stories of corruption and his personal examples. His expertise in international laws against bribery and corruption made him a perfect fit for the conference. Another keynote included the current public prosecutor in South Africa, Thuli Madonsela, who praised the efforts of Certified Fraud Examiners in their ongoing efforts to deter and detect fraud. Read more about Madonsela's address.

I saw many attendees whom I had the privilege to meet at one of our earlier ACFE Annual Fraud Conferences, and I made many new acquaintances from almost every country in Africa. Their problems are both common to all anti-fraud professionals and unique in some respects. The coordination, collaboration and cooperation among countries remain critical to the anti-fraud effort.

I would like to thank Jaco de Jäger, the ACFE South Africa Chapter and the staff that hosted me. It was truly a successful event that I hope to attend in the future.

The Fight Against Fraud Goes Global

AUTHOR'S POST

Mandy Moody, ACFE Social Media Specialist

Fraud conferences in Japan and South Africa lead the way for international anti-fraud professionals

This past fall, the fight against fraud crossed international boundaries when the ACFE South Africa Chapter and ACFE Japan hosted fraud conferences in their respective countries. As the third annual conference for the South Africa Chapter and the first-ever for ACFE Japan, both highlighted relevant fraud trends like the importance of risk management, fraud prevention on a global scale and the role of the Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) in the auditing function.

“Both of these events highlighted the increasingly global nature of the anti-fraud profession,” Scott Grossfeld, CFE, CPA and ACFE CEO, said. “Their success and the interest that the fraud conferences sparked reinforce the ACFE as the premier provider of education, training and networking to fraud fighters worldwide.”

Africa’s Premier Anti-Fraud Event

The ACFE’s South Africa Chapter hosted its third annual South Africa Fraud Conference in Johannesburg, Sept. 13-15, 2010. The conference attracted attendees from not only South Africa, but from places all over Africa like Zimbabwe, Namibia, Kenya and Nigeria. With session titles such as, “Business Unusual: Dealing with Fraud and its Aftermath in a World Where the Rules Have Changed” and “Benchmarking Your Fraud Risk Management Strategies,” more than 500 attendees received the latest fraud education, participated in workshops and training, and networked with fraud professionals from different functions and locations.

“In the current economic climate the numbers we attracted were impressive, especially taking into consideration that there are a number of similar events available in the market,” Susan Swart, ACFE South Africa Chapter operations manager, said. “We are pleased that the event attracted a large number of non-members. It was the ideal opportunity to introduce the ACFE, and we had a high percentage of new members joining as a direct result.”

Read the complete article here. Also, view photos from the events on the ACFE's Facebook page.