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Live Webcast Replay

Benford's Law and Other Digital Analysis Techniques


Total Credits: 1.8 including .8 Accounting - Technical, 1 Auditing- Technical

Average Rating:
   8
Categories:
ACPEN Industry Institute |  Accounting and Auditing |  Industry |  Yellow Book
Faculty:
David L. Cotton, CPA, CFE, CGFM
Course Levels:
Basic
Duration:
1.8 Hours
License:
Product Setting: Expires 30 day(s) after program date.

Dates
Please Note: Programs with a ☾ insignia begin after 5pm or air on the weekend.


Description

Numbers and especially the digits within those numbers can conceal a lot of information.  Benford's Law and other digital analysis techniques can be the keys to unlocking that information.  This session will explain what Benford's Law is, how it works, and how it can be used to reveal bogus information and made-up data.  Accountants and auditors should understand how to use this valuable audit tool as well as other digital analysis techniques.  But, if you attend this session, you must promise not to reveal the secret behind these techniques to any fraud perpetrators.

Basic Course Information

Learning Objectives
  • How and why Benford’s Law works (and when it doesn’t)
  • When to apply Benford’s Law
  • Data analysis software that can perform Benford’s Law tests
  • Other valuable digital analysis techniques
  • Cases studies and success stories

Major Subjects
  • Benford’s Law
  • Digital Analysis
  • Data analytics

Course Materials

Faculty

David L. Cotton, CPA, CFE, CGFM's Profile

David L. Cotton, CPA, CFE, CGFM Related Seminars and Products


Dave Cotton is chairman of Cotton & Company LLP, Certified Public Accoun­tants, headquartered in Alexan­dria, Virginia.  The firm was founded in 1981 and has a practice concentration in assist­ing Federal and State government agencies, inspectors general, and government grantees and contractors with a variety of govern­ment program-related assurance and advisory services.  Cotton & Company has performed grant and contract, indirect cost rate, financial statement, financial related, and performance audits for more than two dozen Federal inspectors general as well as numer­ous other Federal and State organizations, programs, activities, and functions. 

Cotton & Company’s Federal agency audit clients have included the U.S. Government Accountability Office, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Transportation Command, U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Capitol Police, U.S. Small Business Administration, U.S. Bureau of Prisons, Millennium Challenge Corporation, U.S. Marshals Service, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  Cotton & Company also assists numerous Federal agencies in preparing financial statements and improving financial management, accounting, and internal control systems.

Dave received a BS in me­chanical engineering (1971) and an MBA in management science and labor rela­tions (1972) from Lehigh University in Bethle­hem, PA.  He also pursued gradu­ate studies in accounting and auditing at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business (1977 to 1978).  He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), and Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM).

Dave served on the Advisory Council on Government Auditing Standards (the Council advises the United States Comptroller General on promulgation of Government Auditing Standards—GAO’s yellow book) from 2006 to 2009.  He served on the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) Anti-Fraud Programs and Controls Task Force and co-authored Managing the Business Risk of Fraud: A Practical Guide.  He served on the American Institute of CPAs Anti-Fraud Task Force and co-authored Management Override: The Achilles Heel of Fraud Prevention. Dave is the past-chair of the AICPA Federal Accounting and Auditing Subcommittee and has served on the AICPA Gov­ernmental Accounting and Auditing Com­mit­tee and the Government Technical Standards Subcom­mittee of the AICPA Profes­sional Ethics Execu­tive Commit­tee.  Dave chaired the Fraud Risk Management Task Force, sponsored by COSO and ACFE and is a principal author of the COSO-ACFE Fraud Risk Management Guide. 

Dave served on the board of the Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants (VSCPA) and on the VSCPA Litigation Services, Professional Ethics, Quality Review, and Governmental Accounting and Auditing Committees.  He is a member of the Association of Government Accountants (AGA) and past-advisory board chairman and past-president of the AGA Northern Virginia Chapter and currently serves on the AGA Professional Ethics Board.  He is also a member of the Institute of Internal Auditors and the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE).

Dave has testified as an expert in governmental accounting, auditing, and fraud issues before the United States Court of Federal Claims and other administrative and judicial bodies. 

Dave has spoken frequently on cost accounting, professional ethics, and auditor fraud detection responsibilities under SAS 99, Consideration of Fraud in a Financial Statement Audit.  He has been an instructor for the George Washington University masters of accountancy program (Fraud Examination and Forensic Accounting), and has instructed for the George Mason University Small Business Development Center (Fundamentals of Accounting for Government Contracts). 

Dave was the recipient of the ACFE 2018 Certified Fraud Examiner of the Year Award (“presented to a CFE who has demonstrated outstanding achievement in the field of fraud examination …  based on their contributions to the ACFE, to the profession, and to the community”); AGA’s 2012 Educator Award (“to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the education and training of government financial managers”); and AGA’s 2006 Barr Award (“to recognize the cumulative achievements of private sector individuals who throughout their careers have served as a role model for others and who have consistently exhibited the highest personal and professional standards”).


Dates

Wed, Nov 13, 2024 - 02:00pm to 03:38pm CST
Wed, Nov 27, 2024 - 08:00am to 09:38am CST
Fri, Dec 06, 2024 - 11:00am to 12:38pm CST
Tue, Dec 17, 2024 - 02:00pm to 03:38pm CST
Sat, Dec 28, 2024 - 08:00am to 09:38am CST
Mon, Jan 06, 2025 - 11:00am to 12:38pm CST
Thu, Jan 16, 2025 - 06:00pm to 07:38pm CST
Sat, Jan 25, 2025 - 08:00am to 09:38am CST
Fri, Feb 07, 2025 - 11:00am to 12:38pm CST
Tue, Feb 18, 2025 - 02:00pm to 03:38pm CST
Fri, Mar 07, 2025 - 08:00am to 09:38am CST
Tue, Mar 25, 2025 - 06:00pm to 07:38pm CDT
Wed, Apr 02, 2025 - 02:00pm to 03:38pm CDT
Sat, Apr 19, 2025 - 08:00am to 09:38am CDT
Thu, Apr 24, 2025 - 06:00pm to 07:38pm CDT
Thu, May 08, 2025 - 02:00pm to 03:38pm CDT
Mon, May 26, 2025 - 08:00am to 09:38am CDT
Fri, Jun 06, 2025 - 11:00am to 12:38pm CDT
Tue, Jun 17, 2025 - 02:00pm to 03:38pm CDT
Sat, Jun 28, 2025 - 08:00am to 09:38am CDT

Additional Info

Basic Course Information

Prerequisites None
Advanced Preparation  None
Designed For

Accountants and auditors at all levels

 


Original Recording Date 12/18/2023
Yellow Book Yes
Course Developer David L. Cotton, CPA, CFE, CGFM
Date Added to Catalog 12/5/2023

Additional Information

Complaint Resolution Policy

Please contact Anne Taylor for any complaints. anne.taylor@acpen.com, (972-377-8199). 


Official Registry Statement

Business Professionals' Network, Inc. is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org


Instructional Delivery Method

Group Internet Based


Course Registration Requirements

Online Registration


Refund/Cancellation Policy

Please contact the ACPEN help desk 1-877-602-9877 or help@acpen.com if you wish to cancel your attendance for a previously purchased webcast and are requesting a refund or transfer. 


Promo Video

Reviews

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Overall:      4.9

Total Reviews: 8