Effective Fraud Management with Fraud Operations Centre of Excellence 

Banking and financial frauds have existed for quite some time; over the years, these frauds have become more sophisticated. The advancement of technology in providing innovative services, combined with the explosive growth in internet banking, has permanently altered the business landscape and how banks manage this risk. Various channels, such as online banking, credit/debit card transactions, and identity theft, are exploited for fraudulent activities. Weak internal controls, non-compliance with procedures, and outdated systems can increase the risk of fraud in banks. Banks must adopt emerging technology and tools for efficient fraud detection to address this. Skilled resources are essential for effective fraud management, demonstrating a commitment to anti-fraud measures and regulatory compliance. This helps enhance fraud deterrence and shows regulators an enterprise-wide commitment to enforcing an effective anti-fraud strategy.

Why is it essential to have skilled resources to address fraud operations

• Detection and Prevention: Skilled resources like fraud analysts are trained to identify suspicious patterns and behaviors that may indicate fraudulent activities. They use advanced tools and techniques to detect potential fraud and take proactive measures to prevent it.
• Risk Mitigation: Fraud operations professionals are equipped with the knowledge and expertise to assess and mitigate risks associated with banking fraud. They analyze fraud trends, implement fraud prevention strategies, and develop robust internal controls to minimize the likelihood and impact of fraud incidents.
• Investigation and Recovery: In the unfortunate event of fraud, skilled resources play a crucial role in investigating the incident, gathering evidence, and working with law enforcement agencies to apprehend the perpetrators. They also assist in recovering the stolen funds or assets, thereby minimizing the financial losses incurred by the bank and its customers.
• Regulatory Compliance: Banks are subject to various regulatory requirements and guidelines to prevent and combat fraud. Skilled resources ensure that the bank’s fraud operations comply with these regulations, reducing the risk of penalties and reputation damage.
• Customer Trust and Confidence: Effective management of fraud operations instills confidence in customers that their financial transactions and personal information are secure. Skilled resources develop strategies to protect customer data, educate customers about potential fraud risks, and provide timely assistance and support in case of fraudulent incidents. This enhances customer trust and loyalty.

The SLK Fraud Operations Centre of Excellence (FCOE)

The SLK Fraud Operations Centre of Excellence (FCOE) is a specialized framework that centralizes and enhances fraud management efforts. It is built as a knowledge academy governing the organization’s financial crime/fraud accounts. The FCOE is dedicated to detecting, preventing, and responding to fraud incidents and safeguarding organizations and their customers through skilled professionals, advanced processes, and technology.

Key Focus areas

• Right skill for business
• Business steady state
• Domain & Process training
• Leadership Development
• Industry-relevant best practices
• Process transformation & Benchmark

The SLK Fraud Centre of Excellence Approach

The Fraud Centre of Excellence (CoE) approach is a strategic framework that organizations can adopt to centralize and optimize their fraud prevention and detection efforts. It establishes a dedicated team with specialized skills, processes, and technologies to combat fraud and protect against financial losses.

• Skill Analysis — Skill analysis assesses the client’s capabilities and process skills, identifies gaps, and makes resources to match skill sets. It sets the knowledge foundation according to the estimated skill and nature of business and enhances fraud prevention, detection, and response through focused skill development and resource optimization.
• Process and control — The FCoE approach implements robust processes and controls to study upstream and downstream processes and assess legal/regulatory compliances. It defines process metrics and SLA guidelines, operations Excellence guidelines, and six sigma methodologies and enables process performance review and governance. It establishes standardized procedures, implements stringent internal controls, facilitates failure mode & effect analysis, builds controls, and leverages advanced technologies to detect and prevent fraud.
• Industry Trends and Technology — The FCoE approach embraces industry trends and leverages technology to combat fraud. It stays updated with emerging fraud threats, studies ongoing frauds, and recommends changes to be incorporated into operations, processes, and procedures. It implements advanced analytics, AI, and machine learning tools, provides constant inputs to the rule engine, and collaborates with industry partners to proactively address evolving fraud challenges and protect organizations from financial losses.
• People and skill set — This approach prioritizes people and skill sets, assesses the expertise needed, and maps skill sets to the value chain. It also analyzes business skills and the existing workforce, provides targeted training, development, and knowledge foundation, and recruits professionals with the necessary skills. Process training and certification, Industry relevant certification, and regulation compliance awareness are integral to this approach to ensure a capable team to combat fraud effectively.
• Industry Trends and Technology  — The FCoE approach stays abreast of industry trends and implements best practices across accounts. It also facilitates Six Sigma and Lean projects, industry trends, inter-account recommendations, and industry-renowned academy tie-ups. Case Studies are circulated, and process capability studies decks and adopts process transformations and RPA solutions to proactively address emerging fraud threats and safeguard organizations against financial losses.

Why SLK Fraud Centre of Excellence?

• Fraud or Financial crime is a niche skill in the industry and is very dynamic
• Fraud operations need industry and domain expertise to run the operation
• The FCOE gives confidence in SLK’s capabilities
• Centralized expertise and knowledge sharing
• Enhanced fraud management and response capabilities
• Proactive fraud prevention through staying updated on industry trends
• Structured governance and consistent application of best practices across the organization
• Faster turnaround from transition to steady state
• Expertise in support of running seamless operations
• Ability to anticipate and address emerging fraud threats
• Improved effectiveness in detecting, investigating, and mitigating fraud incidents