UMD’s Justice for Fraud Victims to Host Business Fraud Prevention Seminar

Digital age-infused financial crimes against businesses are the focus of a free, single-day seminar forthcoming from Justice for Fraud Victims (JFV) at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business in cooperation with the Prince George’s County Police Department’s Financial Crimes Unit.

The seminar, Business Fraud Prevention, takes place 8:30 a.m.- 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3, 2023, at the College Park Marriott Hotel and Conference Center, 3501 University Blvd., E. Adelphi, Md.

Keynote speaker is Stephen Dougherty, a financial investigator and forensic analyst for the Secret Service’s Global Investigative Operations Center. He will join experts from the FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Federal Trade Commission, along with counterparts from UMD Smith and Prince George’s County, to give insights for students and professionals across business and criminology fields.

The seminar will explore the latest financial fraud tactics against businesses and practical counter methods, says JFV director and Smith Accounting and Information Assurance Lecturer Samuel Handwerger. “The digital age is fueling financial crimes against the business community in several ways,” including:

• Business email compromises
• Mortgage wire transfer frauds
• Bank account takeovers
• Ransomware attacks
• Invoice fraud
• Identity theft
• Apartment rental scams
• Embezzlement
• Mail fraud

Dougherty, as keynote speaker, will draw from 15-plus years of investigative experience including pivotal roles surrounding cyber-enabled financial crime, money laundering, human trafficking, identity theft, healthcare fraud, embezzlement, tax and government program fraud and dark web crimes.

The seminar is a product of JFV, a collaboration, launched earlier this year, of UMD Smith and Prince George’s Financial Crimes Unit, along with the State’s Attorney’s Office. The program offers students a unique volunteering opportunity to investigate financial fraud – including against members of vulnerable populations — with local law enforcement officers.

Space is limited for the free seminar. To RSVP and for more information, go to the Justice for Fraud Victims homepage.