International Fraud Awareness Week

Categories:: Special Interest
Tags:: Awareness Financial Safety
Where:: International
Date change rule:: Week starting with the 3rd Sunday of November
Holiday emoji:: 🚫

International Fraud Awareness Week takes place every third week of November, bringing global attention to the pervasive threat of fraud. This initiative aims to educate individuals and organizations on prevention strategies and detection methods. Join the movement by sharing tips, reporting suspicious activity, and staying informed against evolving scams.

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Expected International Fraud Awareness Week Deals

During International Fraud Awareness Week, the focus shifts from commercial deals to educational resources and prevention campaigns. Organizations like the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) offer free webinars, online courses, and downloadable guides to help consumers and businesses identify and avoid fraud. Many financial institutions and cybersecurity firms, such as Experian and NortonLifeLock, also provide enhanced monitoring services or special discounts on identity protection during this period. We encourage everyone to visit official organizational websites for the latest information and resources to protect themselves and their loved ones.

Platform Guide for International Fraud Awareness Week

Tag National Today (linkedin.com/company/nationaltoday) and use #FraudAwarenessWeek. Share insights on corporate fraud prevention or employee training.

X/Twitter

Mention @NatlToday and use #FraudAwarenessWeek. Post real-time scam alerts or quick tips for spotting phishing attempts.

Facebook

Mention National Today (facebook.com/nationaltoday) and use #FraudAwarenessWeek. Share community-focused content on protecting vulnerable populations from scams.

International Fraud Awareness Week Hero

Joseph T. Wells

Dr. Joseph T. Wells is the founder and Chairman of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE). A former FBI agent, Wells established the ACFE in 1988 to provide education and resources to combat fraud. His pioneering work led to the Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) credential, setting a global standard for fraud prevention and detection professionals. He is widely recognized as a leading authority in the anti-fraud field.

History of International Fraud Awareness Week

Fraud is not a modern invention. Since antiquity, even before money was invented, people have been deceiving each other for personal gain. The first recorded fraud in history was carried out by a Greek merchant, Hegestratos, in 300 B.C. The merchant tried to perform an insurance fraud called bottomry, which would allow him to get a loan using his ship’s floating keel and hull. The insurance had a clause that made the loan void if the ship sinks during the voyage. While trying to drown his ship, he was caught by his crew and passengers, and later drowned as he was trying to escape from them.

Fraud was widespread during the ancient Roman era, especially in the government, where senior public officials participated in thefts and fraudulent tax collection. A famous fraud scheme of that era was that of the Praetorian Guard in 193 A.D. As bodyguards to the Roman emperor, Pertinax, they had him murdered and offered the throne to the highest bidder. But the Guard had no right to the throne, and the buyer learned that at his peril.

As the Master of the Royal Mint in the 17th century, Sir Isaac Newton faced multiple challenges of fraud that kept him busy throughout his tenure. He was also a victim of the earliest, most prominent investment crashes, the South Sea Bubble. During that period, there was a startup mania ongoing, with everyone rushing to invest in one innovation or the other without understanding what they were investing in. Those ventures never floated, and people lost a fortune to the bubble.

The 18 and 19 centuries had their fair share of big fraud cases, including the Mississippi Bubble, William Duer fraud bubble that almost crashed the New York market, Ulysses S. Grant and Daniel Drew cases, and the 1929 stock market crash. These fraud cases led the U.S. government to create the Securities and Exchange Commission.

With the advent of technology, fraud became more complicated for security agencies to track. Major fraud cases of the 21st century include the FIFA bribery and corruption scandal, Bernie Madoff’s Ponzi scheme, Enron scandal, and Huawei fraud case. Fraud is not only limited to individuals. Big businesses are also victims. Even the likes of Facebook and Google are not left out. As technology advances, we can definitely expect fraud to grow. Individuals, businesses, and governments will have to put measures to minimize the risks of being defrauded.

International Fraud Awareness Week timeline

300 B.C.

The First Known Fraudster is Revealed

Hegestratos, a Greek shipping merchant, becomes the first known fraudster when he attempts to commit a bottomry fraud.

1934

SEC is Created

After the 1929 stock market crash, which leads to the Great Depression, the U.S. government creates the SEC

2004

There is a Rise in Data Breaches

The DSW Shoe Warehouse’s 1.4 million credit card breach leads to the big boom age of data breaches.

2008

The Biggest Ponzi Scheme is Committed

Bernie Madoff commits the biggest Ponzi scheme, swindling investors of about $64.8 billion.

How Businesses Can Celebrate International Fraud Awareness Week

Businesses can play a crucial role in International Fraud Awareness Week by promoting internal and external vigilance. Companies can host employee workshops on cybersecurity, data protection, and recognizing phishing attempts. For customers, consider sharing educational content on common scams relevant to your industry, or offer free resources like checklists for secure online transactions. Financial institutions might organize community outreach events, while retail businesses could display posters with tips for safe shopping. Emphasize transparent communication and robust security measures to build customer trust and deter potential fraudsters.

International Fraud Awareness Week FAQs

When is International Fraud Awareness Week?

International Fraud Awareness Week 2026 runs from Sunday, November 15 through Saturday, November 21. It’s a critical time for individuals and organizations to unite against fraud.

How much money is lost to fraud annually?

Globally, the cost of fraud is staggering, estimated to be trillions of dollars annually across various sectors. The ACFE’s 2024 report found organizations lose roughly 5% of their revenue to fraud each year.

Who observes International Fraud Awareness Week?

Thousands of organizations, including corporations, government agencies, non-profits, and universities across more than 100 countries, participate in International Fraud Awareness Week. The ACFE spearheads this global initiative.

What are the most common types of fraud?

Common types of fraud include identity theft, phishing scams, credit card fraud, investment scams, and imposter scams (e.g., government or tech support impersonations). These schemes often target individuals through digital channels.

How to Observe International Fraud Awareness Week

Educate your network on anti-fraud measures
If you are knowledgeable on anti-fraud measures, why not share that knowledge with your network? Even if you are not, you can easily do online research to educate yourself and share what you have learned. Who knows, your information may prevent someone from being a victim of fraud. Outline what you would like to talk about and include informative images. Then share this information by posting on Twitter or other social media platforms.
Conduct a fraud check-up for your organization
As either an employee or an employer, you should do your part in safeguarding your organization from insider or outsider fraud. That involves performing a fraud check-up to identify weak points in your organization’s security and present the findings to the right people to develop a proper course of action. Check the International Fraud Awareness Week’s website or any other online security resource for fraud check-up tools.
Host an International Fraud Awareness Week event
Another way you can observe International Fraud Awareness Week is to organize a seminar at your workplace or in your community. Identity the theme for the event and develop an agenda – ensure that they align to fraud awareness. Invite expert speakers and inform your coworkers or people in your community about the event details. Remember to tag International Fraud Awareness Week for them to showcase your event on their events page.

5 Interesting Facts About Fraud

While identity fraud reduced, fraud’s cost increased
Although cases of identity fraud have declined over the years, the amount criminals generate from identity fraud has increased.
Corruption ranks top in fraud
Corruption ranks as the second most common type of fraud in the world, including the United States.
The aged are doorstep fraudsters’ target
According to statistics, 85% of the victims of doorstep fraud are over 65.
One in 10 adults are victims
Statistics provided by the Federal Trade Commission revealed one in ten adults falls victim to fraud yearly.
Children’s identities are also stolen
Statistics show that about 1.3 million children’s identities get stolen using the internet and social media platforms each year.

Why International Fraud Awareness Week is Important

Fraud Awareness and prevention helps to minimize financial loss
Yearly, organizations and individuals lose trillions of dollars to fraud of various forms, and that’s because they aren’t adequately educated on fraudsters’ tactics or set the necessary measures in place to safeguard against scams. Organizations and individuals can avoid future and long-term losses by adequately acquainting themselves with fraud strategies and investing in security and fraud prevention (for businesses).
International Fraud Awareness Week can help you become familiar with the best practices on fraud prevention
During International Fraud Awareness Week, anti-fraud professionals from different industries and sometimes countries come together to share information and knowledge with interested individuals and the larger business community. By participating in these gatherings, you can gain knowledge on fraud-prevention best practices.
Fraud Awareness and prevention can enhance customer trust
Fraud can be damaging to an organization’s reputation. It has reduced some organizations’ market share as customers are less reluctant to do business with them. Fraud has even caused some businesses to shut down. By taking the proper fraud prevention measures, you can boost customer trust in your business.