Work with Human Behavior to Avoid Breaches and Cybercrime, Says Cybersecurity Expert

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Work with Human Behavior to Avoid Breaches and Cybercrime, Says Cybersecurity Expert

Organizations continue to operate under a cybercrime misconception about their customers, and it’s costing them a lot of money, said cybersecurity expert Theresa Payton, the Monday luncheon keynote speaker. “The conventional wisdom [in cybercrime and fraud] is that ‘humans are the weakest link … That’s why we have security problems.’ I want to change that conversation now.

“I used to feel that way when I was in the financial services industry,” she said. “I’d say, ‘I wish we could just train our customers on the little bit of what I know. My job would be safer and easier to do, and we’d all be happier.’ We’ve been talking this way for decades. We keep asking ourselves, ‘Why do people click on links? Why do people open attachments? … Why do people make these mistakes?’

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Building a Culture of Whistleblowing in Africa

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Building a Culture of Whistleblowing in Africa

“I hope you are not one of those people who think Africa is a country. Africa is a continent.” Attendees of the session titled “Cultural Orientation and Whistleblowing in Africa,” led by Rabiu Olowo, CFE, got a good chuckle out of this opening statement. During his session, Olowo shared a few factors that influence and affect whistleblowing culture in Africa. Before going into the factors, though, Olowo made sure attendees understood a few basic things about Africa itself and about his background.

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Yes, You Can Measure Integrity

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Yes, You Can Measure Integrity

In their breakout session at the 30th Annual ACFE Global Fraud Conference, Vince Walden, partner, Jonathan Feig, partner, and Arpit Bothra, senior manager, all from the Forensic and Integrity Services unit at EY, laid out a roadmap for effectively measuring integrity within an organization. Feig emphasized at the beginning that this is a difficult task and it isn’t perfect, but he said, “we can’t let perfection get in the way of progress.”

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Ethical Leadership: It’s Not As Easy As You Think

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Ethical Leadership: It’s Not As Easy As You Think

When you think of leadership, what springs to mind? Is it authority? Confidence? Having a vision? Do you think leadership is something assigned to people? Or does it occur naturally? If you’re the leader of a team or department, you might want to stop thinking about your own thoughts and look outward.

“Everybody has their own definition of leadership,” said Bret Hood, retired FBI Special Agent and the director of 21st Century Learning & Consulting, in his Monday-morning session at the 30th Annual ACFE Global Fraud Conference. “Who’s definition most important? … The people you’re serving.”

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Head of U.K. SFO: Diverse Teams Have Led to 3 Life Lessons

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Head of U.K. SFO: Diverse Teams Have Led to 3 Life Lessons

“Fabulous teammates” have taught Lisa Osofsky, the new director of the U.K.’s Serious Fraud Office, three top lessons over the years: 1) Make a clear plan. 2) Listen. 3) Find the truth.

“I have worked with teams over time — teams that evolve because the nature of fraud changed with the flattening of the globe. I have learned from veteran investigators,” said Osofksy, the keynote speaker during today’s opening session. “I have learned from young and eager investigators new to the job. I have learned that two or three or four heads are better than one, especially when we’re unraveling fraud. Let me … try to distill what those teams have taught me.” Osofsky received the Dr. Donald R. Cressey Award for a lifetime of achievement in the detection and deterrence of fraud.

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Heard in the Halls: Stepping Up and Standing Out

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Heard in the Halls: Stepping Up and Standing Out

“I am very excited, not only to network like we’re doing right now at the pre-conference day with the women’s networking group, but also to connect with other people and share ideas. I think the best way for me to learn and grow is to look at the best practices across the country and the world. What are they doing? What could I be doing better?” – Kathy McGuiness, CFE, Auditor of Accounts, State of Delaware

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Leveraging Anti-Money Laundering Controls to Detect and Report Corruption

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Leveraging Anti-Money Laundering Controls to Detect and Report Corruption

The major global corruption scandals that have made headlines in recent years, from Malaysia’s 1MDB scandal to the Russian and Azerbaijani laundromats, illustrate how the associated crimes are dependent upon the ability to launder illicit proceeds across borders. As financial institutions grapple with detecting and preventing money laundering, their efforts are resulting in a more unified concept of risk management. One which no longer views money laundering, bribery and corruption, sanction-evading and other financial crimes as separate issues to be dealt with individually, but as an interconnected spectrum of fraud.

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