Fraudsters Unmasked: Fraud Red Flags – January 2026

Description

$150 (per person) includes an online webinar for 2 hours of CPE credit

Behind every major fraud case lies a trail of missed warning signs or signals that something wasn’t quite right. In Fraudsters Unmasked: Fraud Red Flags, we shine a light on those signs before they become scandals. This dynamic live webinar empowers government auditors and leaders to detect danger early, respond with insight and authority, and cultivate an ethical culture that stops fraud before it starts.

Major Topics Covered:

Recognizing Fraud Red Flags

• Define fraud red flags as warning signs, not proof of fraud
• Explain why awareness and skepticism matter
• Review main fraud types: asset misappropriation, corruption, financial statement fraud
• Highlight key behavioral red flags like lifestyle changes or control issues

Lessons from the Fraudsters

• Explore cases: Rita Crundwell, Tiffany Vo, Sandy Jenkins, Theranos, Enron, Wells Fargo, WorldCom
• Identify red flags and weak controls in each example
• Discuss cultural and leadership factors that allowed fraud to continue
• Summarize lessons learned and warning patterns

Building a Fraud-Resistant Environment

• Reinforce key control principles like segregation of duties and mandatory vacations
• Connect prevention to strong culture and ethical leadership
• Introduce red flag checklists and fraud response tools
• Conclude with practical steps for auditors and management

Learning Objectives:

• Identify behavioral and organizational red flags indicating potential fraud or unethical activity
• Review real-world fraud cases to understand how weak controls and culture enable misconduct
• Determine internal controls and governance measures to prevent, detect, and respond to red flags

Program Level: Basic
Field of Study: Auditing (Governmental)
Who Should Attend: Government auditors at every level of experience
Prerequisites: None
Advanced Preparation Required: None
Instructional Method: Webinar (Group Internet Based)
CPE Credit Hours: 2

Date: Tuesday, January 13, 2026
Time: 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Central

Webinar Leader:

Elizabeth McDowell, CPA CIA

Elizabeth McDowell, CPA, CIA has nearly 20 years of audit experience and is the founder of Audit Forward, an innovative internal audit consulting and training firm. Elizabeth is passionate about advancing and advocating for the internal audit profession and was recently recognized as one of the 2023 Internal Audit Beacons by Richard Chambers. Elizabeth makes auditing and training fun (no, really!) with the help of her mascot, Audie the Internal Otteror. In addition to training and consulting, Elizabeth is an adjunct Professor of Accounting at Front Range Community College.

Elizabeth’s most recent industry experience was at Achieve, where she was Sr. Director, Audit Strategy; prior to that, she held internal audit leadership roles at Elevations Credit Union, Fidelity Investments, and Xcel Energy after first starting her career at Ernst & Young.

Questions? You can find our FAQ here.

To see a breakdown of how many polls and minutes of attendance are required for this webinar, see this page.