Fraud Talk is the monthly podcast of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE). In these sessions, we break down case studies, talk with the anti-fraud industry’s leading experts, and give you more tools to spot, fight and prevent fraud.
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"We've been trying to reach you about your car's extended warranty" is an all-too-common robocall scam aiming to bilk victims out of their money. Alex Quilici, CEO of YouMail, discusses the intricacies of robocalls, what differentiates beneficial robocalls from scams and the regulations that both aid and obstruct the fight against these schemes with Jennifer Lieberman, assistant editor of Fraud Magazine , in the latest episode of Fraud Talk .
Tom Cronkright, the lead witness in the FBI's inditement of Black Axe, an international cybercrime syndicate based out of Nigeria, speaks with ACFE President John Gill, CFE, in this month's episode of Fraud Talk . As the co-founder of CertifID and CEO of a title agency, Tom has been at the forefront of helping the real estate industry address payments fraud and discusses his experience as a victim of fraud and the operations of the international fraud group he helped indict.
In this month's episode of Fraud Talk, the Chief Training Officer for the ACFE, John Gill, CFE, meets with David Fleck, Esq., business and real estate attorney who represents victims of business, real estate and investment fraud in lawsuits to recover their money, property and dignity. They discuss trends in real estate fraud including investment fraud, title theft and deed fraud, mortgage fraud and wire transfer fraud.
In Episode 133 of Fraud Talk, Editor in Chief of Fraud Magazine Paul Kilby speaks with Kathryn Westmore, the Senior Research Fellow for the Center for Financial Crime and Security Studies at the Royal United Services Institute, a military and defense think tank in the U.K. Kathryn discusses the increase in fraud in the U.K., government initiatives and the balance between data sharing and data privacy.
In Episode 132 of Fraud Talk , ACFE Research Specialist Sam May meets with Rob Sand, the Iowa State Auditor. Rob speaks about the Hot Lotto fraud scandal he prosecuted, totaling more than $25 million, as well as helping the state of Iowa improve their systems and processes to better investigate and audit potential frauds.
In Episode 131 of Fraud Talk, Tyler Hatcher, Special Agent in Charge of the Los Angeles field office of the Internal Revenue Service's Criminal Investigation division, joins ACFE Communications Manager John Duffley. Tyler reflects on the IRS-CI division's growth during his 21 years, the process behind evaluating allegations and pursuing criminal cases, growing uses of cryptocurrencies, common tax fraud schemes, the impacts of the CARES Act and Inflation Reduction Act, and much more.
In this episode, Jenny Radcliffe, aka "The People Hacker," discusses her expertise as an ethical social engineer, honing those skills at an early age on the streets of Liverpool, and unique challenges she has faced over the years. Joining ACFE Community Manager Rihonna Scoggins during Women's History Month, Jenny explains how being a woman in her field and gender biases she has observed played a significant role in understanding the "human element" behind social engineering. Her new book "People...
In Episode 129 of Fraud Talk, Tony McClements, the Head of Investigations at Martin Kenney & Co., discusses his career trajectory through three decades in law enforcement to the private practice cases he oversees today. Joining ACFE Communications Manager John Duffley, Tony outlines the challenges between both types of investigations, the benefits to building a team of young, up-and-coming investigators, and emerging technologies and data reports that can be utilized for complex cases....
In this episode, the ACFE's Chief Training Officer John Gill sat down with Charles Antonucci, the former president of The Park Avenue Bank, who was convicted in 2015 of trying to defraud the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). Antonucci also pleaded guilty to other charges including self-dealing, bribery, embezzlement of bank funds, and a multi-million fraud scheme involving an insurance company. *The ACFE does not compensate convicted fraudsters.
In this episode, ACFE Community Manager Rihonna Scoggins reads a case study submitted by Eduardo “Ed” Cuyos. The case study follows Ed's investigation into fraudulent activities previously missed by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) and the Department of Defense Inspector General (DODIG).
International Fraud Awareness Week provides space to highlight fraud prevention and detection initiatives at companies around the world. Thousands of groups have pledged as Supporting Organizations over the past 22 years, with more doing their part ahead of Fraud Week 2022, held on November 13-19. Bruce Dorris, President and CEO at the ACFE, sits down with John Duffley, the ACFE’s Communications Manager, to discuss how you can participate in Fraud Week, the annual ACFE Board of Regents voting cy...
In Episode 125 of Fraud Talk , ACFE Training Director Jason Zirkle, CFE, is joined by military veterans from around the world to share their backgrounds and how their experiences have aided them in their roles as CFEs and anti-fraud professionals. Collins Wanderi, CFE, Bill Stakes, CFE, and Monica Meeks, CFE, discuss the tools they’ve gained and advice they offer to veterans and active-duty military members looking to earn their CFE credential. Visit ACFE.com for more anti-fraud resources and tr...
Eddie Antar founded the Crazy Eddie electronics retail chain in Brooklyn, New York, which rose to prominence across the New York-New Jersey area throughout the 1970s. Operating undetected for years, Eddie’s business practices were grounded in fraud from the very beginning. In Episode 124 of Fraud Talk, Gary Weiss, author of “Retail Gangster: The Insane, Real-Life Story of Crazy Eddie,” discusses this wide-ranging fraud case and ultimate unraveling with ACFE Chief Training Officer John Gill, J.D....
In the fight against fraud, it can be hard to remember why we do it, especially when the fraudsters never seem to quit. Associate professor of accounting, taxation and business law at SUNY Old Westbury, Dr. David Glodstein, began the Justice for Fraud Victims Project to teach his students -- and remind fraud examiners -- who we're fighting for: the victims. In this episode, join Dr. Glodstein, CFE, and Kate Pospisil, CFE, the Communications Specialist at the ACFE, as they discuss the Justice for...
The intersection of cyber security and fraud examination is ever-expanding in our new technological landscape. At the 33rd Annual ACFE Global Fraud Conference, ACFE Research Manager Mason Wilder, CFE, and Deputy Superintendent and Director of the Intelligence Unit at the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS), Roderick Chambers sat down to discuss the importance of technical controls and knowledge to protect your organization from fraud.
Washington State’s Largest Ponzi Scheme was the catalyst for Tod McDonald, CPA to start his company and push for innovation in financial e-discovery. Years later, he and Garth Leonard, CFE, from Valid8 Financial, join ACFE Community Manager Rihonna Scoggins to explore the current resources at hand to combat fraud and how fraud examiners can assess what tools are the right fit for them in this evolving landscape.
William Shakespeare is widely considered to be one of the most prolific and influential writers of all time. But one group of individuals, who call themselves “Oxfordians” and their theory the "Shakespeare Authorship Question," falsely claim that what we know to be Shakespeare's plays and poetry were actually penned by someone else. In this episode, ACFE Chief Training Officer John Gill, J.D., CFE, joins Michael Pocalyko, CFE, the CEO of SI, as they look at how the qualities of those claiming to...
While victims of traditional identity theft often catch it quickly, victims of medical identity theft may not know they are victims until they need critical medical treatment. In this episode, Scott Ward, CFE, senior vice president at Qlarant, discusses the insidious nature of medical identity theft, the impact it has on its victims and what people and governments can do to help combat it.
In this episode, Jim Ducharme, COO of Outseer, a leading technology company in the fight against payment fraud, speaks on the rise of Buy Now Pay Later services and how fraudsters are exploiting these new avenues of credit. He also discusses identity assurance and how companies are working to combat payment fraud without adding hurdles for consumers.
“In this episode, Larry Nielsen, a detective who has spent the last several years teaching himself about cryptocurrencies, shares advice for fraud examiners who are interested in expanding their toolkits to accommodate cryptocurrency investigations. He also discusses some of his experiences tracing cryptocurrencies in both a law enforcement capacity and as a consultant.”
In this episode, renowned tech journalist and podcast host Takara Small discusses what the future of data breaches, cybercrime and cryptocurrency might look like for both individuals and organizations. She also speaks about the role online media plays in exposing fraud and the importance of supporting women, BIPOC and young people breaking into the tech space.
During the 2021 ACFE Fraud Conference Canada , the founder of Sheriff Consulting, Garth Sheriff, CPA, discussed the importance of psychological safety for ethical decision-making — and how the lack of it in an organization can lead to disaster.
Chris Ekimoff and Mandy Moody delve into the ongoing Theranos trial, recounting Elizabeth Holmes' journey from Silicon Valley darling to facing wire fraud charges. They analyze the company's rise and fall, the implications of investor trust, lack of due diligence, and the legal system's handling of complex fraud allegations. The discussion also highlights crucial takeaways for fraud awareness, emphasizing the importance of skepticism and verification.
In this episode, Dr. Vince Haecker, assistant special agent-in-charge for the U.S. Department of the Interior- Office of Inspector General, discusses why it's pivotal to trust your instincts as an investigator and empower those around you to ask questions when something doesn't seem right. He also stresses the importance of communication with other departments in your organization and staying objective while researching.
In this episode, the authors of "The Key Man," Simon Clark and Will Louch, detail how they discovered and exposed the misdeeds of a larger than life business mogul who duped the people and world around him. ACFE Vice President and General Counsel John Warren, J.D., CFE, talks with the Wall Street Journal reporters about the investigation and arrest of Abraaj founder Arif Naqvi .
In this episode, the president and co-founder of Verracy, Mary Breslin, CFE, discusses a case she investigated where an employee stole $1.8 million after being overly interested in auditing processes. After being tipped off when she saw he purchased an expensive sports car, she shares lessons she learned from the case.
In this episode, Mason Wilder, CFE, ACFE Senior Research Specialist, and Mandy Moody, CFE, ACFE Communications Manager, discuss the "sting of the century." Operation Trojan Shield was a collaboration between the U.S. FBI and DEA, the Swedish and Australian police, Europol and other global organizations to infiltrate an encrypted chat platform. The operation led to 800 arrests, 700 house searches, the seizure of drugs and firearms, and an ongoing list of money laundering revelations.
June 2021 - During the closing session of the 32nd Annual ACFE Global Fraud Conference , John Gill, vice president of education at the ACFE, spoke with convicted fraudster* Brett Johnson, who shared stories from his life as a cybercriminal. After being placed on the United States Most Wanted List, captured and convicted of 39 felonies, he escaped prison. Captured again, Johnson served his time and accepted responsibility. * The ACFE does not compensate convicted fraudsters...
Deidra Jackson, founder and manager of Opus Strategies, discusses the intersection of compliance, ethics and culture when building a diversity, equity and inclusion program within an organization. She shares actionable advice and real-life examples of how to not just check the boxes, but make a real and lasting shift in company culture.
One of the most covered topics so far in 2021 has been non-fungible tokens, or NFTs. In this Fraud Talk podcast, ACFE Senior Research Specialist Mason Wilder, CFE, talks to OSINT researcher extraordinaire and artist Kirby Plessas, CFE, to cover what NFTs are and the fraud implications of their rapid emergence into the public consciousness.
