ICMA International’s Canada Branch Council is set to organise an online professional development webinar examining how artificial intelligence is changing the nature of fraud and what professionals can do to identify, prevent and report emerging threats. Titled “Fraud in the Age of AI: How Every Professional Can Recognize, Resist and Report It,” the session will take place on Saturday, November 14, 2026. The programme will focus on the growing use of artificial intelligence in fraudulent activities, including deepfakes, cloned voices, sophisticated phishing attempts and AI-generated documents.
The webinar comes at a time when artificial intelligence tools are changing how digital content is created, shared and verified. While these technologies offer benefits across business operations and professional services, they can also be misused to make fraudulent communications more convincing. Criminals can use AI-generated images, audio and documents to imitate individuals, create misleading evidence or make deceptive requests appear legitimate. These developments are increasing the importance of awareness and verification practices across professional environments.
Deepfake technology is among the issues expected to receive attention during the session. Deepfakes can use artificial intelligence to generate or manipulate audio and visual material in ways that make it appear as though a person said or did something they did not. In a business environment, such material could be used to impersonate senior executives, influence financial decisions or support fraudulent instructions. The ability to recognise suspicious content and verify the identity of individuals through reliable channels is therefore becoming an important part of organisational security.
Voice cloning presents another challenge for businesses and professionals. AI tools can reproduce aspects of a person’s voice, potentially allowing fraudsters to make calls that appear to come from a known colleague, manager or business contact. Such impersonation can be used to request urgent payments, obtain confidential information or persuade employees to bypass established procedures. Organisations may need to reinforce verification protocols, particularly when requests involve financial transfers, sensitive data or changes to account information.
The programme will also address sophisticated phishing and AI-generated documents. Phishing attempts traditionally rely on deceptive emails or messages designed to persuade recipients to disclose credentials, open malicious links or provide confidential information. Artificial intelligence can help fraudsters produce more polished and personalised messages, reducing some of the obvious language and formatting errors that people may previously have relied on to identify suspicious communications. Similarly, AI-generated documents can be used to create misleading records or support false claims, making independent verification increasingly important.
Mr. Kamran Iqbal, who holds professional qualifications including CMA, CIA, CISA, CFE, CRMA, CC, MBA, MPhil and LLB, will serve as the keynote speaker. His session is expected to address the challenges professionals face as fraud techniques become more sophisticated and technology-driven. The webinar’s central theme places emphasis not only on recognising suspicious activity but also on resisting fraudulent approaches and reporting incidents through appropriate channels.
Mr. Shahid Hussain, FCMA, Chairman of the ICMA Canada Branch Council, will moderate the session. His role will involve guiding the discussion and supporting the exchange of perspectives on the risks associated with AI-enabled fraud. Mr. Muhammad Shoaib, FCMA, Chairman of ICMA’s Audit, Assurance and Risk Advisory Board, will deliver the valedictory note at the conclusion of the programme.
The webinar is designed for professionals who need to understand how emerging fraud methods can affect financial transactions, organisational controls and the handling of confidential information. Accountants, auditors, risk advisers and other business professionals may encounter these threats through routine communications, payment approvals, document reviews and interactions with external parties. Awareness of AI-related fraud can help them apply stronger verification procedures and recognise situations that require additional scrutiny.
The session will be conducted online, making it accessible to participants beyond a single physical location. It is scheduled for 9:00 AM Eastern Standard Time and 7:00 PM Pakistan Time on November 14, 2026. Participants will be eligible for two hours of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) credit, providing a professional learning component alongside the discussion of emerging technology risks.
Interested participants can register through the link provided by ICMA International: https://bit.ly/3U8fCa1. The webinar will offer an opportunity to examine how artificial intelligence is being misused in fraudulent activities and why professionals need to combine technological awareness with sound judgement, established internal controls and reliable reporting procedures.
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