If you enjoy exposing fraud and corruption, then you may enjoy a career as a fraud investigator. As a fraud investigator, you will likely work for an insurance company. You will need to review claims that may be potentially fraudulent. You will review falsified workers compensation claims. You may also have to investigate accidents that have been staged. Arson is another incident that fraud investigators will typically have to investigate. Insurance fraud can be found in many different forms. As a fraud investigator, you will learn how to distinguish amongst all of the forms of fraud. You will need to figure out which lawyers or doctors have a reputation for being dishonest in the field. This will help you to instantly spot claims that are fraudulent in nature. Maybe you have thought, “How do I become a fraud investigator?” If you want to become a fraud investigator, then you should speak with insurance companies about their educational requirements for applicants.
What’s it like to be a fraud investigator?
As a fraud investigator, you may spend a majority of your time on the computer. You will probably have to read through large numbers of documents in order to determine whether certain claims are fraudulent. You may even be sent out on particular missions to perform surveillance of a site. You may need to see whether a claimant exhibits suspicious behavior. You may also be sent out to business locations for hours at a time. It can be quite lonely to observe businesses from your car and for hours at a time. You should feel comfortable with the experience of being alone and watching over these businesses. You will probably be given equipment from the insurance company that you can use on these sorts of missions. You may need to videotape the suspect entering and leaving the business. You may also need to take photographs of the scene in question.
Education Requirements
There are no formal educational requirements for becoming a fraud investigator. You should research the types of degrees that insurance companies seek out in individuals. You can interview agents at insurance companies in order to learn more about their application requirements. If you are intent on entering this career field, then you may want to pursue a bachelor’s degree in forensic science or accounting. These majors can be helpful for doing the tasks that will be required of you as a fraud investigator. You may also become certified as a fraud investigator. By obtaining a certification, this will make you feel like you can handle all of the responsibilities that are associated with this career path.
You may also be able to take online courses that teach you about fraud investigation. If you do decide to take online courses, you should ensure that they are offered by a reputable company. It is important for you to make sure that you can also get credit for taking these sorts of courses online.
Salary & How to Get a Job
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary of a fraud investigator is $53,000 a year. You can enter this field by simply applying for available positions that are open at insurance companies. You may be able to earn a higher salary as you obtain positions of higher authority within an insurance company. You may be promoted to a position in which you oversee other fraud investigators. If you do not have a bachelor’s degree, then you may need to spend some time working as a claims adjuster for an insurance company. This will give you the opportunity to move up in the company.