Office Administration and Secretarial Masterclass

Accounts Payable Risk and Fraud Prevention

Strengthen Internal Controls, Eliminate Process Vulnerabilities, and Safeguard Your Organisation's Cash Flow

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Platform:
Online
In-class
Date Venue Duration
28 - 30 September 2026 Durban, KZN 3 Days
02 - 06 November 2026 Sandton, Gauteng 5 Days
07 - 11 December 2026 Sandton, Gauteng 5 Days

Course Introduction

In modern corporate environments, financial departments face an escalating wave of sophisticated billing schemes and internal vulnerabilities. Prioritising Accounts Payable Risk and Fraud Prevention is no longer optional — it is a foundational requirement for securing business capital. This specialised masterclass focuses on identifying weak internal controls, uncovering duplicate invoice patterns, and establishing rigorous vendor verification procedures. 

 

Because corporate financial integrity relies heavily on global risk frameworks, organisations must align their mitigation strategies with recognised standard-setting bodies like the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) to build resilient defence mechanisms. The ACFE’s 2026 Report to the Nations confirms organisations lose an estimated 5% of annual revenue to occupational fraud, with a typical case going undetected for around 12 months. Our practical training walks teams step-by-step through a modern Accounts Payable Risk and Fraud Prevention framework — including how the same AI tools that strengthen fraud detection are increasingly being weaponised by fraudsters themselves — ensuring your team can spot red flags before disbursements occur. 

If you want to insulate your procurement-to-pay pipeline from external exploitation, our Accounts Payable Risk and Fraud Prevention workshop delivers immediate, actionable safeguards. Join this upcoming cohort to eliminate processing vulnerabilities, upgrade your compliance strategy, and drive informed, secure financial decisions. 

Course Duration Options

This financial-management-skills is available in two formats, so you can choose the depth that fits your time and needs:

2-Day Essentials Core Foundations

Risk understanding, internal controls, vendor management, detection, technology, secure payments, and compliance essentials, closing with case studies and the first draft of your own prevention plan.

Ideal for: Those who need practical, immediate capability without an extended time commitment.

Course Objectives

By the end of this Accounts Payable Risk and Fraud Prevention course, participants will be able to:
  • Recognise the most prevalent risks and fraud typologies in the AP process, including how AI is now being used to generate more convincing fraud
  • Assess the impact of AP fraud on financial stability, regulatory compliance, and organisational reputation
  • Apply effective internal controls to prevent, detect, and respond to accounts payable fraud
  • Understand and utilise key control elements, including segregation of duties, authorisation protocols, and continuous transaction monitoring
  • Employ best practices in vendor onboarding, validation, and risk assessment, including detecting more sophisticated blended-identity ghost vendors
  • Appreciate the critical role of vendor due diligence in mitigating fraud risk
  • Explore software solutions and digital tools for fraud detection and prevention
  • Utilise data analytics and automation to enable proactive monitoring and early detection of anomalies
  • Navigate regulatory requirements and compliance obligations related to AP fraud
  • Implement robust incident reporting, escalation, and documentation processes

Who should attend?

  • Finance Professionals
  • Accounts Payable Managers and Team Members
  • Internal Auditors
  • Risk and Compliance Officers
  • Financial Controllers
  • Anyone Responsible for or Involved in Managing Accounts Payable and Safeguarding Against Financial Misconduct
Finance Courses

Training Methodology

Our diverse instructional approaches ensure effective learning:

– Lectures & Presentations: Engage with expert-driven, stimulating content.
– Course Material: Access well-crafted supporting resources.
– Group Work: Collaborate on discussions and case studies for practical insights.
– Workshops & Role-Play: Participate in immersive, scenario-based activities.
– Practical Application: Focus on applying theoretical knowledge in real situations.
– Post-Training Support: Receive extensive support after training for skill implementation.

Training Outline

2-Day Essentials — Training Outline

DAY 1 — Understanding Risk, Controls, and Vendor Management
Module 1: Understanding Accounts Payable Risks and Fraud
  • Overview of the AP risk landscape and fraud schemes
  • Organisational impact and real-life fraud consequences
  • How AI is now being used to generate more convincing fraud, including AI-altered invoice documents
Module 2: Internal Controls for Fraud Prevention
  • Designing and implementing segregation of duties
  • Authorisation controls and transaction oversight
  • Exception reporting and escalation processes
Module 3: Vendor Management and Due Diligence
  • Steps for effective vendor validation and verification
  • Detecting blended-identity ghost vendors that pass surface-level checks
  • Maintaining an up-to-date and trusted supplier base
DAY 2 — Detection, Technology, Compliance, and Your Plan
Module 4: Fraud Detection Techniques
  • Using data analytics to identify fraud indicators — organisations using proactive data analytics see fraud losses roughly 53% lower than those that don't
  • Recognising red flags and common warning signs
Module 5 & 6: Technology and Secure Payments
  • Software and technology tools for AP fraud detection, and secure payment processing essentials
  • Understanding AI as a dual-use risk: the same technology defending your AP process is also being used to attack it
Module 7: Compliance Essentials
  • Overview of relevant regulations (local and international) and reporting obligations
Case Studies and Your Fraud Prevention Plan
  • Key lessons from real-world AP fraud cases
  • Building the first draft of your own AP fraud prevention plan
  • Deciding whether the 5-Day Comprehensive programme is the right next step

5-Day Comprehensive — Training Outline

Day 1: Understanding Risks and Internal Controls
Module 1: Understanding Accounts Payable Risks and Fraud
  • Overview of the AP risk landscape and fraud schemes
  • Organisational impact and real-life fraud consequences
  • How AI is now being used to generate more convincing fraud, including AI-altered invoice documents that are visually indistinguishable from the original
Module 2: Internal Controls for Fraud Prevention
  • Designing and implementing segregation of duties
  • Authorisation controls and transaction oversight
  • Exception reporting and escalation processes
Day 2: Vendor Management and Fraud Detection
Module 3: Vendor Management and Due Diligence
  • Steps for effective vendor validation and verification
  • Vendor risk assessment methodologies
  • Detecting blended-identity ghost vendors: fraudsters combining real identity data with fabricated details to pass surface-level checks
  • Maintaining an up-to-date and trusted supplier base
Module 4: Fraud Detection Techniques
  • Using data analytics to identify fraud indicators — organisations using proactive data analytics see fraud losses roughly 53% lower than those that don't
  • Recognising red flags and common warning signs
Day 3: Technology and Secure Payments
Module 5: Technology Solutions for Fraud Prevention
  • Review of software and technology tools for AP fraud detection
  • Practical applications of automation and AI in the AP environment
  • Understanding AI as a dual-use risk: the same technology defending your AP process is also being used to attack it, including deepfake and synthetic identity techniques
Module 6: Secure Payment Processing
  • Best practices in secure payment procedures
  • Electronic payment controls and fraud prevention strategies
Day 4: Compliance and Investigation
Module 7: Regulatory Compliance and Reporting
  • Overview of relevant regulations (local and international)
  • Reporting protocols and regulatory obligations for fraud incidents
Module 8: Investigating Accounts Payable Fraud
  • Steps for conducting effective internal investigations
  • Collaboration with audit and legal teams
Day 5: Case Studies and Building Your Plan
Module 9: Case Studies and Best Practices
  • In-depth analysis of real-world AP fraud cases
  • Key lessons and recommended strategies for ongoing fraud prevention
Module 10: Developing a Comprehensive Fraud Prevention Plan
  • Crafting and implementing a tailored AP fraud prevention strategy
  • Continuous improvement, monitoring, and review mechanisms

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Success Stories

Discover how our courses enhance professionals’ effectiveness in their workplaces.

uMngeni-uThukela Water

IFRS Updates Trainings

What made the sessions exceptionally helpful was the deliberate focus on actionable strategies rather than just high-level concepts. The structured approach kept the content engaging. It was a highly impactful professional development experience.

Telekom Networks Malawi Plc

Financial Analysis, Modelling and Forecasting

It has been a really fruitful and helpful training. Many thanks to PROSPEN AFRICA and the facilitator Olufemi. This is definitely going to make my work life easier and meaningful.

Northam Booysendal Mine

Mastering Payroll Preparation, Analysis, and Management

The course really taught us deep in to Payroll and made us aware of things we were not aware of.

Telekom Networks Malawi PLC

Financial Analysis, Modelling and Forecasting

The training was very insightful and the facilitator was very engaging which made everything easier to understand and follow. It has really equipped us in our areas of lack and we feel confident now on our next assignments on forecasts and analysis

Magalies Water

GRAP training

The course was practical, informative and relevant

FAQs – Accounts Payable Risk and Fraud Prevention

Master invoice verification, three-way matching, segregation of duties, and payment anomaly detection to safeguard accounts payable processes against financial fraud and duplicate disbursements.

What topics are covered in the Accounts Payable Risk and Fraud Prevention course?
The course covers AP internal controls, 3-way matching protocols, bank detail change verification schemes, duplicate payment detection, phantom vendor identification, segregation of duties (SoD), automated AP fraud detection, and invoice audit trails.
Who should attend the Accounts Payable Risk and Fraud Prevention training?
This course is designed for accounts payable managers, finance supervisors, internal auditors, treasury staff, forensic accountants, financial controllers, and compliance specialists overseeing vendor disbursements and payment processing.
What are the key learning objectives of this AP risk course?
Delegates learn to identify common AP fraud schemes (such as Business Email Compromise and fake vendor invoices), strengthen payment authorization workflows, execute effective duplicate payment audits, and secure vendor master file changes.
How long is the Accounts Payable Risk and Fraud Prevention course?
The programme is delivered as an intensive 5-day practical workshop featuring real-world AP audit simulations, fraud red-flag analysis exercises, and vendor master file audit clinics.
What practical skills will delegates gain from this masterclass?
Participants will gain practical skills in running duplicate invoice checks, implementing verification protocols for banking changes, auditing vendor master files for duplicate TAX/VAT/address details, and structuring fraud-resistant procure-to-pay (P2P) workflows.
Can Prospen Africa deliver this course as customized in-house training?
Yes. Prospen Africa can tailor the masterclass to align with your organization’s specific ERP accounting system (e.g., SAP, Oracle, Syspro), internal payment authorization matrices, and industry-specific risk exposure profiles.

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