Amelia Tercero, CFE

Currently am in the tax off-season. I am open to permanent full-time work.

We do have to reapply every tax season. In the meantime, I study, work on continuing education for state requirements certifications. When and if I do work the off season 1 or 2, it is limited hours and space. I am leveling up in tax knowledge. My goal is to complete the Sr. Tax Specialist 3 by the end of August 2025.

• Continued professional education as a CFE- Certified Fraud Examiner
• Continued professional education as a Tax Preparer over 300 hours.
• Staying abreast Governance Risk Compliance through LinkedIn network professional expert in the IT, CISO, IAM while understanding their roles and regulatory compliance adherence via weekly webinars: YOUATTEST, Klever Compliance, and varied guests in the industry. Notes tool-kit.
• Building my connections through networking engagements throughout and seeking permanent roles of interest by researching companies where we are mutually aligned. Six companies a week.
• Helping others where I can help in their areas of need and offsetting strengths communicating virtually, online, emails, association, and at fraud association meetings. Two to three times a week.

Seasonal work at two locations. Included pre-season 11/16/2024 into last day of taxes 04/15/2025.

• Achieved the Certified Registered Tax Preparer certification via H&R Block in late 2024.
• Committed to ongoing education in basic or complex tax returns and ongoing added research.
• Familiarize and used the internal ChatGPT -AI for tax research information and cross-functionally through IRS and other tax law resources.
• Learned the taxation of cryptocurrency transactions in gains and losses, thus reporting and specific forms used.
• Interpreting tax law knowledge for effective application in every client situation.
• Met 100% customer experience, increased fifty clients, and provided ID theft fraud protection.

• Daily conducted a thorough analysis of critical risk detection four or more excel reports with 1-5 cases to facilitate timely, documented detailed informed decisions to vendors.
• Adapting to comprehensive risk-based fraud systems simultaneously to effectively combat check fraud, ACH wire fraud, account takeovers, and new account fraud utilizing CORE DNA CRM, Esenta-IS Research. Attaching relevant facts.
• Adhering to credit union fraud prevention protocols, navigate AML through Verafin while simulating potential scenarios in compliance with BSA, human trafficking, and wire transfers.
• Fill-in role for assistant manager who was on a project.
• Completed 23 eLearning courses in two days.
• Investigated each case with a holistic review of accounts.

• Under production training, consulting remotely, and participating with various AML software systems and their unique process flow within their AML program regulatory compliance on a team of 15-20.
• Hired in August and scheduled in September.

Part of their Global Compliance and Operation Risk Team as a Global Financial Crimes Investigator(GFCI):

• 2LOD: Completed 2600 SAR-AML cases in fraud, ID theft, P2P, Wires, ACH, ATO, new accounts…
• Conducted thirty-two high-level law enforcement investigations-research requests in 314 (a) (b).
• Tasked to investigate 20+ cases reporting Elder Abuse Exploitation to law enforcement by states.
• Completed full SARs- AML narratives substantiating evidence and escalated active fraud rings.
• Supporting documents within FinCEN guidelines in the Who, What, Where, When, How, & Why.
• Filed SARs, acquiring knowledge in the process of three dual reporting investment SARs for the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

Part of their Enterprise Fraud Investigation and Referrals Team:

• 2LOD: Exceeded caseload deadlines with detailed narratives of SARs drafts - lookback filings.
• Completed with evidence confidential multi-complex 314 (b) specialized high-risk cases.
• Analyzed or redirected cases effectively to investigate in all seven states using data and tools.
• Collaborated and investigated PPP Loans, credit cards, P2Ps, Wires-ACH, AML, Check Fraud…
• Efficient quality reviews 100%. Provided feedback and recommended opportunities to VPs.

• First 30 days partnered with departments to understand controls. Able to assess findings from data in a PowerPoint presentation to inform and assess enhancements or opportunities.
• Managed two full-time staff, enhancing their SAR and educating them on varied fraud types.
• Established weekly fraud training-coaching through fraud videos and talking point examples.
• Acclimated to the credit union's use of Verafin/Fiserv, meeting with Quality Review Officer.
• Revitalized the chargebacks process via Fiserv systems, analyzing reports and making calls.

A remediation consulting project: Green Dot Inc.

• Daily conducted thorough investigations and utilized open-source tools to analyze over five hundred digital RDC-MDC check fraud transactions and meet key performance indicators (KPI).
• RDC payments, completing over five hundred checks and recoveries, within Federal regulation compliance.
• Unified lines of communication cross-functionally with all peers to file SARs accordingly, sharing best practices.
• Spearheaded a potentially complex high-risk P2P-ACH transaction, deterring a substantial loss protecting company assets, by assisting the lead investigator through my networks in banking and discussing how to proceed collaboratively and notifying executives.
• Identified potential risks by conducting thorough investigations and analyzing transaction patterns made through ATM Mobile Deposit channels of many type monetary instruments and checks.
• Performed detailed background checks on individuals suspected of fraudulent activity to gather critical information through secretary of state filings and needed for successful investigations.
• Summarized all key information regarding investigation research timely, into detailed report via Excel for delivery to payments department and upper management.

Pasadena, CA - Fraud Operations Contact Center:

• Effectively managed over one thousand calls within SLA, ensuring quality decision-making in card fraud cases while mitigating risks to protect the client and the company.
• Performed thorough analysis and holistic review of transaction trends to identify and address gaps in the process flow, focusing on payment methods and product feature utilization.
• Quality Reviews 100%. Assisted colleagues with access to the compliance resource library.
• Filed Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) on time and within quality regulatory guidelines.
• Provided coaching and mentorship on ATM debit-credit card operations, including check fraud.
• Analyzed reports, minimizing losses through education on fraud prevention and recovery efforts.
• User Acceptance Testing ( UAT) participation
• Named as Pasadena, CA Fraud Advisory Team for six months and meeting once a month. Where we piloted changes along with IT representative in the authentications via OTP method and multifactor authentication of customers to protect their identity. I was accountable to test UAT cases and report findings and results during customer interactions and show peers the new and enhanced process flow.
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• Certifying Acceptance Agents (CAA's), IRS New ITIN certified, and ID Forensics training.
• Exceeded service standards in the customer experience above target with a 94% high rating.
• Escalated suspected organized crime scheme utilizing photocopies for tax-related fraud.
• Conducted tax training courses for the South Bay and North Hollywood Districts, covering federal and state regulations while maintaining an approachable communication style.
• Managed a team of thirteen tax professionals and five client services professionals in 2014, achieving a 5.2% growth with an average increase of $300 in unit costs per business tax return.
• Research Tax Laws, promote compliance, and implement operational cash controls.

• Industrial motors company
• Managed Account Receivables. Assisted in quarterly reconciliations along CPAs instructions every three months.
• Ensured Certified PCI DSS updates for Merchant Processing terminals, for consumer payments received.
• Mitigate risk in GL Accounts. Administered compliance meetings monthly.
• Researched Industrial Industry laws according to CA & NV, encouraging owners in taking a hiring process HR course and completed. This allowed them to also do their payroll taxes via the EFTPS ACH system required by CA. Minimizing manual paperwork.

• Electrician Engineer Industry.
• Accountable for daily data entry and receipts collected for Accounts Receivables (AR) and Accounts Payables (AP).
• Managed front office, handled all calls, electrical contractor's dispatch, fielded questions, worked with CPA quarterly & maintained 1099 & W-9s current.
• Organized Work Compensation Audit requests and passing.
• Increased AR by 30% when analyzing reports and identifying low payer trends.
• Trained an hourly employee entering date in proper general ledger lines.
• Deterred a potential mule fraud (scam), reporting to the NW3C., avoiding a substantial potential high risk.

Did the bookkeeping data entry once a week on the weekend from 1996 to 2010, then becoming a fulltime employee in 2010 as the business grew.

Wealth Management Advisory Firm

• In 6 months completed Series 6, 66, VA, Life, and LTC licensing. Expired 2013.
• Assess and understand suitability in financial planning and investment.