CIPFA counter fraud accreditation reaches a major milestone this week with James Crichton, Counter Fraud Assistant Manager at Ofgem becoming the 100th person to complete one of its accredited qualifications. Following their launch in May 2015, both of the two professional courses, CIPFA Accredited Counter Fraud Specialist (ACFS) and CIPFA Accredited Counter Fraud Technician (ACFT) have proved popular amongst local authorities, charities and public service organisations.
The qualifications, which focus on countering fraud and corruption in public services, are part of the CIPFA Counter Fraud Centre’s educational programme. These are designed to aid organisations in detecting, preventing, and recovering fraud losses.
Welcoming aboard the 100th person to complete an accredited CIPFA counter fraud qualification, Rachael Tiffen, Head of the CIPFA Counter Fraud Centre, commented; “Fighting fraud and corruption remains an ongoing challenge for public services in 2016. One of the first lines of defence against fraud is to adopt a robust counter fraud culture in the workplace, and one of the best ways to do this is to ensure that employees have access to the right skills, knowledge and training. Counter fraud training should be an intrinsic part of good governance within the public sector, so we are really pleased to award James with the Accredited Counter Fraud Technician qualification".
James, who recently completed the qualification, explains; “My organisation was looking for an accredited training package that was well suited for the public sector, and relevant to the types of work we carry out". Being the first time his organisation had undergone training with CIPFA, James was pleased with how the course has expanded his generalist counter fraud skills, in particular conducting investigations, collecting evidence and presenting findings.
"As a team, we have come to learn the importance of logging evidence in investigations, and how to present these findings to the Police and Action Fraud, for example. Theory is one thing, but having the knowledge to take investigations to that next level is what we needed’’.
James highlights the following aspects of the qualification as outstanding:
- using best practice to log evidence and investigation
- being taught by a professional in counter-fraud, with a background in crime specifically
- understanding the wider context of fraud in the UK.
James describes the qualification as both intensive and informative, and believes it has broadened his perspective on fraud and corruption work across the board.
On completion of the ACFT or ACFS, individuals are accredited by CIPFA and the Counter Fraud Professional Accreditation Board.
Other qualifications recently introduced include the CIPFA Certificate in Anti-Bribery and Corruption Studies (CACBS), the CIPFA Certificate in Fraud Risk Management (CFRM) and an adapted ACFT for those working in social housing.
For full details on all our counter fraud and corruption qualifications, click here.