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We are all aware of the seven key questions that help us understand a situation and the context of a situation: the who, what, why, when, where, how, and how much? When applying these key questions to fraud-related stories, it seems that many of the articles we read today focus on the what, why, when, where, how and, most often, the how much.
While these details are pertinent to the story, it is also interesting to take a deeper look at the “who.” It is becoming increasingly important for employers to have an understanding of the warning signs, and understand who commits fraud just as much as they should understand how it is perpetrated and what controls should be in place to mitigate the risk.
The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) 2016 Report to the Nations on Occupational Fraud and Abuse analyzes actual case information provided by Certified Fraud Examiners and presents statistical data on the cost of occupational fraud, the perpetrators, the victims and the various methods used to commit crimes. Included in the chapter on perpetrators is information related to their position, tenure, department, gender, age, education level, employment history and whether or not the individual acted alone or colluded with others. The report is based on an analysis of 2,410 cases that were investigated between January 2015 and October 2015.
Using the valuable information provided in this report, we can gain a better understanding of the types of individuals committing crimes, which will ultimately assist employers in their continued fight against fraud in the workplace.
What does a fraudster look like?
Using the information presented in the ACFE’s...