Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India — CrFA India, in collaboration with Findfin Foundation, has successfully conducted its first joint workshop under the Fraud, Forensics & Scam Awareness Campaign, marking another step in efforts to promote fraud awareness and forensic education among students, educators and professionals in India.

The inaugural workshop was held at the Combined Institute of Medical Sciences & Research (CIMS & R) in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, and brought together participants from different academic and professional backgrounds.

The program was attended by management students, healthcare professionals, information technology students and members of the institute’s faculty. The diverse participation reflected the growing relevance of fraud and scam awareness beyond the traditional fields of accounting and finance.

Fraud risks have become increasingly important across industries as organizations and individuals rely more heavily on digital transactions, online platforms and technology. Healthcare institutions, businesses and professionals can all become targets of financial fraud, identity-related scams and other forms of deception.

The Fraud, Forensics & Scam Awareness Campaign seeks to help address this challenge through educational programs that introduce participants to fraud risks, forensic approaches and the importance of professional knowledge in fraud prevention and investigation.

Introducing Participants to Forensic Accounting

During the workshop, participants were also introduced to the Certified Forensic Accountant (CrFA) certification and the professional education programs offered by the Institute of Certified Forensic Accountants Asia Pacific (ICFA AP) and ICFA India.

The orientation provided students, faculty members and professionals with an opportunity to learn more about forensic accounting as a professional discipline and the role forensic accountants can play in the detection, investigation and prevention of financial misconduct.

The program also presented the CrFA certification as a possible professional development pathway for individuals who want to strengthen their knowledge and credentials in forensic accounting and related areas.

According to CrFA India, the inaugural activity received a positive response from participants, with several attendees making further enquiries about the certification and professional courses. Additional program information is being provided to interested participants following the workshop.

Building Awareness Across Different Professions

While forensic accounting is commonly associated with accountants and auditors, fraud risks can affect virtually every organization.

The participation of management, IT and healthcare students and professionals at the CIMS & R workshop highlights the value of developing fraud awareness across different disciplines.

Management professionals may encounter fraud risks in financial reporting, procurement, operations and internal controls. IT professionals increasingly play an important role in digital evidence, cybersecurity and technology-related investigations, while healthcare organizations face their own risks involving billing, procurement, claims and financial transactions.

This makes broader fraud awareness an important complement to specialized forensic accounting education.

First Step in a Broader Campaign

The CIMS & R workshop represents the first joint activity conducted by CrFA India and Findfin Foundation under the Fraud, Forensics & Scam Awareness Campaign.

Following the positive response to the inaugural program, the organizations plan to continue the campaign and reach more students, faculty members and professionals through future awareness and educational activities.

The initiative also forms part of CrFA India’s continuing effort to strengthen awareness of forensic accounting and provide professionals and students with access to professional education and certification opportunities through ICFA.

With the first workshop successfully completed in Dehradun, CrFA India and Findfin Foundation hope to build on the program and expand fraud, forensic and scam awareness among academic institutions and professional communities across India.