Governments are susceptible to fraud-related crimes every day, from corruption to payroll tampering. Findings from Occupational Fraud 2024: A Report to the Nations revealed median losses for national-level entities were USD 210,000, and with relative losses affecting state and local entities even more, the following resources were established to aid government organizations in detecting and preventing fraud at all levels around the world.
Raushi Conrad was a longtime, well-liked U.S. federal government high-tech specialist. He bucked the stereotype of the aloof, arrogant IT worker. But an anonymous email led to an investigation that showed he’d committed a one-man $1 million internal fraud scheme that involved chicken restaurants, computer viruses and “wink-and-a-nod” briberies. Here’s how to fend off similar high-tech crimes.
The U.K.’s National Health Service (NHS) is not perfect, but it enjoys global envy as “free health care” for the masses (paid for by U.K. taxpayers). However, the NHS can be a soft target for COVID-19 fraudsters.
On June 15, 2021, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) released its 2020 Elder Fraud Report. According to the report, victims over 60 reported nearly $1 billion in fraud-related losses in 2020, which represents 28% of all losses reported to IC3.
Because of their critical role, departments and organizations in the public sector have now become key targets for cybercriminals. Even high-profile events such as elections and the Olympics have also been victims of fraud attacks in recent years, pressing government authorities to prioritize cybersecurity.
These resources can help grow our knowledge base in the deep world of tech, especially with the exponential growth in online fraud schemes and the increased need for technology-enabled investigations.
Sheryl Steckler, President at Procurement Integrity Consulting Services, LLC, discusses an investigation in which she found government kickback schemes and other fraud abuses, but was able to gain the trust of the community to help build cooperation during the case.
LEGA partners with government entities at the local, state, national and international levels and provides discounts, anti-fraud training and resources to assist and guide you in your efforts to prevent, deter and reduce fraud. Participation in LEGA is also open to leading international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). With nearly 300 participating agencies, joining LEGA gives you the edge you need to stay up-to-date in an ever-evolving landscape.
In Episode 133 of Fraud Talk, 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., discusses the increase in fraud in the U.K., government initiatives and the balance between data sharing and data privacy.
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.
Four panelists from a 2021 ACFE Women’s Summit session discuss the ever-evolving threat landscape and how it has affected fraud trends throughout the past year. The panel of speakers included moderator, Amber Mac, along with Amy Chang, Cynthia Herrington and Amber Schroeder.
