Fourteen delegates from various companies across the South Pacific attended a three-day workshop on fraud and corruption in Suva last week. Organized by the International Business and Economic Forum (IBE Forum), the event provided participants with insights into various facets of fraud, including traditional schemes such as money laundering and payroll fraud, as well as emerging trends like electronic fraud and the exploitation of artificial intelligence for fraudulent activities.
Facilitator Simon Padgett emphasized that the training aimed to equip attendees with the skills needed to investigate and prevent fraud and corruption within their organizations and government departments. He noted, “Participants were introduced to different investigation processes, focusing on areas such as invoice deception, tender and sales fraud, and payroll fraud.”
Throughout the course, the attendees engaged with videos and case studies and received training on reducing fraud risk within their organizations. They explored the implementation of fraud hotlines, fraud policies, codes of conduct, and methods to identify bribery and corruption.
George Rounds, an accountant from Amalgamated Telecom Holdings (ATH), expressed his gratitude for participating in the workshop. He highlighted the significant lessons learned about the predominant types of fraud, particularly financial statement fraud and corruption. He attended the training to further understand risk management following his recent involvement with the risk team. Additionally, discussions extended to cybersecurity and the rise of AI in the economy.
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