Occupation · SOC 13-2099.04
Fraud Examiners, Investigators and Analysts
Obtain evidence, take statements, produce reports, and testify to findings regarding resolution of fraud allegations. May coordinate fraud detection and prevention activities.
Median wage
$80,190
$46,420–$151,780
Projected growth
+3.1%
Average growth
Annual openings
430
per year
Employed (US)
127,450
Job Zone 4
Typical preparation
Considerable preparation
Stackable credential programs
421 mapped
Core skills
WritingActive ListeningSpeakingReading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingComplex Problem SolvingJudgment and Decision MakingActive LearningCoordinationSocial PerceptivenessPersuasionTime ManagementNegotiationMonitoringService OrientationMathematicsManagement of Personnel ResourcesInstructingLearning StrategiesSystems AnalysisSystems EvaluationManagement of Material ResourcesManagement of Financial ResourcesOperations MonitoringProgrammingOperation and ControlTechnology DesignOperations AnalysisTroubleshootingScienceRepairingQuality Control AnalysisInstallationEquipment SelectionEquipment Maintenance
Knowledge areas
English LanguageLaw and GovernmentEconomics and AccountingComputers and ElectronicsAdministration and ManagementMathematicsEducation and TrainingCustomer and Personal ServicePublic Safety and SecurityAdministrativePersonnel and Human ResourcesPsychologyCommunications and MediaTelecommunicationsProduction and ProcessingGeographySales and MarketingForeign LanguageTransportationSociology and AnthropologyEngineering and TechnologyDesignTherapy and CounselingBuilding and ConstructionMedicine and DentistryMechanicalPhilosophy and TheologyHistory and ArcheologyBiologyChemistryPhysicsFood ProductionFine Arts
Technology & tools
ArcSight Enterprise Threat and Risk ManagementBookkeeping softwareBusiness intelligence softwareElectronic health record EHR softwareGuardian Analytics FraudMAPIBM CognosLexisNexisMicrosoft AccessMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft SQL ServerMicrosoft SharePointMicrosoft VisioMicrosoft WordNortonLifeLock cybersecurity softwarePCG Software Virtual ExaminerPythonRSAP Business ObjectsSASSplunk EnterpriseStructured query language SQLTIBCO SpotfireTableauTriZetto QNXTVertafore ImageRight
Representative tasks
Getting InformationAnalyzing Data or InformationWorking with ComputersCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesProcessing InformationMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsDocumenting/Recording InformationUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersScheduling Work and ActivitiesResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesTraining and Teaching OthersProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersDeveloping and Building TeamsJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesThinking CreativelyPerforming Administrative ActivitiesEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationCoaching and Developing OthersMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesStaffing Organizational UnitsSelling or Influencing OthersPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicAssisting and Caring for OthersInspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsPerforming General Physical ActivitiesOperating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentHandling and Moving ObjectsControlling Machines and ProcessesDrafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and EquipmentRepairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Financial documents relevant to a fraud case — gather and organize under direct supervisor guidance within a structured corporate or government investigation unit.Case activity logs and records — create and maintain using standardized database templates under close oversight in an entry-level fraud analysis role.Accounting software and spreadsheet tools — operate to input and retrieve transactional data during routine fraud screening assignments.Written investigation summaries — draft following established report templates with supervisor review before submission in a financial crimes unit.Witness statements — assist in collecting by preparing question lists and taking notes during structured interviews supervised by a senior examiner.Fraudulent activity patterns — recognize using risk management data and analysis software while reviewing flagged transaction reports.Law enforcement coordination protocols — follow by routing documented findings to designated contacts under direction from lead investigators.Legal and regulatory terminology common to fraud investigations — apply correctly when reading case files and government statutes in a compliance environment.Electronic mail and office suite software — use to communicate case status updates and organize investigative materials within a team setting.Active listening techniques — apply during team briefings and witness interviews to accurately capture and document key details in a supervised field assignment.
developing
Financial records from multiple sources — gather, cross-reference, and authenticate with reduced oversight as part of a mid-stage corporate fraud investigation.Suspect and witness interviews — conduct independently using structured questioning techniques to elicit reliable statements in a financial crimes environment.Investigation finding reports — prepare with clear, well-organized prose that meets legal and organizational standards for internal and external audiences.Case databases and investigation logs — manage and update consistently across concurrent active cases within a fraud analysis team.Risk management and business intelligence software — apply to identify anomalies and emerging fraud schemes across large transactional datasets.Investigative efforts — coordinate with law enforcement officers and attorneys by sharing relevant documentation and attending joint case review meetings.Fraud investigation team activities — participate actively by contributing analysis, meeting deadlines, and supporting junior colleagues on assigned cases.Deductive and inductive reasoning — apply to construct logical evidentiary timelines from incomplete financial and operational data in a regulated industry setting.Courtroom testimony preparation — support senior examiners by organizing exhibits, summarizing findings, and rehearsing key points before scheduled hearings.Time management disciplines — apply to balance multiple case workloads and regulatory reporting deadlines within a busy fraud investigations department.
proficient
Complex multi-source financial document sets — analyze autonomously to identify fraudulent schemes, asset concealment, and money-laundering patterns in high-stakes corporate investigations.Formal witness and suspect interviews — lead independently, applying advanced social perceptiveness and persuasion skills to navigate adversarial or uncooperative subjects.Comprehensive written investigation reports — author to a standard suitable for litigation, regulatory submission, and executive stakeholder review without editorial oversight.Non-routine fraud scenarios involving novel schemes — investigate by synthesizing accounting knowledge, legal statutes, and data analytics tools to reach defensible conclusions.Cross-functional investigation teams — lead or direct, assigning tasks, resolving analytical conflicts, and ensuring coordinated case progression across disciplines.Law enforcement agencies and legal counsel — coordinate with strategically, sharing evidence packages and aligning investigative timelines to support prosecution or civil action.Expert court testimony — deliver clearly and confidently, presenting technical financial findings to judges, juries, and opposing counsel in complex fraud proceedings.Information retrieval and database query tools — employ proficiently to surface hidden relationships between entities, accounts, and transactions in large forensic datasets.Fraud risk indicators — monitor systematically across organizational systems, recommending policy or control improvements based on pattern analysis and professional judgment.Instructional guidance — provide to junior investigators on interview methodology, documentation standards, and analytical techniques during active case assignments.
advanced
Enterprise-wide fraud investigation strategy — design and implement, setting methodology standards, technology investments, and risk tolerance frameworks for a large organization or practice.Investigation team structure and professional development — establish by mentoring senior examiners, defining career pathways, and building instructional programs for analysts at all levels.Organizational fraud risk governance — lead by advising executive leadership and boards on emerging threat landscapes, regulatory obligations, and mitigation priorities.Cross-agency and multi-jurisdictional investigations — orchestrate by building sustained relationships with law enforcement, regulatory bodies, and legal counsel at the institutional level.Advanced data analytics and business intelligence platforms — champion adoption of across the fraud function, setting data governance policies and quality standards for investigative use.Complex, high-profile litigation — serve as principal expert witness, delivering authoritative testimony and withstanding rigorous cross-examination on multimillion-dollar fraud matters.Investigation methodology frameworks — author and publish, contributing to professional standards bodies and elevating the field's practice norms beyond a single organization.Organizational accountability culture — shape through integrity-centered leadership, communicating ethical standards and fraud-awareness expectations across business units.Resource allocation and case prioritization — direct at the portfolio level, balancing investigative capacity against organizational risk exposure and regulatory deadlines.Strategic partnerships with external stakeholders — negotiate and maintain, including regulators, insurers, and audit firms, to advance coordinated fraud prevention and detection initiatives.
Also known as
32 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
AML Analyst (Anti-Money Laundering Analyst)AML Consultant (Anti-Money Laundering Consultant)AML Investigator (Anti-Money Laundering Investigator)AML Operations Analyst (Anti-Money Laundering Operations Analyst)AML Specialist (Anti-Money Laundering Specialist)Anti-Fraud Operations AnalystBSA Analyst (Bank Secrecy Act Analyst)BSA Consultant (Bank Secrecy Act Consultant)Casino Gaming RegulatorCertified Fraud Examiner (CFE)Confidential InvestigatorDetection and Investigation AnalystFinancial Crimes InvestigatorFinancial Crimes ManagerFinancial Intelligence AnalystFinancial InvestigatorForensic AccountantFraud AnalystFraud and Waste InvestigatorFraud Data AnalystFraud Detection AnalystFraud ExaminerFraud InvestigatorFraud Operations ManagerFraud Prevention AnalystFraud Prevention SpecialistFraud Risk AnalystFraud SpecialistFraud Strategy AnalystInvestigatorKYC Analyst (Know Your Customer Analyst)Special Investigations Unit Investigator (SIU Investigator)