fraud and corruption module steven powell. objectives? fraud facts and theory including the profile...

fraud and corruption module

steven powell

objectives?

fraud facts and theory including the profile of the fraudster

overview of corruption

an explanation of corrupt practices, & procurement risks highlighting the EFT fraud risk

prevention and combating of corrupt activities act

fraud prevention and internal controls

the tools to identify corruption

case studies

your most capable, most reliable, most trusted employee - mr fixit!

more than 80% of all frauds involve employees, most of whom have more than 5 years of service

TRUST REPLACES THE CONTROLS

generally:– older than 30, higher percentage are male, stable

family situation, above average education, first offender - (look around)

understanding the fraud risk

opportunity

opportunitypres

sure

rationalizationrationalization

fraudfraud

the fraud recipe

the fraud triad - Psychology behind fraudulent conduct

fraud pressures

living beyond means

insecurity regarding tenure of position

trigger events

divorce

extra marital affairs

medical emergency

peer pressure

gambling alcohol or drug problems

opportunity

•poor control environment•remote location•shared passwords•limited segregation of duties•limited independent review•high trust

examples of “rationalizations”

“it was just a loan I am going to pay it back”

“it was a spotters fee”

“it was just a commission”

“the company does not pay enough money for us to survive”

“the company has retrenched a lot of staff”

“i should have been promoted long ago”

detection of fraud

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

management

auditors

mistresses

accident

Michael J Comer

understand the risk: screen staff & suppliers

too many organisations employ individuals with criminal records – you can ask about and check prior criminal history when you appoint to positions of trust

too many of our suppliers don’t have the skills to do the work they sell to us

declaration of interests coupled to regular screening is vital to identify

moonlighting

related party transactions (hidden)

ghost suppliers

the symptoms of fraudulent behavior

the red flags or warning signals in respect of

the corrupt employee are always present -

make sure that staff report suspicious activity

fraud red flags

excessive lifestyle

gambling alcohol or drug problems

staff who constantly claim underpaid

close relationships with suppliers

sole suppliers - not shopping around

poor credit rating

poor communication and reports

indulging in affairs

not taking leave

refusal of promotion

excessive & unexplained overtime

criminal record

divisional red flags

too much trust placed in key employees

limited segregation of duty

no independent checks on reconciliation and payments

no clear lines of authority or responsibility

proper authorization procedures not enforced

inadequate documentation & records

infrequent independent reviews

inadequate disclosure of interests & investments management override of the controls

operating on a crisis basis

inadequate attention to detail

©2004 Deloitte

be prepared

prevention is better than cure

people will try to tempt your staff

promote a strong ethics culture

review your anti-fraud controls annually

perform control review regarding eft payments

do not rely only on controls - only as effective as the people enforcing

train people to recognize the symptoms

do not work in a vacuum - use the tools and technology & most importantly – use the right experts

conclusion

©2009 S Powell

Questions

thank you

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cell 082 820 1036

spowell@ens.co.za