3. Break the Triangle Opportunity Pressure/Incentive Rationalization Is your operating environment ripe for fraud? Elements of the Perfect Fraud Storm?
6. How to Limit Fraud Cost Effectively 10 key things in the to do list 1 Introduce ongoing anti-fraud training to all employees 2 Effective fraud reporting mechanism 3 Increase employees’ perception of Fraud detection 4 Set right tone at the top one ( honesty and integrity) 5 Undertake Proactive fraud risk assessments performed 6 Embed strong anti-fraud controls 7 Enusre Indipendency of Anti-Fraud team 8 Institute Health recruitment programme 9 Operate employee support programs 10 Apply open-door policy and Regellary assess employee morale
Opportunity The first point on the triangle is Opportunity. Management has primary control over this element – they sometimes facilitate fraud by maintaining an environment with weak internal controls. Decreasing the opportunity for fraudulent activity is crucial for prevention. In one Emory department, the department administrator performed all the duties from hiring and firing of personnel to P-Card transaction review and approval, budget preparation and review, expense approvals, and etc.; this department administrator performed multiple fraudulent transactions ranging from accounts payable to payroll to P-Card to human resources because the opportunity was available. Management should ensure that, although tasks can be delegated, accountability for your area or unit cannot be delegated. Management must provide oversight and monitoring. At Emory, an Administrative Assistant who had access to add/delete employees from payroll reformatted the labor distribution reports and provided them to the human resources manager. Unbeknownst to the manager was that the employee was omitting the ghost employees documented on the labor reports. The review of system generated reports would have identified the ghost employees. Not all employees will exploit opportunity. Typically, these individuals also experience “Pressure” or “Incentive” to do so. This brings me to the second point on the fraud triangle. Pressure/Incentive Typically, pressure stems from lifestyle habits, personal debts, and other non-sharable problems. These non-sharable problems may be problems the individual experiences him or herself OR extends out to close family members and friends. In an attempt to lessen the problem, the fraudster is pressured to carry his/her plan out. Rationalization Once the individual has opportunity and personal pressure, the fraud is executed with a rationalization: “ I deserve to get paid more. The company makes so much money.” “ I am only borrowing it for now. I’ll pay it back when I can.” ****The ability to rationalize is influenced by the “tone at the top” and perceptions the employee has regarding management’s commitment to the “rules.” ****