Midwest Fraud Investigators Network

Special Agents Association is partnering with Midwest Fraud Investigators Network for this year’s Annual Fraud Conference.  

Register by May 10th at https://mfrin.org/2023-conference

We are back to an in person conference this year at –

College of DuPage
SSG Miller Homeland Security Education Center
425 Fawell Boulevard
Glen Ellyn IL 60137

Registration and Continental breakfast at 8am.

Topics this year –

Business Email compromise and cyber related issues
FBI Supervisory Special Agent Pam McCarthy
FBI Special Agent Matt Osegard

Current Mail Theft Trends and Check Washing
US Postal Inspector Colin Ragland
US Postal Inspector Jerry Phillips

Cyber Fraud Trends and Illicit Use of Digital Assets
Nick Schlereth, Special Agent, United States Secret Service
Mike Rostescu, Special Agent, United States Secret Service

Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency 101
Brian Yoshino, Cybersecurity Advisor, CISA Region 5, Chicago
Charles DuShane, Protective Security Advisor, CISA Region 5, Chicago

$95 per person, or $75 if you are a dues paid member of MFIN or SAA

The Annual Fraud Conference will be in person this year on May 17th 8 to 4pm.

We’ll be co-hosting it with Special Agents Association. More details will be coming soon!

Location:

College of DuPage
Homeland Security Training Institute
425 Fawell Boulevard
Glen Ellyn IL 60137

Click here to register!

Presented by C-T Watch

You may be eligible for up to 7 CPE

May 18th – 8:45am to 12:30pm

Open Source Intelligence (OSINT)

C-T Watch, Inc. provides specialized open source (OSINT) training. Let us teach you to become OSINT experts.  We will train you in the art and science of digital investigations by guiding you to the hidden doors of social media and illuminating the dark corners of the web. Gain the competitive advantage and experience the C-T Watch, Inc. training curriculum, designed to empower all levels of technical aptitude. No coding, no hacking, just the latest in open source intelligence techniques. Knowing and understanding how to effectively access the largest source of archived information of all time is our specialty, let us pass it on to you.  Understanding open source intelligence is more vital than ever, making our training a necessity for law enforcement, educators, businesses, leaders and security professionals alike.

The Exploitation & Weaponization of Your
Personal Data By Criminal Actors—Digital Exhaust

This course identifies possible adversaries and the techniques that they use against us to learn more about us in an effort to use our own data as a weapon. Through this course, we will discuss possible adversaries, motives, and basic techniques used. The journey then moves to a discussion about leveraging false, partially false, and truthful data on social media and the internet at-large. Here, the participants will learn about data minimization in addition to the use of disinformation and deception in an effort to reduce their attack surface. The participants will then be taken on a survey of social media and accounts across the internet with a specific emphasis on how an adversary may identify them on more than social media, possibly leading to more accounts being compromised. The session will conclude with the participants learning how to be more secure online from the lens of an Open-Source Intelligence investigator and considerations when choosing secure technologies.  Topics:  1). High level OSINT discussion to understand adversaries and their normal techniques. 2). Disinformation and Deception on a personal level. 3). OPSEC Techniques – Social Media and Internet Accounts. 4). OPSEC Techniques – Leveraging secure technologies.

May 19th – 8:45am to 12:00pm

Insider Threat Awareness

This introductory course is designed for corporations and critical infrastructure and key resources (CIKR). This course is an introduction to how to best assess the needs of your organization, and the general first steps to form an insider threat program. Discussions will center around building something with minimal or no budget. Definitions, scope, industry standards, best practices, factors to consider before you start, planning and implementations tips are included. Additionally, we will cover why there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach for insider threat programs, and why you need to factor in your organization’s culture. This course covers the following: -Case studies -Strategy and Planning -Use of an Insider Threat Steering Committee -Program definitions and scope -How to start a program without a budget.

On October 20th and 21st, the Midwest Fraud Investigators Network will once again host a virtual conference.

We have a great lineup of speakers. Once again, the conference will occur over two days. Each day will consist of a morning session from 8:30 to 12:30. Cost for attendance will be $75. Register online here.

Here are our presenters:

Erik Shiffman, ASAC FBI Chicago – Ransomware: History and Trends

A brief examination of how ransomware has evolved into its current state and where it’s going next. This examination will include ransomware origins, evolving trends and obstacles, as well as basic mitigation efforts. Additionally, I will also discuss how best to involve your local FBI Field Office for critical incident response purposes.

 

Holly Zielke and Claudia Kemple, IL Department of Aging – Adult Protective Services—Elder Abuse and Financial Exploitation

The Illinois Adult Protective Services (APS) Program is the state designated agency directed to investigate and respond to reports of abuse, neglect, self-neglect and financial exploitation of adults aged 18-59 year of age with a disability and adults aged 60 years of age and older.  Financial exploitation is one of the most reported and substantiated types of abuse that Adult Protective Services addresses.  In this presentation, we will review how APS are provided and how APS collaborates with other professions in the protection of vulnerable adults.

Ryan Duquette, ACFE RSM Canada—Through the Looking Glass

“Through the looking glass” is a metaphorical expression meaning: on the strange side, in the twilight zone, or in a strange, parallel world. While the internet can be considered a strange, parallel world, it can also be an informative, interesting, yet scary place when conducting different types of investigations. There are various technologies and methods that you can use to protect your identity and information while conducting internet-based investigations. This session will illustrate these technologies and methods to keep you safe when investigating online.

You will learn how to:

Identify the methods criminals use to find your data.
Compare various technologies and software tools to protect your identity while investigating online.
Examine various methods to employ to hide your own tracks.

Tony Paixão—Wicklander-Zulawski Associates – The Anatomy of the Investigative Interview

The investigative interview is more than a conversation—it’s a strategy. To maximize on the evidence uncovered from an extensive investigation, the investigator needs to curate the appropriate interview approach that leverages rapport, strategic questioning, and self-control. In this presentation, we will explore what components promote an “effective” investigative interview, we will discuss how to formulate a calculated line questioning that’s focused on eliciting the maximum amount of information and we will discuss the importance of keeping the most important variable in the exchange under control—yourself.