Fraud encompasses many things. From Nigerian scams to money laundering to tax evasion, being able to tell a random email from a misplaced Nigerian prince asking for an advance in money with the promise of great riches in return is easy. However, a Ponzi scam is something many may not be able to decipher as easily.

The CMU Fraud Examiners Club is the newly formed group seeking to study and educate others about fraud. Club president Chad Davis discovered his own interest in fraud, dealing with everyday pitfalls like these and exploring their composition, through a forensic accounting class. With fraud being a white-collar crime, many people do not seem to think of it as a big deal unless it happens with large corporations such as Enron, which make national news.

“Most people do not realize that fraud is a crime that is normally committed by your average guy with a wife, kids and a mortgage,” Davis said.

Being able to spot fraud is a skill that is very specific and requires special training. Many different careers are linked to the same task, identifying, preventing and combating fraud. For those in criminal justice, accounting, psychology and business fields, being certified in identifying fraud can be a valuable asset.

“Having the club be a crossroads of different majors is one of our goals,” Davis said.

Davis and club vice president Kevin Osborne are working with the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, ACFE, to become the first college chapter of the association in the state. The ACFE is an internationally recognized association giving people the insight and knowledge on how to find fraud. One of the few remaining obstacles for the CMU Fraud Examiners Club is waiting on the 2013-2014 course catalog for CMU to print to show that there is a fraud specific class being offered on campus.

The club also seeks to give back to the community with a Fraud Awareness Day in late April to give information about the club and explain what fraud is and how it can affect everyday life.

sruffley@mavs.coloradomesa.edu