Dannible & McKee readies for virtual fraud prevention conference

Dannible & McKee, LLP, headquartered at 221 S. Warren St. in Syracuse, will host a virtual fraud-prevention conference on Sept. 22. (ERIC REINHARDT / CNYBJ)

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Two representatives from insurance firm Haylor, Freyer & Coon, Inc. are among the presenters at a virtual fraud-prevention conference that Syracuse–based accounting firm Dannible & McKee, LLP is set to host on Sept. 22 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The “uncertainty and disruption” that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused has also […]

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Two representatives from insurance firm Haylor, Freyer & Coon, Inc. are among the presenters at a virtual fraud-prevention conference that Syracuse–based accounting firm Dannible & McKee, LLP is set to host on Sept. 22 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

The “uncertainty and disruption” that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused has also created opportunity for crime and fraud, the firm said in an email about the fraud conference. 

Businesses are faced with “increased risks” from remote access and growing use of electronic transactions, along with the “rising revenue losses due to fraudulent activities,” Dannible & McKee noted. 

In the conference, participants can learn about fraudulent threats amid the pandemic crisis and about steps they can take to minimize their exposure and protect their business.

Presentations

Leigh Balcom, a business & planning manager at M&T Bank, will speak on the topic, “Fraud Threats to a Business in a Remote Environment.” It’s a discussion on threats that may impact a business. Topics include the current fraud landscape, trends in payment fraud, social engineering, and best practices for safeguarding one’s company and customer data.

Another topic, called “Cyber Liability – Proactive and Reactive Protection,” will focus on how cyber-crime is “quickly becoming one of the most intimidating threats the business community has ever seen.” Businesses worldwide watch as their networks are locked down, Bitcoin ransom is requested, information is stolen, and the personal data of customers and employees is compromised. As technological integration continues, these incidents are becoming “more and more common.” Through real-life examples, this presentation aims to educate attendees on how businesses can proactively prepare for cyber events by implementing the proper insurance and risk-management strategies.

Two representatives from Haylor, Freyer & Coon — Anto Almasian, risk-management advisor, and Steve DeRegis, senior VP/risk-management advisor — will handle the presentation.

In addition, Christopher Didio and Sean Daughton, audit partners at Dannible & McKee, will speak on the topic, “Don’t Lose Control During COVID-19.”As companies adjust to the “new normal” of remote operations during the COVID-19 crisis, maintaining focus on the effective operation of internal controls is “critical.” In this session, the Dannible & McKee audit partners will provide insight into COVID-19 focused fraud trends and the new fraud risks arising in the current landscape and offer practical considerations to ensure internal controls are operating effectively.

Brian Johnson, also an audit partner at Dannible & McKee, will speak on the topic, “5 Most Scandalous Fraud Cases of 2019.” “Fraud, sadly, never seems to be on the decline — fraudsters come up with new ways to defraud their victims every year. With so many notable schemes, it’s hard to narrow down those that take the cake as the most scandalous. In this presentation, we will count down the top five that shook the world in 2019, according to Fraud Magazine,” Dannible & McKee explained. 

Eric Reinhardt: