Tell us little bit about your current role and relevant qualifications.
I’m a Counter Fraud Specialist for Riverside Housing Association. I passed my accreditation as a Counter Fraud Specialist with Peter Darby Associates in 2017.
Riverside have over 56,000 properties nationally and my role is to investigate cases of unlawful subletting and key selling. I’ve worked for Riverside for over 14 years and it’s great to know that the counter fraud service is able to prevent and detect cases of fraud.
What drew you to counter fraud work?
With so many people on the housing waiting list, it’s essential that housing associations and local authorities protect the asset, ensure properties are not misused and homes go to people who really need them.
What does your average week look like?
A week can be full of traveling nationally as cases can be in Liverpool, Manchester, Hull, London, or Margate. Working on intelligence gathering and visits to obtain information towards a case. All investigation work is toward all cases of unlawful subletting and finding key evidence.
What is your most favourite part of your role?
Identifying an unlawful sublet and ensuring the keys are returned safely. Then we can provide someone with a home who has been waiting on the housing register. This has such an impact on preventing homelessness and protects social housing.
What is the least favourite?
I wish I had more hours in the day, I enjoy my role and sometimes wish I had my own helicopter for work travel (might be quicker).
What has been your biggest career challenge so far and how did you overcome it?
I will be heading into an interim position as the Group Customer Safety Manager role at Riverside. I’m looking forward to this challenge and hope to get the national community safety and counter fraud service on the map even more, with all the amazing work Riverside do.
You hold the ACFS award, what was your favorite part of the learning?
The qualification was the intrinsic part of my role as a counter fraud specialist and Peter Darby guided me through the accreditation. I enjoyed the interactive session in court as it was a great way to learn how a day in court can impact a fraud case.
If you could change one thing about the way we approach investigating fraud, what would it be?
I would like more good news stories to promote great case work and show that unlawful subletting is a national issue. I hope fraud investigators get an opportunity to study for an accreditation to be an ACFS , as this can have a positive impact on detecting and promoting counter fraud.