anti-fraud training Archives - John Sileo, Cyber Security Training

Anti-fraud training could keep you from getting peeled like The Onion

The Syrian Electronic Army strikes again, in a case that could have been avoided through anti-fraud training.

Satirical news site The Onion has a reputation for fooling people with its outrageous fake headlines, but earlier this month, it was The Onion’s turn to get tricked. It may not be the Associated Press, but The Onion’s Twitter feed has more than 4 million followers, and that’s undoubtedly part of why the SEA targeted it in another phishing scam that led to that account getting compromised. As it had previously, the SEA used the opportunity to post its own damaging tweets before order was restored (although one questions the wisdom of crafting fake posts for an organization known for being sarcastic anyway).

On its official tech blog, The Onion gave a detailed description of how the hack took place.

Tax Fraud Can Happen With Anyone’s Data…Even Yours

Fraud prevention isn't just about building a wall: It's about making sure you have the right bricks.

During tax season, anyone who sees your pay stubs or tax forms could put them to nefarious use, and could do so without you being aware. As former clients and relatives of one California tax preparer were shocked to find out recently, the stability of their "brick walls" against fraud were filled with weak spots.

Imelda Sanchez of California confessed to using the names and personal data of other people to file fraudulent tax returns. She also used other falsified tax documents to apply for a loan worth more than $1.5 million. Her sentencing is scheduled for May, when she could be slapped with a prison sentence upwards of 30 years or more. As a tax preparer, she was in a unique position to set this plan in motion. Sanchez could also be given a fine around $1.25 million – just a touch under the amount of money she tried to steal.

Anti-fraud training critical to avoiding betrayal, losing trust of customers

The havoc wrought by insider fraud can have far-reaching consequences for both your company and clientele. Several recent examples have proven how damaging fraud can be in the financial sector. But, in truth, there isn’t a single industry today that can afford to forego implementing safeguards.

According to an article at online news source Bank Info Security, one such incident in Ohio earlier this month lead to the collapse of a credit union and a man being sentenced to 37 months in prison for loan fraud and money laundering. About a week prior, two former employees of Chemung Canal Trust Company Bank pleaded guilty to masterminding a seven-year embezzlement scam that cost the bank roughly $325,000.

Insider fraud, also known as friendly fraud, is a difficult topic for many businesses to tackle because it involves trusted employees betraying the companies they are supposed to be – and often appear to be – loyal to. However, the dangers are far too real to be ignored, and fraud detection must be a top priority.