Are you using online resources in your internal and external investigations to your best advantage? Presented in non-technical terms, Investigating on the Internet:
Research Tools for Fraud Examiners will teach you how to use the internet to find and follow leads, and make your fraud examinations more effective.
With a better understanding of the information available online, you can increase the efficiency and success of your fraud examinations. In this seminar, you will learn how to locate evidence online using search engines, commercial
databases and social media sites. This seminar will also discuss methods for conducting international due diligence, give an overview of emerging trends such as cryptocurrencies and the dark web, and more. The instructor will put these
resources into a fraud investigation context while also covering the important considerations for fraud examiners carrying out online investigations.
Please note, all
attendees should bring a laptop or tablet to use in class.
Upcoming Courses
No courses are scheduled at this time. Please view our Calendar of Events for other upcoming seminars.
You Will Learn How To:
Conduct fraud examinations using the Internet efficiently and legally
Create advanced searches on popular search engines
Search public record sources and commercial databases online
Obtain information from international organizations and entities
Mine social networking sites, such as Facebook and LinkedIn, for data in your investigation
Analyze the evidence you have found in the context of an investigation
Understand the implications of emerging areas of internet technologies for fraud investigations
Identify techniques for extracting information about websites and IP addresses
Fees
Members: $795
Non-Members: $995
CPE Credit
16
Field of Study
Information Technology
Course Level
Overview
Prerequisite
None
Advanced Preparation
None
Delivery Method
Group-Live
Full Course Outline
Investigating on the Internet
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DAY ONE
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DAY TWO
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| 7:30 a.m. - 8:00 a.m. |
Registration - Breakfast Pastries |
Breakfast Pastries |
| 8:00 a.m. - 9:20 a.m. |
Introduction and Important Considerations
Today, a wealth of information is easily accessible to the fraud examiner online. Many of us are aware of the major search methods and websites, but there are more advanced methods and websites that specialize in areas most of us have never heard of. However, before beginning an investigation, investigators should be aware of the legal issues that can affect or restrict investigations. This opening session looks at various investigative scenarios and discusses some legal issues that examiners face and strategies to address them.
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Making Connections Using Technical Information Every computer or device connected to the internet and every website have identifying information assigned to them that allows the internet to route traffic and function. Most of this information is easily accessible and can be used for several valuable purposes related to fraud investigation. This session covers this information, how to find it and what you might uncover along the way.
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| 9:20 a.m. - 9:35 a.m. |
Break |
Break |
| 9:35 a.m. - 10:55 a.m. |
Beginning Internet Investigations
Start your investigation using the broadest and most accessible internet search tools, such as Google and Bing. This block will teach you how to take elemental searches to the next level and get a higher-quality results. Learn about proximity searches, customized alerts, search operators and other features most users never employ.
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International Due Diligence
Fraud has become borderless, and it can originate from anywhere. An integral skill for a modern fraud examiner is the ability to effortlessly cross international borders while tracking down essential information. The internet can help with this in many ways. With specialized search sites, obtaining information about foreign organizations or individuals is not as problematic as it once was. In this session, you will see what information is available and how to access it for your needs.
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| 10:55 a.m. - 11:10 a.m. |
Break |
Break |
| 11:10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. |
Public Records and Commercial Databases
Today, everything is kept as an electronic record. Most of what a fraud examiner is looking for in public records can be accessed online—no more weary days in the depths of city hall or some courthouse. But how do you find what you are looking for? What can you expect to find? This block outlines what is available and where. The limitations of these records are also discussed.
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Taking the Internet as a Resource to the Next Level
In this block, participants will explore a number of tools and resources that can significantly aid an investigation if the examiner knows where and how to look. Learn how to fully utilize images and maps, search online marketplaces, inspect a website's history and aggregate the information you use on a daily basis.
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| 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. |
Group Lunch |
Lunch on Own |
| 1:30 p.m. - 2:50 p.m. |
Investigating Social Media
Fraud examiners can uncover many aspects of a case with a good working knowledge of how these websites encourage the sharing of personal information. Social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and many more can be sources of investigative data to the fraud examiner who knows how to mime them for data.
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Putting the Pieces Together
This session takes all the tools and resources, and concepts discussed in the seminar and illustrates how effective they can be when they all come together in a fraud investigation context. A case study demonstrates the application of strategies from the seminar to determine the credibility of a serious allegation. Then, steps of the fraud examination methodology are discussed in the context of these tools and resources.
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| 2:50 p.m. - 3:05 p.m. |
Break |
Break |
| 3:05 p.m. - 4:25 p.m. |
Emerging Trends in Internet Investigations
As cryptocurrencies and the dark web become more significant facilitators of fraud and other crimes, fraud examiners need to understand how they work, how to access them and how to potentially leverage them in an investigation. This session covers cryptocurrencies, the dark web and the Internet of Things from the perspective of their relation to fraud and investigations.
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Putting It to Good Use: Practical Exercises In this session, you will begin to put what you have learned to work in a case study developed specifically for this course. You will begin to look into and analyze the activities of suspects by searching for hints and clues they have posted on the internet. If you have brought your laptop, then you can work alongside the instructor and take a hands-on approach to the practical problem.
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Event Details
Event Cancellation Policy
Our
cancellation policy is intended to keep costs low for attendees. Due to financial obligations incurred by ACFE, Inc. you must cancel
your registration prior to the start of the event. Cancellations received less than 14 calendar days prior to an event start date are subject to a $100 administrative fee. No refunds or credits will be given for cancellations received
on or after the start date of the event. Those who do not cancel and do not attend are responsible for the full registration fee. Should an event be cancelled or postponed by the ACFE due to unforeseen circumstances, ACFE will process
a full refund of registration fees within 30 days of such circumstances becoming known. ACFE will attempt to notify affected customers by phone and email after it determines cancellation is necessary.
Satisfaction Guarantee
ACFE seminars are unmatched in scope and effectiveness and backed by our unconditional satisfaction guarantee. If you attend an ACFE event and are not completely satisfied, please contact an ACFE Member Services Representative at
MemberServices@ACFE.com or call (800) 245-3321 / +1 (512) 478-9000.
The
Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, Inc. is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards
of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website:
www.nasbaregistry.org.
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