...Fraud, Governance and Internal Controls What is a fraud What is a fraud? The Financial Accounting book gives us a definition “A fraud is a dishonest act by an employee that results in personal benefit to the employee at a cost to the employer.” The reasons why people commit fraud are various. Fraud triangle can give us a good explanation. Financial pressures, from family or lifestyle, will lead an employee to fraud. Opportunity, which will allure an employee to do fraudulent activities, and Rationalization, which make one feel less guilty to do so, has same effect. How to prevent and detect fraud As fraudulent activities keep happening in every company every year, internal control is indispensable. It has five primary components: A control environment, Risk assessment, Control activities, Information and communication, and Monitoring. There are a lot of methods that we can use to prevent, deter and detect fraud? I think Physical control is probably the straightest one. Just lock inventories in a warehouse, set password in the computer, or put important bills in a safe box can prevent employees from stealing things. Segregation of duties, such as arrange different people to make order, authorize payment, and receive goods, is effective, because it eliminate the opportunities to take advantage in the chain. Documentation procedures are important, because it is a method to keep record of everything. It is the evidence of something occurred. There are also lots of other...
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...“How Internal Controls can be used to prevent fraud” Jonathan Evans Dr. M. A. Turner ACC 455 Auditing 16 October 2011 Abstract This research paper will explain the use of internal control procedures as a way to prevent and or deter business related theft caused by employees. It will feature an introduction explaining what internal controls are, who is responsible for them, and detailing the five components that make up internal controls. Then there will be a number of examples showing how internal control procedures are used in a business, why they are necessary, and what type of fraud they prevent. The end of the report will have a conclusion summarizing the information and my personal opinion on the subject. All sources for the research paper will be referenced on the final page. Introduction Internal controls are policies and procedures designed to help an organization accomplish specific goals or objectives, keep a record of the organization’s resources, and prevent or detect fraud. The Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) states that internal control has five components: control environment, risk assessment, information and communication, control activities, and monitoring. The control environment is made up of the policies and procedures that reflect the ethical standards of the top management and owners of an organization. Control environment procedures act as the foundation for the other four components of internal...
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...”According to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, public and private organizations in the United States, on average, lose about seven percent of their annual revenues to fraud” (1). This numbers has continued to grow over the past fifteen years, and with the economic turmoil and increasing fraud, the need to reduce the risk of fraud is now more important than ever. Before we can review the ways to reduce fraud, we first need to define what it actually is. As defined in our textbook, “Fraud, sometimes referred to as the fraudulent act, is an intentional deception, whether by omission or co-mission, that causes its victim to suffer an economic loss and/or the perpetrator to realize a gain”. There are three major categories of fraud. The first, assets misappropriation, is when one who is entrusted to manage the company’s assets steals from it by ways such as theft or misuse. The second is corruption, which involves the unlawful misuse or influence over a transaction to gain a personal benefit that is through unlawful and unethical means. A few examples of corruption would be bribery, embezzlement or intentional disregarding a conflict of interest. The third is financial statement fraud which involves the intentional misrepresentation of financial or non-financial information to intentionally deceive the financial statement users whom relied on such information to make material decisions. A few examples would be an Organization that was overstating revenues, understating...
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...INTERNAL CONTROLS AND FRAUD PREVENTION IN NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION WRITTEN BY DAVID SANNI Designed to provide information on key areas that can strengthen the internal control system of VI-MID-ISLAND SERVICE (VIMS) Submitted To VANESSA OLTMAN Faculty of Management Vancouver Island University Nanaimo, BC, Canada (Nov/15/2012) Table of Content 1.0 INTRODUCTION 3 2.0 NATURE OF FRAUD IN CANADIAN NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION 3 2.1 TYPE OF FRAUD IN NON PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS 3 2.2 PERPETRATORS OF FRAUD IN NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION 4 2.3 IMPACT OF FRAUD TO NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION 4 3.0 COMPREHENSIVE APROACHE TO REDUCE FRAUD 5 3.1 UNDERSTANDING INTERNAL CONTROL 5 3.2 BENEFIT OF INTERNAL CONTROL 5 3.3 LIMITATIONS OF INTERNAL CONTROL 6 3.4 CONTROL MEARSURES IN PREVENTING FRAUD 6 3.5 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION……………………….………………….8 4.0 REFERENCE…… ……………………………………………………………9 1.0 INTRODUCTION The Canadian non profit sector has one of the largest populations in the world, accounting for over 7% GDP and creating 2 million full time jobs for Canadians. Further discoveries was made that 78% Canadians donates money to non profit Organization irrespective of all walks of life and income bracket. These donations are received to address core issues...
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...Fraud and Internal Controls: Business Fraud Case Advanced Accounting Information Systems It’s amazing that in this day and age when technology is supposed to be the most efficient way to run this economy and all its businesses it can still have a major blunder, such as, data breaches that can cause many companies millions and millions of dollars. There are so many data breaches that have occurred lately, one right after the other, such as Sony’s PlayStation, Nintendo, Citigroup, T.J Maxx and even numerous healthcare companies like WellPoint and AmeriHealth. “The problem is that while a company’s data-collecting ability has increased dramatically, network security safeguards, although certainly progressing, have lagged behind, as evidenced by the increased frequency of large-scale breaches. We’ve seen high-profile breaches like Sony and CitiGroup; numerous healthcare companies like WellPoint and AmeriHealth; government agencies such as the VA; universities like UCLA, which lost donor information; and retailers such as TJ Maxx who paid out nearly $41 million a few years ago to banks and VISA because of a massive breach of customers’ credit card data. As information is made digital it becomes very portable and thus easier to lose or steal”. (www.programbusiness.com/News/Interview-The-Digital-Age-of-Data-Breaches-Risk-Management-and-Cyber-Insurance,) In today world everything has to be “digitized” compared to priors years and many corporations or companies are wholeheartedly...
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...Anatomy of computer accounting frauds A. Seetharaman, M. Senthilvelmurugan and Rajan Periyanayagam Faculty of Management, Multimedia University, Malaysia Keywords Fraud, Corruption, Financial reporting, Whistleblowing, Internal control, Corporate governance Abstract This paper introduces fraud as asset misappropriations (85 per cent of cases), corruption and fraudulent statements. Symptoms include accounting anomalies, lack of internal control environment, lifestyle and behaviour. The most effective tools for fraud detection are internal audit review, specific investigation by management, and whistle-blowing. The paper details the fraud investigation process and the role of auditors as fraud examiners. The correlation of fraud perpetrators’ personality with the size of losses is examined. Personality is analysed into age, gender, position, educational background and collusion. A strong system of internal control is most effective in fraud prevention. Fraud prevention procedures, targeted goals and improvements to system weaknesses feature in the paper. Fraud impacts on accounting transactions in accounts receivable, receipts and disbursements, accounts payable, inventories and fixed assets, and financial reporting. The monetary impact resulting from fraud is analysed by the type of victim and the amount of loss. Internal control and good employment practices prevent fraud and mitigate loss. Computer accounting frauds 1055 Introduction Accounting fraud involves an intentional action...
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...The focus on fraud from a business perspective has significantly increased over the last decade. Every business, company or entity is subject to fraud risk; there is no immunity when it comes to fraud. There has been much legislation passed by the government and many new guidelines required by different accounting agencies. The Implementation or addition of an internal audit department has been wide spread. External audit independence, corporate governance and most recently the use of a fraud risk assessment have been a few recent developments of such new legislation and rules set forth. Businesses as well as the public were skeptical of the changes but admitted something had to be done. “The fraud triangle, developed by Donald R. Cressey, tells us that there are three interrelated elements that enable someone to commit fraud: the non-sharable financial need that drives a person to want to commit the fraud, the opportunity that enables him to commit the fraud, and the ability to rationalize the fraudulent behavior. The vulnerability that an organization has to those capable of overcoming these three elements is fraud risk,” (Wells, 2011). A fraud risk assessment is a process designed to proactively assess and correct these vulnerabilities to both internal and external fraud to defend against and reduce the chances of fraud. The objective of a fraud risk assessment is to identify and address these vulnerabilities to reduce that risk of fraud. In a 2008 study by the ACFE...
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...| Computer Fraud | | By | [Type the author name] | 9/14/2013 | DeVry University’s Keller Graduate School of Management | A University of Oklahoma student was charged with computer fraud on May 16, 2013 by the Cleveland County District Court. The University of Oklahoma student, Roja Osman Hamad, is accused of improperly changing his grades. Roja Hamad now faces five counts of computer fraud. Mr. Hamad was a former student employee of the university’s information technology department. This is where Mr. Hamad was able to access the university’s computer system to change six faculty member’s passwords without the faculty member’s permission. University official’s state, Roja Hamad broke into the university’s computer system and changed his grades. Roja Hamad fits the majority of the profile of the average fraud perpetrator. According to the ACFE, the average fraud perpetrator has no prior fraud charges or convictions and is more likely to be male rather than female. The ACFE states that the offender is commonly between the ages of 31-45. Even though Mr. Hamad is only 24 years old, he possessed the knowledge to commit the fraud. Since Roja Hamad was a student employee of the university, he was probably a trusted employee. As a trusted employee of the University, this gave Hamad an opportunity to perpetuate the fraud. Lack of proper internal controls, failure to enforce controls, and incompetent management personnel enabled Hamad to commit the fraud. The three...
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...Non-For-Profit Fraud Authors’ Note This paper was prepared for Advanced Accounting, Summer 2013. OUTLINE 1. Introduction 2. The Reasons of Fraud in Nonprofits. 3. Types of Nonprofit Fraud. 4. Recent Fraud Cases: A. $1,000,000 Charity Scam by John Cody. B. ASPCA International and $27,000,000 Fraud. C. Fraud Committed by Anita Collins, Church Bookkeeper. D. Fraud Committed by Hugh Blackburn. 5. Fraud Prevention in Nonprofit Organizations. 6. Conclusion. Introduction. Most of us are familiar with the organization ASPCA (American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) and some of us even donate or consider donating money or time. But not many of us know that only 5 cents of every dollar collected by ASPCA goes actually towards the organization’s primary goal, which is helping animals. Just a few months ago a disaster hit NYC and the areas around. It is hard to believe but it gave great opportunity for fraud. Consider the case of the couple John Sandberg and Christina Terrassino, who launched a charity website, The Hurricane Sandy Relief Foundation. According to DCA (Division of Consumer Affairs), they have solicited more than $600,000 from about 2,000 donors. However, less than 1 percent of the money was given to the victims of the hurricane (Rose, 2013). Beside, consider the case of Anita Collins, a 67-year old church bookkeeper. She is known for stealing approximately $1,000,000 from the church she worked in (Huffington...
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...Fraud Schemes and Fraud Investigation Acc 571 Instructor: Dr. Ole Ruankaew Diane Phillips November 22, 2015 Fraud Schemes and Fraud Investigations The problem that organization faces today, are employee fraud. Many organizations feel that long term success of any company comes from the quality of their employees and workers loyalty. While during my research, I discovery that Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, Inc. has shown that organization have lost five percent of their annual revenue each year because of employee fraud. Every organization needs to have a plan in places for fraud detention. In preventing fraud in the work place, a good strategy for any organization is to implement internal control. These are plans; programs and procedures put in place to safe guard the company assets, and ensure the integrity of its accounting records. As prevention fraud is much easier than recovering losses after a fraud has been committed. This study will focus on the case of Stanford Financial Group Company fraud in which Robert Allen Stanford, chairman of Stanford International Bank (SIB), was involved in a Ponzi scheme. Stanford was convicted of orchestrating a 20-year investment fraud scheme in which he misappropriated $7 billion form SIB to finance his personal businesses. The Stanford Financial Group claimed to have pulled in retail, wealthy and commercial investors from 136 countries on six continents. Lopez and Kuhrt was aware of what Stanford ...
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...• ACFE= Association of Certified Fraud Examiners; conducts comprehensive fraud studies; Report to the Nation on Occupational Fraud & Abuse • Fraud - deception that includes: a representation, about a material point, which is false, and intentionally or recklessly so, which is believed, and acted upon by the victim to the victim’s damage. Fraud is an act of dishonesty with the intention to deceive or cover the truth to gain an advantage. Most critical element: confidence. Fraud can be classified as (in terms of organization): against or on behalf of • Occupational fraud - use of one’s occupation for personnel enrichment through deliberate misuse or misapplication of the employing org’s resources or assets. Categories: Asset misappropriation (steal asset), f.s fraud (manipulate f.s), Corruption scheme (misuse connections). • Employee embezzlement-can be: direct (e.g: asset misappropriation, making dummy company and making employer pay for goods not actually delivered) (from perpetrator to employer); or indirect (corruption, taking bribes from outside) (3rd party involved) • Management fraud- aka financial statement fraud; involves top management’s deceptive manipulation of f.s.; more inclusive • Investment scam-consumer fraud: Ponzi scheme, telemarketing, identity theft, money scam, advance fee scam, letter of credit fraud, etc. • Vendor fraud-overcharge, send inferior goods, charge for goods not shipped; • Customer fraud-not pay, shoplift; • Miscellaneous¬-other ...
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...Fraud is a serious problem for most businesses today and often technology compounds the problem. In addition, the role of the independent auditor in the detection of fraud is often questioned. (http://www.swlearning.com/accounting/hall/ais_4e/study_notes/ch03.pdf) Fraud is dishonest activity causing actual or potential financial loss to any person or entity including theft of money or other property by employees or persons and where deception is used at the time, immediately before or immediately following the activity. (http://about.curtin.edu.au/definitions-impact.cfm) * Types of Fraud (http://www.auditsol.com.au/media/Fraudw.pdf) 1. Employee fraud Is internal or employee frauds are when fraud is committed against the company or organization a person is working for. Internal frauds can include: * payment fraud Payment fraud is any fraud that involves falsely creating or diverting payments. Payment fraud can include: * creating bogus customer records and bank accounts so that false payments can be generated * intercepting and altering payee details and amounts on cheques and Payable Orders, then attempting to cash them * creating false payment and financial information to support fraudulent claims for benefits * processing false claims by accomplices for benefits, grants or repayments self authorizing payments to oneself. * procurement fraud Procurement fraud is any fraud relating to a company purchasing goods,...
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...| Accidents caused by human carelessness, failure to follow established procedures, and poorly trained or supervised personnel, innocent errors or omissions, lost, erroneous, destroyed, or misplaced data, logic errors, systems that do not meet company needs or are incapable of handling tasks. MOST LOSSES OCCUR HERE! | Sabotage, which is destroying a system, computer fraud, misappropriation of assets, financial statement fraud, corruption. Deliberate destruction to harm a system. (Cookie: data website store on your computer that identify the site & you do not have to log on each time you visit the site) | * The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) 2014 Survey Results Show: * 5% of revenues are lost to fraud (≈ >$3.7 trillion lost globally) * Median loss: $145,000 (22% of cases involved with losses > $1,000,000) * Most frauds are fairly small in scope * Median fraud scheme lasts about 18 months * What is Fraud? * Gaining an unfair advantage over another person. All five of the following elements must be present for it to be legally considered fraud: 1. A false statement, representation, or disclosure. 2. A material fact that induces a person to act (influences the decision process). 3. An intent to deceive (not accidental). 4. A justifiable reliance; that is, the person relies on the misrepresentation to take an...
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...Reference 16 a) As the auditor, describe the concerns you have that may suggest fraud is occurring in the company. The Fraud Triangle ©2012 Prentice Hall Business Publishing, Auditing 14/e, Arens/Elder/Beasley The fraud triangle originated from Donald Cressey's hypothesis (Donald R. Cressey, 1973). The fraud triangle is a model for explaining the factors that cause someone to commit occupational fraud (acfe, n.d.). Type of fraud: Management fraud Fraudulent financial reporting Misappropriation of assets. (Arens/Elder/Beasley, 2012) ©2012 Prentice Hall Business Publishing, Auditing 14/e, Arens/Elder/Beasley At the types of fraud, usually the Management fraud are including fraudulent financial reporting and the misappropriation of assets. Why the company will occurs the fraud, because the employees and managers have incentive, opportunities and attitude. The fraud specific fraud risk area are including revenue and accounts receivable fraud risk, inventory, purchases and other area Management fraud Management fraud, as the name suggests, is perpetrated by the top management of a company who has the intention of misleading investors (Dutta, 2013). Usually management fraud by accounting manipulation and misstates the...
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...Review Shawn Detamore January 29, 2012 Payroll fraud schemes happen when an employee generates overcompensation for themselves. There are three types of payroll fraud schemes; ghost employees, bonus and commission schemes and falsified hours and salary (Shields, 2009). This type of fraud accounts for 17% of fraud that is committed in organizations (Shields, 2009). Back in May of 2009, a payroll manager and a retired employee of the Detroit Public School system worked together to steal over $400,000 from the school. They scammed the school by forming a payroll scheme. The payroll manager, Toni Gilbert cut checks to Anthony Carter who had retired back in 2000. When Toni did this, Carter not only received his retirement check, he was also receiving a regular paycheck from the school. This “extra” check that Carter received was split between himself and Mr. Gilbert. Gilbert had worked for the school for over 20 years. In those twenty years, five of them were spent committing fraud. Since the fraud was committed at a school, this constitutes as a federal crime. They were stealing money from the taxpayer dollars. If they are convicted, both employees will face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and have to pay a fine of $250,000 (Detroit). Luckily for DPS, the financial Manager and DPS office inspector are the ones that caught the corruption. Since the indictment, DPS is hoping to send out a strong message that fraud will not be tolerated. They have also started doing...
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