Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) for Accountants: Due Diligence, Risk & Fraud Detection

Learn how to harness Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) to strengthen due diligence, uncover hidden risks, verify information, and support fraud investigations using publicly available data.

Overview

In today's interconnected world, financial professionals are increasingly tasked with due diligence, fraud detection, and risk assessment. Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) provides a powerful toolkit for gathering and analysing publicly available information, enabling accountants to enhance their investigations and make more informed decisions. This session will demystify OSINT, offering practical techniques and tools to navigate the digital landscape effectively. We'll explore how to leverage publicly accessible data to uncover hidden connections, verify information, and mitigate potential risks in the surface, deep and dark web.

Key Features
Speaker
Additional information

Learning Objectives:

This course is designed for:

• Learn how to effectively utilis e search engines, social media platforms, public records, and other online resources

• Discover how to verify the legitimacy of clients, suppliers, and business partners

• Beyond Google - master key OSINT techniques and tools

• Identify red flags and potential fraudulent activities through online research

• Understand legal and ethical implications

Key topics

• The Business Impact of OSINT: Understanding how OSINT drives competitive advantage, due diligence, and risk assessment.

• Advanced Search Strategies: Moving beyond basic search engines to utilise specialised tools and techniques for targeted information retrieval.

• Social Media Intelligence: Extracting valuable insights from social platforms for market research, reputation management, and threat detection.

• Deep Web Exploration: Navigating the deep web to access hidden data and uncover valuable intelligence.

• Public Databases and Archives: Utilising government records, open data initiatives, and archival resources for comprehensive research.

• OSINT for Due Diligence and Discovery: Applying OSINT techniques to verify information, conduct background checks, and support legal proceedings.

• Online Identity Protection: Implementing best practices for secure browsing, anonymity and data privacy during OSINT investigations.

Dr Stephen Hill

BSc (Hons), MLPI, CIIP, PhD

Dr Stephen Hill, BSc (Hons), MLPI, CIIP, PhD is an expert trainer and consultant with over 20 years’ experience in fraud and cyber risk management, data protection, and open-source intelligence (OSINT). He previously spent 11 years leading the Fraud and Forensic Group at a top international firm of chartered accountants, advising clients on fraud prevention, detection, and asset recovery in collaboration with law enforcement and regulatory bodies.

Stephen served for 12 years as a Trustee Director of the Fraud Advisory Panel and now acts as a Special Advisor, having chaired its Cybercrime Working Group. He is an honorary steering committee member of the London Fraud Forum, sits on the ACFE UK Chapter committee, and is Co-Director of Fraud Training Ltd, the exclusive UK provider of the Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) Exam Review Course.

He has trained the National Crime Agency and National Cyber Crime Unit and is now an NCA Special Advisor on OSINT and internet investigations. Stephen has delivered training and spoken internationally across the UK, Europe, the UAE, Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, working with police forces, government departments, financial institutions, and global organisations.

A published author and media commentator, Stephen wrote Corporate Fraud: Prevention & Detection (Bloomsbury Professional), with royalties donated to Victim Support, and is currently writing a new book on OSINT. He also supports the City of London Police as a volunteer, lectures at the Economic Crime Academy, and engages in safeguarding education through school outreach.

The webinar handout material will be available on the webinar platform when you log in to view, 15 minutes before the live webinar start.

If you wish to view or download handout materials, before the day of the webinar, they will also be available through your document library on https://events.accaglobal.com.

Price

Price (excluding VAT) 110 GBP

Location

United Kingdom

Date & time

14 October 2026, 09:30 - 12:30 GMT

Enquiries

Email enquiries UKCL@accaglobal.com

Book on ACCA

Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) for Accountants: Due Diligence, Risk & Fraud Detection

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