Fraud is continuing to increase this year, in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new survey by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.
The report found that 79 percent of anti-fraud professionals have seen an increase in the overall level of fraud as of November, compared to 77 percent in August and 68 percent in May. Thirty-eight percent of the respondents said in November the increase has been significant, compared to 34 percent in August and 25 percent in May.
N Shashidhar is an accomplished VP and Global Platform Head of AssistEdge with an illustrious tenure spanning more than 25 years in the software industry. Not only is he a founding member of EdgeVerve, but he also had the distinction of being a part of the vanguard team that conceptualized and established EdgeVerve as a dynamic product subsidiary of Infosys. Shashidhar's diverse experience in product and platform domains is unparalleled. Throughout his career at Infosys, he has donned various influential roles gracefully, showcasing his expertise across Technology, Client Engagement, and Functional Leadership sectors. Passionate about Strategy and Business Transformation, Shashidhar has left indelible footprints in the sands of business architecture. His remarkable contribution in transforming the Engineering Business and, later, during the nascent stages of Infosys's Products & Platforms business speaks volumes of his strategic acumen and leadership skills. As the Head of Strategy and Operations for the Edge Portfolio, he was at the helm of transforming EdgeVerve. His relentless pursuit of refining the EdgeVerve portfolio strategy has been pivotal in the organization's evolution. Academically brilliant, Shashidhar was bestowed with the University Gold Medal in Engineering. He also holds an MBA from the prestigious Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore. In the realm of software and business transformation, Shashidhar's journey and achievements stand as a beacon of inspiration and a testament to his prowess.
Cyber fraud, payment fraud (such as schemes with debit and credit cards) and identity theft are the three top fraud schemes seeing increases, according to anti-fraud professionals.
The largest increase in observed fraud was in financial statement fraud, with 7 percent more anti-fraud professionals reported seeing financial statement fraud in November, compared to August. That could be because as companies continue to see their profits drop, they feel more pressure to cook the books.
The survey also found 77 percent of anti-fraud professionals report that investigating and preventing fraud is more challenging now, while 71 percent said detecting fraud is more challenging as a result of the pandemic.
ACFE members anticipate the fraud trend will continue, even as vaccines have begun rolling out this week in the U.S. Ninety percent of the survey respondents expect a further increase in the level of fraud over the next 12 months, with 44 percent predicting the change is likely to be significant.
Nearly half (48 percent) of the organizations polled expect to increase their investments in anti-fraud technology, and 38 percent intend to raise the use of fraud-related consultants or other external resources. Budgets for anti-fraud training and professional development are experiencing a similar increase (according to 37 percent of the organizations polled), but nearly one-quarter (24 percent) anticipate a decrease in this area. The budget component most likely to see decreases is travel for anti-fraud staff, which shouldn’t be surprising given the plunging levels of air travel in general over this past year, with 38 percent of the survey respondents expecting a reduction in funds for travel in the year ahead.
