How to Do a Preliminary Fraud Investigation Within Your Own Business

With rises in unemployment due to the recentnot truly to be trusted, so if you see these
recession people have fallen on hard times;symptoms then you should start doing an internal
furthermore, this has led to an increase in crime.fraud investigation to pin point the person and
However, not only has theft and fraud hit ourthen report them over the authorities. There are
average day to day person, but it has alsousually two methods of fraud within the
started to work its way onto businesses as well.administrative team, there is first the take now
With everyone in fear of their positions, a fewpay back later technique, and the outright fiddling
people have seen this as an opportunity to takewith the books in order to steal from the
advantage of those fears and of the economiccompany. Both will be explored in more detail
climate.below.
This is why using the correct fraud investigationThe first of the two methods is when money
techniques is important. As you know, there arewould be essentially 'borrowed' making the takings
already governmental bodies that do regulatelower than what has actually been produced: this
fraudulent activities both through the policemoney will then be returned a few days later. In
system, as well as specialist bodies. But this doesorder to spot this there is usually a pattern, for
not mean that you should not take action beforeexample they are usually paid on the Friday but
the horse has bolted, so to speak, instead this isthe money goes on a Wednesday and is returned
the perfect time to start to invest in your ownon the Thursday. If you notice this start
businesses security, both from inside threats andoverseeing the counting process and see if this
an outside threat.pattern changes.
As you would expect, there are many methodsThe second of the two is where cash payments
of securing your business so that you will neverare not put through the books, meaning that you
need to have fraud investigations interfere withmay not even know the money is missing. In
not only your business activities but also with yourorder to ensure that this is not happening you
employees and contractors. The most commonshould ensure that all cash is accounted for by
fraud investigation usually starts with theusing regular cash lifts and by making sure that if
administrative team, this is not to say that youthere are any changes on tills, that the time of
should not trust your administrative team,the change is noted so the offender can be
however there are a few methods that arefound.
common practice among those admin that are