With fraud becoming a ubiquitous and ever-evolving threat to organisations worldwide, benchmarking in-house fraud investigation teams is crucial.
But how can these teams measure their effectiveness and ensure they are up to the task?
The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) has just released its 2025 Benchmarking Report on In-House Fraud Investigation Teams, which provides valuable insights into these teams’ structure, practices, and performance.
Here, we explore some of the key findings from this report to provide valuable information to help your organisation benchmark its fraud investigation teams.
Key Findings from the ACFE 2025 Report
The ACFE 2025 report provides information about in-house fraud investigation teams. Here are some of the key findings:
Team Structure and Size: The size of fraud investigation teams varies significantly, with an average of 3 fraud investigators for every 1,000 employees. Most teams are located within close proximity to a single company office, although 41% are geographically dispersed.
Investigator Qualifications and Experience: A significant proportion (47%) of fraud investigators hold the Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) credential. The average experience level of fraud investigators is 10.9 years, although this varies by industry.
Investigation Workload: Fraud investigation teams spend varying amounts of time on fraud investigations, with 49% spending more than half of their time on this task. The average caseload per investigator is less than five cases at any given time.
Case Outcomes and Recovery: Most fraud investigations (53%) result in credible evidence of wrongdoing. However, only 11% of organisations recover a substantial portion (76% or more) of the amount lost to fraud each year.
Team Evaluation and Resources: The most commonly used metric to measure team performance is the number of cases closed year-over-year. In terms of resources, most managers believe that their teams would benefit most from additional staffing and technological tools.
Key Insights for Your Organisation – and How Loxton Forensics Can Assist
Staffing and Resources: The report emphasises the need for adequate staffing. We understand the importance of having enough qualified investigators to handle your workload. We can help you assess your current team and identify any gaps in skills or personnel.
Training and Development: Fraud is constantly evolving. We can provide up-to-date training to ensure your investigators are equipped with current and relevant knowledge and skills to rise to these emerging threats.
Performance Measurement: Measuring team performance is crucial to get a view of success. We can assist you in establishing effective metrics to track your team’s progress and identify areas for improveme
Technology: Technology is an essential tool in fraud prevention. We can help you implement the right technology and tools to strengthen your detection, investigation, and prevention capabilities.
Work Models: Many organisations have made the shift to hybrid and even remote workforce models. We can advise you on how to integrate seamless fraud detection into these models without compromising the effectiveness of your fraud investigations.
Reporting Structure: The importance of a clear and independent reporting structure cannot be overstated. We can help you evaluate and refine your reporting processes to ensure effective oversight.
External Consultants: While the report suggests most organisations don’t find external consultants beneficial, we believe that strategic partnerships can be invaluable. We can provide specialised expertise and support when needed, complementing your in-house team.
Why Choose Loxton Forensics for Your Fraud Prevention Needs?
The findings of the ACFE 2025 report make it clear that well-equipped and effective fraud investigation teams are a necessityfor any business. With our expertise in forensic services, data analytics, and fraud risk management, we can help you build and maintain these types of teams so that you have peace of mind that your organisation is always fully protected.
Don’t leave your safety to chance. Contact us now to discuss how we can help you build a resilient defence against fraud because protecting your tomorrow starts today.