Accounts Payable Fraud Prevention & Detection

Accounts payable is one of the most vulnerable areas in any organization because it controls the flow of money out the door. Every invoice, vendor record, payment approval, bank account change and reimbursement request creates an opportunity for error, abuse or outright fraud. And because AP processes are busy, repetitive and deadline-driven, suspicious activity can hide in plain sight until the loss is already significant.  

AP fraud schemes are wide-ranging and often sophisticated. Fraudsters exploit weak controls through fake vendors, duplicate invoices, altered payment instructions, business email compromise (BEC), ACH and wire payment diversion, inflated expenses, check tampering and employee-vendor collusion. Even well-run organizations are exposed when duties are not properly separated, vendor files go unreviewed or payment changes are approved too quickly.  

In this practical one-hour webinar on accounts payable fraud prevention and detection, you’ll learn how AP fraud happens, where the most common warning signs appear and which internal controls can help prevent losses before they occur. You’ll also see how reporting tools, automation and AI-assisted reviews can help flag unusual patterns and surface exceptions, while keeping human judgment, documentation and approval controls at the center of the process.  

Walk away with practical steps you can put to work immediately to strengthen AP controls, spot suspicious activity and protect your organization from costly payment fraud. 

• Identify the most common AP fraud schemes before they drain company funds  
• Spot red flags hidden in invoices, vendor records, payment requests and employee behavior  
• Prevent fictious vendors and unauthorized vendor changes from entering your payment process  
• Strengthen approvals, segregation of duties and AP internal controls without slowing down your team  
• Use duplicate-payment checks, exception reports and vendor data reviews to detect suspicious activity  
• Protect ACH, wire and check payments from tampering, redirection and business email compromise (BEC)  
• Recognize p-card, travel and expense abuses that often slip through routine review  
• Understand where automation reduces AP fraud risk—and where human judgment is still essential  
• Apply AI-assisted review carefully to summarize exceptions, compare records and surface unusual patterns  
• Know what to do when something doesn’t look right, including how to document and escalate concerns  
• Build a practical AP fraud prevention checklist you can put to work right away 

This accounts payable fraud training is designed for anyone involved in AP processes, financial oversight or payment authorization, including:  

• Accounts payable and accounting professionals  
• Controllers and finance managers  
• Bookkeepers and office managers  
• Payroll and expense administrators  
• Purchasing and procurement staff  
• Internal auditors and compliance professionals  
• Business owners and nonprofit administrators  
• Anyone responsible for approving invoices, maintaining vendor records, reviewing payments or managing expense reimbursements