Part of the reason why fraud can go undetected and unreported for lengths of time is the fact that it can occur in so many different forms. Usually, though, fraud will fall into three categories: asset misappropriation (stealing or misusing company resources and/or cash), financial statement fraud (misrepresenting information on company financial reports), and corruption (using one’s own or the company’s influence for personal benefit).
Everyone in the organisation should be made aware about these different types of fraud and what the red flags are for each.
Effective fraud awareness training is critical when it comes to the prevention and detection of fraud in the workplace. Whilst it’s true that no-one likes to think their employees or colleagues are capable of committing a fraud offence, ensuring that a proper anti-fraud training plan is put in place is far easier and more effective than trying to recover losses after fraud has taken place. Remember, prevention is key when it comes to corporate fraud.
The cost of Corporate Fraud in the UK in 2019 is estimated to be an astonishing £193 billion.
Private sector fraud accounted for the vast majority of this, losing £144 billion across SME’s and large enterprises alike. The major types of fraud that this included were: Procurement, including false invoicing and contracts awarded in exchange for bribes (also see our Anti-bribery and Corruption courses), Payroll, Mortgage Lending and Insurance.
The public sector is far from being averse to fraud, losing some £37 billion in 2016 through tax fraud (£15 million), accounting fraud and an ill-afforded £2.5 billion worth of fraud in the NHS.