Teralyn (Terri) Becker CFSSP, ACFE
VP, Fraud Disputes Investigations Leader at Synchrony
Highly experienced, integrity minded, quality-conscious investigations and risk management leader
with demonstrated superior recognition and investigation of large, complex, multi-faceted
investigations focused on prevention and risk reduction/mitigation, recovery, including awareness,
communication, and training development/delivery. Direct management of 175+ employees
supervising staffs in both newly formed and established businesses in the areas of investigations,
collections, call centers, customer service, analysts, private banking professionals, internal procedural
departments, and individual responsibility for more than 1,000+ employees.
● Risk Mitigation ● Team Leadership
● Case Management Database Design/Development ● Strategic Planning
● Employee Development ● Procedure Development/Implementation
● Department Creation ● Pressure Driven Environment
● Compliance Reporting Expertise ● Training
● Community Presentations ● Business Development
● Merger Integration ● Lean Management
● Case Prosecution/Recovery/Law Enforcement Contacts
Manage Fraud Investigations program for all client portfolios serviced by the company.
Operate with efficiency focusing on improving the cardholder and merchant experience by leveraging
automation and technology to handle clerical routine maintenance, so investigators can focus efforts
on more complex and high profile cases. Fraud Investigations encompassed multiple sites including
over 200+ investigators and support staff, 10 managers, and 15 direct reports.
Implement new ways to service the customers by leveraging technology to communicate case
progress and completion of requested forms. Reduced turnaround time by implementing immediate
conditional approval for cases meeting certain criteria. Worked with third party company to design
new letters to communicate with our cardholders in the method they like to be communicated to
including formatting and verbiage.
Created and implemented an improved sales partner experience and enhanced communication with
Fraud Investigations. Levied the partnership to interact more directly with our merchants and
partners. Worked with Technology partners to also implement online communication for requesting
of transactional evidence and chargeback communication. Performed an extensive review and
rewrite of all processes and procedural job aids to ensure Compliance, efficiency, and cardholder
experience. Partner with Legal and Compliance to make changes to existing procedures to reduce
losses and leverage the law to improve recovery opportunities.
Partner internally with Special Investigations as we uncover large complex fraud rings. Raised the
Great Places to Work scores each year since leading the department and work to ensure that we
hire, develop, and lead our team of employees to promote their career development and critical
experiences. Collaborated with Training and Development team to perform extensive overhaul of the
training curriculum and material for Fraud Investigations to include online curriculum and testing.
Coordinate investigations program to direct and document investigations of suspected, alleged, or
known criminal activity involving the bank by both external and internal suspects pertaining to all
bank products involving fraud, forgery, online banking, identity theft, phishing, theft, internal
embezzlement, ethical violations, sensitive and confidential labor investigations, threat, robbery,
money laundering, KYC, and computer forensics. Manage and prioritize investigations, produce
detailed comprehensive reports,develop procedures to maintain an effective monitoring program to
mitigate future risk, and determine root cause to make policy/procedure changes. Recover loses and
negotiate settlements by conducting financial analysis to determine assets, performing restitution
agreements, and proceed with seizure of assets as cost effective. Experience in leading teams of
exempt and non-exempt personnel in call center and remote locations.
Prepare and submit Government reporting including Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs). Liaison with
law enforcement agencies, FBI, FinCEN, judicial entities, US Attorney's Office, Prosecutor’s offices,
internal and external legal counsel, and other financial institutions. Extensive knowledge of law
statues concerning financial institution fraud, compliance reporting, and bank's rights to offset, pay
or deny customer claims for reimbursement. Testify in court both on criminal and civil matters.
Project leader, subject matter expert, tester, and trainer for proprietary in-house multi $MM case
management systems and debit card fraud investigations area. Created internal and external
PowerPoint training presentations for employee conduct, security, and ethics, senior exploitation,
and identity theft. Deliver external presentations for communities, non-profit and civic organizations,
businesses, city leaders, and citizens within our operating communities.
Responsible for the daily administration, leadership, production, and work distribution for newly
developed call center department of 100 employees including recruiting, motivating, goal-setting
and follow-up, training, employee career growth, procedure writing, corrective action, and employee
HR issues. Recommended and approved actions regarding employment, performance ratings,
promotions, salary, transfers, and terminations. Developed and maintained department budget,
monitored performance of calls, electronic general ledger entries, and overall performance of three
separate departments-operations, administration, and a call center.
Directly managed three other departments of 175+ employees including Customer Service, Private
Banking Client Services, and AnswerBank.
Designed, developed and coordinated the implementation of a PC Lan database utilizing Microsoft
Windows/Access to manage charged off accounts. This system was later replicated for several
different departments to support 1,400 branch offices for collections, research requests, and account
maintenance changes (TCS, ORBS, and ATM databases to track unauthorized EFT disputes.) Prepared
and delivered formal presentations including a proposal which was adopted to close and collect on
charged off accounts for the entire 1,400 branch network. Liaison with banking offices, corporate
security, internal departments, and collection agencies.
Recovered $1 million in bank losses annually while reducing staff by more than 50 percent and
improving productivity and morale through automation and database design. Developed nationwide
collection plan, processed charge-offs and collected outstanding debit for 400 branch offices and
100+ internal departments. Recovered more than $10 million annually. Attained an average
collection rate of 40 percent.
