Ever Dream of Becoming a White Collar Crime Detective

The ACFE has a motto which states that a fraud examiner must look beyond the numbers when conducting fraud investigations. The same goes for you when you are searching a career or job in this industry, because there is so much more opportunity out there then simply being a forensic accountant. But to find these jobs, you have to think outside of the box.

With that said, here are 8 industries in 3 sectors you should consider in your career search to become a financial fraud investigator :

PRIVATE SECTOR

1. Banking
2. Insurance
3. Telcommunications
4. Retail (Loss Prevention)
5. Private Investigations

LAW ENFORCEMENT

6. Local or State Law Enforcement
7. Federal Law Enforcement

REGULATORY

8. State and Federal Regulatory Agencies

In the PRIVATE SECTOR sector, particularly banking, telecommunications, and retail, you have corporate security and or loss prevention departments which serve as the investigative arm of the company. These departments generally consist of investigators who investigate internal thefts and frauds, or even external matters that affect the company. On the low end of the security industry pecking order though you have Loss Prevention specialists. Most of these specialists, or what many stores refer to them as "Store Detectives", work in plain clothes and attempt to detect and apprehend shoplifters. Loss Prevention Detectives generally do not investigate internal thefts that are complex by nature, whereas Corporate Security Investigators do.

However, to become an Investigator for a Corporate Security Department, keep in mind that some companies tend to hire ex law enforcement or experienced security professionals from the outside. On the other hand, if you are without this experience, all is not lost, in that many Corporate Security Departments will either hire within their respective organizations, drawing upon other departments such as audit, compliance, and possibly even human resources, as well as cadidates from the outside. But if you have no work experience or experience in any of these aforementioned areas, it might be good for you to pursue an entry level position in retail security and begin pursuing your CFE designation at the same time.

Another excellent area to consider in the private sector is to work for a Private Investigative firm or become a PI yourself . For further information on becoming a PI as well as training, please refer to one of the modules below or just click the following link now: Learn How to Become a Private Detective

LAW ENFORCEMENT

Starting a career in law enforcement serves as an excellent avenue towards fraud investigation. However, not every aspect of law enforcement will take you there. If your objective is to become an investigator, you should pursue federal law enforcement or state level positions such as the attorney general's office (some states have state bureau of investigation departments) or the county prosecutor's office. Every state is is different, so keep in mind, you must be willing to do your research.

REGULATORY

On a statewide and federal level, there are so many regulatory agencies. You have for instance consumer affairs; state revenue bureaus; casino control commissions, just to name a few. On a federal level you have FDIC, FINRA,SEC, and many others. Within these agencies you can search out positions, be they examining or investigative positions which will in turn provide you a wealth of experience.

You must keep in mind that there are numerous opportunities out there in the field of fraud. Its up to you to research them out and vigilantly pay attention to any and all vacancies.

"I am like any other man. All I do is supply a demand"

Al Capone