Celebrating a quarter-century of Fraud Week

The year was 2000. The world had just endured the Y2K scare, reality TV surged in popularity and boy bands topped the music charts.

Meanwhile, leadership and marketing teams at the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) were planting seeds for what was then known as National Fraud Awareness Week in the U.S. 

“Twenty-five years ago, someone had an idea about designating one week out of the year to fraud awareness,” says ACFE President John D. Gill, J.D., CFE. “We all thought it was a good idea, but no one then ever imagined it would still be going a quarter of a century later.”

Also known as Fraud Week, National Fraud Awareness Week evolved into International Fraud Awareness Week, and this year, it’s celebrating 25 years of community anti-fraud education.

Twenty-five years ago, someone had an idea about designating one week out of the year to fraud awareness. We all thought it was a good idea, but no one then ever imagined it would still be going a quarter of a century later.

Fraud Week is an annual initiative that encourages businesses and other organizations to spread awareness about fraud prevention and detection. Interested organizations sign up for free as Supporting Organizations, and the ACFE provides anti-fraud resources to help these organizations educate their employees and others in their community. Supporters aren’t bound to using only these resources, and over the years many have developed creative activities that make anti-fraud education more accessible — and fun. 

“Fraud Week provides an annual reminder for everyone about the importance of raising anti-fraud awareness, as well as anchor dates that bring the global community together in a coordinated effort that builds enthusiasm for fraud prevention and detection,” ACFE Chief Executive Officer John Warren, J.D., CFE, tells Fraud Magazine. “I’m so proud of the way the global anti-fraud community has rallied to support it.”

For the last few years, more than 1,500 organizations, including Fortune 500 companies, law enforcement agencies, colleges and universities, and local businesses, have taken the pledge to join Fraud Week and get creative with anti-fraud education. However, Fraud Week didn’t start at its current level of popularity. Fraud Magazine looks at the history of International Fraud Awareness Week, its growth and its future.  

Looking back

That first Fraud Week in 2000 was scheduled for July 30 through August 4 and kicked off with the ACFE’s 11th Annual Fraud Conference and Trade Show, held that year in New York City. The ACFE’s current Vice President of Events, Leslie Simpson, CFE, was an event marketing specialist then with a front-row seat to Fraud Week’s beginning. She tells Fraud Magazine that in the first year, the supporter list was small, and organizations were encouraged to sign up through the ACFE’s newsletters. About two dozen organizations signed up to participate, and most were either affiliated with the ACFE or had some existing connection to fraud detection or prevention, accounting or technology.

Even in its early days, Fraud Week caught the attention of lawmakers. In 2001, U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett of Texas showed his support with a quote on Fraud Week’s website. “I am proud to lend my voice in support of your efforts to help educate consumers and businesses about fraud and to raise the general level of awareness about how to fight this societal scourge.”

In those first few years, the governors of Nebraska and Minnesota each signed National Fraud Awareness Week proclamations. The ACFE has since provided Fraud Week supporters with a proclamation template, an editable document that helps supporters connect with their community leaders and draft proclamations in honor of Fraud Week.

In the years to follow, dozens more lawmakers and government agencies of all sizes would participate in Fraud Week, including the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Office of Inspector General, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). 

Deloitte was one of Fraud Week’s earliest supporters, and today Deloitte continues to support the initiative. Mike Brodsky, audit and assurance managing director for Deloitte’s Fraud Risk Center, tells Fraud Magazine how Fraud Week’s mission to raise awareness and encourage action against fraud aligns with his firm’s values. “Integrity and ethical behavior are at the heart of what we do, and these values closely reflect what Fraud Week stands for.”

“By working with the ACFE and connecting with others in the anti-fraud community, including conducting our annual Fraud Week survey, we help organizations get ahead of fraud risks so they can build stronger trust and resilience, not just within their businesses, but in the communities they impact.”

In the years to follow, dozens more lawmakers and government agencies of all sizes would participate in Fraud Week, including the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Office of Inspector General, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Fraud Week’s evolution

In 2007, National Fraud Awareness Week went international, welcoming supporters beyond U.S. borders, and moved its observance to the fall, in November, instead of summer. 

“ACFE members across the world sold the concept to their managers and directors,” Gill tells Fraud Magazine. 

The number of supporters grew steadily, from dozens in the early 2000s to more than 100 by the end of the decade. During the 2010s, Fraud Week garnered hundreds of supporters each year. In 2020, Fraud Week crossed the 1,000-supporter mark as much of the world was on lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 1,000 supporters have participated every year since then.

In 2016, the ACFE launched its Fraud Week Ambassador program. These ambassadors are official supporters active in the ACFE’s Corporate Alliance or Law Enforcement and Government Alliance. Some of the earliest Fraud Week Ambassadors included Loomis cash management and Virgin Media. And some of those early ambassadors still participate in Fraud Week to this day, including Voya Financial, Orange and RSM.

Breaking records

One ambassador even helped Fraud Week get into the record books in 2024.

Kenanga Investment Bank became an ACFE Corporate Alliance partner in 2015. 

“[It was] during a pivotal time when we were deepening our commitment to ethics and integrity,” Maheswari Kanniah, CFE, ACFE Regent and Kenanga’s former group chief regulatory and compliance officer, tells Fraud Magazine.

“Fraud Week immediately resonated. It wasn’t just a campaign, but a global movement that aligned perfectly with our values and aspirations. We saw it as a platform to amplify our voice in the fight against fraud and to embed ethical consciousness more deeply into our culture.”

Kanniah and the Kenanga team wanted to go big and bold for Fraud Week. Kanniah had been an athlete and is a strong believer in merging play with education to engage people.

“We wanted to create something memorable, inclusive and fun. Something that would spark curiosity and conversation,” says Kanniah.

In 2017, Kenanga’s Fraud Awareness Week Games were born. Kenanga employees, external regulators and industry professionals came together to participate in entertaining activities and challenges that kept anti-fraud education at the forefront. Through the years, the format of the games evolved and expanded in scale, but learning remained at its center.

In 2024, Kenanga celebrated its 8th Annual Fraud Awareness Week Games. It grew to include 147 internal teams from Kenanga and 103 external teams with participants across Southeast Asia, India, and even Europe and Africa. It caught the attention of the Malaysian Book of Records, which then presented Kenanga with the recognition of Most Participations in Fraud Awareness Games. Kanniah also came away with two recognitions: First Malaysian elected to the ACFE Board of Regents and First Southeast Asian to receive the ACFE’s Outstanding Achievement in Community Service Award.

Reflecting on these achievements, Kanniah says, “It was a beautiful mix of pride and gratitude. We didn’t start the games to chase accolades; we started them to make a difference. To see that purpose honored in such a meaningful way was incredibly rewarding.”

Looking ahead

During Fraud Week 2023, a record number of supporters joined this cause, with 1,791 organizations from 148 countries pledging their support. And while it’s still early, it’s possible that Fraud Week 2025 supporters could break that record.

My hope is that Fraud Week will continue to grow, to the point where it will be standard operating procedure at organizations throughout the world to spend this week focused on raising fraud awareness.

Some of the events already on the calendar for 2025 include multicity events from KPMG India, a full day of fraud awareness training from the ACFE Washington Metro Chapter and a summit in Singapore named “What the Fraud.”

What’s on the agenda for Fraud Week these next few years, following its 25th anniversary?

“My hope is that Fraud Week will continue to grow, to the point where it will be standard operating procedure at organizations throughout the world to spend this week focused on raising fraud awareness,” says Warren. “How great would it be if public policy conferences with world leaders were held every November to discuss the enormous threat of financial crime and how to prevent it?”

There are many more stories from Fraud Week that can be told from across the globe. Fraud Week not only puts a spotlight on anti-fraud resources and information but also showcases people and their tenacity to fight for an important cause by educating and empowering one another. Fraud Week turns citizens into fraud fighters, and not just for one week. It provides people with fraud-fighting knowledge that’ll be shared with friends, loved ones and fellow community members.

Stefanie Hallgren, CFE, is the ACFE’s public information specialist. Contact her at SHallgren@ACFE.com.