The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners is co-sponsoring the third annual National Fraud Awareness Week to be held from August 4 - 10, 2002.

In honor of the event, the Association has launched a new Web site to help educate both businesses and consumers about the threat of fraud and to raise awareness about the impact of fraud and white-collar crime on society.

The site features an online Fraud IQ test that includes ten multiple-choice questions and will give you a final grade when you complete the test.

It is also packed with information for both businesses and consumers.

• The section for businesses includes information about occupational fraud and abuse, tips from VISA on credit card controls, basic fraud statistics, information about merchants' exposure to online fraud, tips for inventors on how to protect their inventions, and newsletter subscriptions for yet more information.

• The section for consumers includes information about identity theft, credit card fraud, telemarketing scams, and investment fraud. The goal is to provide consumers with the resources that can help them both before AND after they have become victims of fraud. Included are tips about Medicare fraud detection and prevention, plus tools to help identify, fight and end securities fraud.

National Fraud Awareness Week is co-sponsored by leading public and private sector supporters, including banks, corporations, associations, publishers, and accounting and consulting firms, such as Deloitte & Touche.

-Rosemary Schlank