April DeValkenaere from Protect Your Fortress joins the podcast this week to discuss the importance of planning ahead and taking steps to prevent fraud. As a forensic accountant, she shares some of the financial vulnerabilities business owners should be aware of, along with practical ways to protect yourself and your business from being taken advantage of. She also discusses common warning signs of scams and what you can do to help prevent fraud before it happens. You won’t want to miss these valuable insights on recognizing fraud and protecting your business.
Bio:
An award-winning forensic accountant and educator, providing services and education for older adult victims of financial crimes and their advocates. April has been recognized by the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) and the International Association of Financial Crimes Investigators (IAFCI) for her efforts in teaching law enforcement how to investigate elder financial exploitation crimes and developing a Midwest regional training event for financial crime investigators. April is also an adjunct professor at Marquette University, where she teaches the Justice for Fraud Victim’s Project (JFVP), teaching graduate accounting students how to prepare forensic accounting reports.
In 2026 she founded a non-profit supporting victims of financial crimes; Protect Your Fortress Inc. With her knowledge as a former banker, law enforcement officer and white-collar crime paralegal for a prosecutor’s office, April now provides consulting services across the country.
Get In Touch:
April DeValkenaere LinkedIn Profile
Protect Your Fortress LinkedIn Page
Internet Crime Complaint Center
America’s Cyber Defense Agency Website
Tip of the week:
Preplan for cyber security incidents.
Watch episode here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IQq1nuVnnY