ActiveData for Excel: Harness the Power of Excel with the Features of IDEA


Avoiding the pitfalls of protected health information and fraud
Health care fraud is big business, and in more ways than just claims fraud. Protected health information (PHI) is subject to fraud and abuse. And, most people don't realize that the health benefit card is like a credit card vulnerable to thieves who steal it and use it for unlawful gain. Learn how current technology can be used for tracking how PHI is being abused and what you can do to prevent it.

Beating fraud through internal auditing: A fraud primer for the new internal auditor
When new internal auditors are assigned the task of looking for fraud, many find themselves without the necessary skills to do a proper examination. In this session, you'll get an overview of what the new internal auditor needs to know about fraud in his or her first fraud assignments.

Benford’s Law Made Easy
In the April/May 1994 issue of The White Paper, Mark J. Nigrini, Ph.D., presented a novel analytical method of detecting numerical anomalies that could indicate fraudulent activity.

Comparing Best Software for Fraud Examinations
Fraud examiners now have a wide choice of data interrogation tools they can use themselves without bothering the IT department. Here's a comparison of the features of the five most popular products.

Fighting fraud with technology: Computer forensics -- how not to destroy evidence
Most likely the evidence you need to prove your case will be found in the computer and in some cases, that is the only place where the evidence is. Since fraudsters also know that, some will attempt to destroy, hide or password-protect the evidence.

Effective solutions for combating employee theft: Creative employee theft schemes & how to detect them
Just when you think that you've seen every way an employee can steal from you, a new one comes along. Employees are always coming up with creative ways of making you part with your money. In this session you'll learn some of these ways and especially how you can detect them, the first step in stopping them.

Fighting fraud with technology: Data mining: a tool for all fraud examiners
You don't have to be an expert data analyst to successfully detect fraud with the software that is available to most fraud examiners. In this session you'll learn how easy it is to transform virtually any data into interactive reports using either Microsoft Access or Crystal Reports. Real-world data and scenarios will be used to demonstrate the potential to detect fraud and abuse and how it relates to your organization.

Detecting Fraud in the Data, Part One
Automatic intervention detection – an advanced computer-based tool – can be used to distinguish companies with fraudulent data from those with no indication of fraudulent reports.

Detecting Fraud in the Data Using AID, Part Two
In Part One, we examined the basics of automatic intervention detection – an advanced computer-based tool. Here we describe the methodology of a research study conducted to explore the effectiveness of AID.

Fraud prevention: the latest techniques. Developing and auditing loss prevention policies and procedures, Part 1
Sweeping changes continue to reshape the workplace. The role of the loss prevention director has found his role dramatically changing from the primary role of protecting the organization's assets. This session provides an in-depth look at the essential elements of developing an effective loss prevention program. Also discussed will be guidance in auditing policies and procedures.

Fraud prevention: the latest techniques. Developing and auditing loss prevention policies and procedures, Part 2
Sweeping changes continue to reshape the workplace. The role of the loss prevention director has found his role dramatically changing from the primary role of protecting the organization's assets. This session provides an in-depth look at the essential elements of developing an effective loss prevention program. Also discussed will be guidance in auditing policies and procedures.

Data mining: a tool for all fraud examiners. Digging for golden evidence
Fraud examiners need only basic computer skills and the help of systems administrators to mine for gold and find vital evidence for fraud examinations.

Draw Me a Diagram: Finding Fraud with the ‘ Common-size Diagram’
Use this simple tool to discover anomalies on both sides of the balance sheet.

Fear Not The Software: Fraud Fighting With Data Analysis Tools. Fear not the data either, part two: Importing data files
While the last column focused mainly on requesting data (steps 1 and 2), this column will focus on the actual importing of that data (step 3). To import data though, we need to focus on the types of data files and how to import each one into a data analysis package.

Fear Not the Software: Fraud Fighting with Data Analysis. Digging Even Deeper: Find the uncommon frauds with deductive tools
Most data analysis for fraud is specifically focused on precise red flags of fraud. The tools used are therefore query-based, which allows the fraud examiner to extract records that meet a certain criteria such as invoices paid to a vendor who has the same address as an employee. The process is inductive in nature and while it'll find much of the fraud it also misses the uncommon schemes that could sink an organization.

Fear Not The Software: Fraud Fighting With Detection Systems. Top THREE best practices when automating proactive fraud detection systems
To stay on track, you might heed some of the best practices borne out of extensive research for the "2005 Buyer's Guide to Audit, Anti-Fraud, and Assurance Software." Below are the top three best practices excerpted from this book, which focus mainly on implementing data analysis software to detect fraud.

Fear Not the Software: Detecting fraud risk with strong methodology
During a recent meeting, I was looking at a whiteboard on which an accounting malpractice attorney had mapped out a defense case for an auditor who had failed to detect a large billing scheme fraud.

Fear Not the Software: Proactively Detecting Occupational Fraud Using Computer Audit Reports
Data analysis provides many benefits in the prevention, detection, and prosecution of fraud.

Current Issues. Forensic Document Analysis: DNA and Beyond
There may be more to your evidence than just the piece of payment that's in your case file. It may be what's on the piece of paper that seals your case rather than just the information that's in it. Find out what's important and what's not.

Protecting the public interest: Fraud in the government, Lessons learned while building an investigative procurement fraud detection program
It’s a fraud that affects both the public and private sector — procurement fraud. It’s also a fraud that is difficult to detect. In this session, you’ll learn how to build a proactive investigative procurement fraud detection program and how to avoid making some mistakes that could be costly and program counter-productive. Also discussed will be procurement fraud risk analysis, financial system data-mining, and the need for procurement fraud referrals.

Fraud Bytes. Root kits: Digital evidence collection of volatile data
Admittedly, some of the information presented here is on the advanced side of the curve. However, for those who understand the growing need for digital forensics in fraud examination, the latest evolution in the field involves new forensic tools and methods for gathering evidence from live systems. I'll continue to bring you developments when I think that they may have an impact on the way we do fraud examinations of digital evidence.

Fraud Case Preparation: Know Your Goal, Know Your Role - PART ONE
Non-sworn fraud examiners can optimize their chances for prosecution of white-collar crimes by avoiding things that law enforcement officers just hate.

Fear Not the Software: Fraud Fighting With Data Analysis Tools


Fear Not the Software - FRAUD FIGHTING WITH DATA ANALYSIS TOOLS: Fear Not the Data Either
Obtaining data is one of the main hurdles to using proactive fraud data analysis. But it doesn’t need to be that way. By using a simple process anyone can obtain data files without an advanced computer degree.

Get M.A.D. with the Numbers! Moving Benford’s Law from Art to Science
This article describes how to use commonly available spreadsheet software to quantify data from a digital frequency analysis and distill it down to a single meaningful number.

Preventing and detecting financial statement fraud: Identifying fraudulent financial transactions
One of the most difficult tasks that an auditor has is to identify fraudulent transactions. In this session you'll not only learn what the schemes are, but develop a framework for detecting fraud. Of particular emphasis is a type of financial statement fraud that is not often discussed - inadequate disclosures. You'll get tips for finding the frauds but also how to prevent the fraud.

Protecting the public interest: Fraud in the government. Identifying and investigating financial reporting fraud of non-profit entities
Non-profit organizations may have different financial objectives, but when it comes to fraud, they are not immune. In this session, you'll learn the many methods of fraudulent financial reporting and the motives behind each. Also discussed will be how to investigate non-profit organizations and how to detect fraud.

Healthcare and insurance fraud: Investigating provider fraud: A case study
Provider fraud can be the most difficult fraud case to investigate and prove. But it is done and done successfully. Using auditing techniques to identify suspicious billing trends, the fraud was first identified and then proved. In this case, this doctor stole from many different insurance carriers and is now paying the price.

Investigating by Computer: Levering technology. Using technology to lighten the load, part one
No matter what type of organization you work in, technology is moving forward at a blinding pace. Do you know what technology is available or the best combination of electronic tools to use in your fraud investigations? This session will help you evaluate technology solutions that best suit your needs using actual demonstrations.

Fraud preventions: The latest techniques. Developing a strategy to fight fraud
Does your organization have a strategy to fight fraud? It's not enough just to detect and investigate fraud, but a well-rounded anti-fraud program will also have taken measures that will prevent fraud. Once this is implemented, everything else will fall into place. Learn how you can develop strategies that will work for you.

Fraud prevention: The latest techniques. Proactive fraud risk reviews: Page 1
In order to combat the modern day fraudster, you need to stay one step ahead of the game. Management must realize that they are not immune to fraud and abuse and must be willing to root out the causes and address their concerns head on. To be successful in the fight against fraud you need a game plan that addresses all opportunities for fraud and abuse and details a plan of action. Learn what the best practices are and what you can use to perform a fraud risk review within your organization.

Fraud prevention: The latest techniques. Proactive fraud risk reviews: Page 2
In order to combat the modern day fraudster, you need to stay one step ahead of the game. Management must realize that they are not immune to fraud and abuse and must be willing to root out the causes and address their concerns head on. To be successful in the fight against fraud you need a game plan that addresses all opportunities for fraud and abuse and details a plan of action. Learn what the best practices are and what you can use to perform a fraud risk review within your organization.

Tech Corner Reviews: Monarch V8 increases power of fraud examiners to mine and analyze data without IT help
In this column, the author reviews hardware and software products that could aid the fraud examiner.

Developing your fraud examination skills: Using Microsoft Excel and Access to detect fraud
There are many software applications that are available for you to detect fraud. Unfortunately, some of these programs are outside of many fraud examiners' budgets. However, most fraud examiners have Microsoft's Excel and Access right on their desktop, not realizing the potential as a powerful anti-fraud tool. Learn, first hand, some of the practical fraud-busting reports that you can generate using these products.

FraudBasics: When Employees GO BAD. Conducting internal investigations, part one.
This FraudBasics article is adapted from part of the ACFE course, "Conducting Internal Investigations." For more information on this and other courses, visit CFEnet.com/events/seminars.asp.

When Employees Count Too Much: Spotting Overstated Inventory
Because inventory fraud is often more difficult to prevent and detect than other asset thefts, fraud examiners need to understand the mechanics of inventory accounting and the signs of overstated inventory schemes.

Preventing and detecting financial statement fraud: Worldcom bankruptcy: A fraud examiner's perspective
The WorldCom scandal has taught the financial world many things. It's also a classic study of what not to do in the corporate world when it comes to financial records and how to avoid disaster. In this session you'll learn about WorldCom's bankruptcy and how fraud fits in the picture. It wasn't pretty, but there are many lessons that can be learned to help prevent this from happening again.

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