ACFE Washington Metro Chapter
February 2025 CPE Session (2 NASBA CPEs)
February 11, 2026 (Wednesday; 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM ET)
- ACFE DC Members: Free
- Non-chapter Members: $30
- To be an ACFE DC member, please enroll at http://www.acfedc.org
Agenda:
3:00 – 4:00 PM ET - Session 1: Dredging the Fraud Beneath the Surface
4:00 – 5:00 PM ET - Session 2: Emotions Speak Louder Than Words
Session 1: Dredging the Fraud Beneath the Surface
Presenter: Steve Morang (Spire Consulting Group)
A former CFO at a long established seafood wholesaler managed to steal millions over several years while working in plain sight. Her scheme came to light during a fraud examination that began with what seemed like a simple concern about questionable payroll checks. What unfolded was a detailed look at how one executive used unchecked authority, falsified records and trusted relationships to divert company funds for personal gain. The story also explores the cultural and behavioral conditions that allowed the misconduct to grow and remain hidden for so long.
Learning Objectives:
- Recognize behavioral red flags and decision making patterns that can signal elevated fraud risk in organizations.
- Explain how the Seduction of Fraud framework expands on traditional fraud models to describe perpetrator motivations.
- Describe the importance of proper oversight, segregation of duties and an ethical corporate culture in preventing and detecting fraud.
Session 2: Emotions Speak Louder Than Words
Presenter: Akers Kuo
Online investment scams have evolved into polished performances that use emotional cues rather than financial logic to draw victims in. What often begins as a friendly message from a stranger quickly develops into a coordinated effort involving multiple personas, staged chatrooms and overly positive language designed to build trust. These schemes rely on careful timing and emotional manipulation that make them difficult to detect with traditional fraud monitoring tools. By looking closely at how scammers craft their messages, researchers are uncovering new ways to identify fraud before money ever changes hands.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify the emotional manipulation techniques commonly used in online investment scams.
- Explain how emotional language analysis can enhance fraud detection models beyond traditional transactional monitoring.
- Recognize the structured roles and coordinated tactics scammers use to build trust and guide victims toward fraudulent investments.
Location: Zoom address to be provided after registration.
Field of Study: 2 Specialized Knowledge (Fraud)
Prerequisites: None
Advanced Preparation: None
Program Level: Basic
Delivery Method: Group Internet Based
For attendees eligible for NASBA CPEs, CPE certificates will be administered by ACFE DC.
Who Should Attend?
Fraud, financial and risk management professionals including accountants, attorneys, auditors, and fraud examiners.
NASBA Group Internet-Based CPEs
NASBA requires monitoring for active participation of attendees in group internet-based training to be NASBA CPE-eligible.
- Prior to the event, it is the responsibility of the attendee to acclimate with Zoom functionalities and verify their device has the appropriate Zoom version and configuration that will enable Zoom's polling feature. ACFE DC will not be responsible if the attendee's device or Zoom software is not generating Zoom's polling feature. For more information on Zoom or to request for Zoom support, visit https://www.zoom.com.
- Polling questions will be asked at irregular intervals and may be displayed for less than 60 seconds to comply with NASBA’s monitoring of active participation.
- Attendees must respond to polling questions to be eligible for CPEs. Partial CPEs may be granted based on responses to polling questions.
- Zoom handles must reconcile with the registration name of attendees. Attendees whose Zoom handles do not reconcile with their registration name (first and last names) might not be eligible for NASBA CPEs.
Thank you for your understanding and participation so ACFE DC community members can continue to receive NASBA-eligible CPEs on ACFE DC group internet-based training.
Cancelation Policy:
Full refunds are available anytime when requested prior to 3 days of the event. No refunds will be made for “No Shows” (a “No Show” is a person who registers for a program but who does not cancel registration or attend the program). A registered person may elect to transfer the registration to another person at any time. Cancellations can be made only by email at chapter@acfedc.org. Payments can be electronically made any time prior to the event starts. Unfortunately, we are unable to accommodate "pay at the door" or payment by checks or cash.
Monitoring for Active Participation in Group Internet-Based Training
NASBA requires monitoring for active participation of attendees in group internet-based training to be NASBA CPE-eligible.
- Prior to the event, it is the responsibility of the attendee to acclimate with Zoom functionalities and verify their device has the appropriate Zoom version and configuration that will enable Zoom's polling feature. ACFE DC will not be responsible if the attendee's device or Zoom software is not generating Zoom's polling feature. For more information on Zoom or to request for Zoom support, visit https://www.zoom.com.
- Polling questions will be asked at irregular intervals and may be displayed for less than 60 seconds to comply with NASBA’s monitoring of active participation.
- Attendees must respond to polling questions to be eligible for CPEs. Partial CPEs may be granted based on responses to polling questions.
- Zoom handles must reconcile with the registration name of attendees.
Thank you for your understanding and participation so ACFE DC community members can continue to receive NASBA-eligible CPEs on ACFE DC group internet-based training.
The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) is the world's largest anti-fraud organization with nearly 85,000 members with the mission of reducing the incidence of fraud and white-collar crime. The ACFE Washington Metropolitan Chapter aims to promote fraud detection and deterrence through educational training programs in the National Capital Region.
For additional information regarding Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), please visit http://www.acfe.com.
The Washington Metropolitan Association of Certified Fraud Examiners is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org.