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Best Practices for Internal Controls to Prevent Occupational Fraud in Small Businesses?

Best Practices for Internal Controls to Prevent Occupational Fraud in Small Businesses?
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages: 28
Release: 2016
Genre: Fraud
ISBN:

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Fraud is a growing issue that organizations face. In the 2016 Report to the Nations, the ACFE estimated that organizations typically lose 5% of revenues each year to fraud. This is an extremely large cut of revenues that most businesses cannot afford to lose. The ACFE reports that 30% of fraud victims within their study was small businesses with less than 100 employees (2016). While the median loss per fraud case is the same at $150,000 for for-profit organizations of any size, the frequency of fraud at small businesses is much higher than at large businesses (ACFE, 2016). Though $150,000 may not seem like a big loss for a Fortune 500 company, this amount can be extremely damaging to a small business. A study by Carland et al., attributed the majority of small businesses failures to occupational fraud (2001). Small businesses are even further vulnerable due to several characteristics prevalent within small businesses that make them the most targeted form of business for fraud. The focus of this thesis is on best practices in internal controls to help prevent the most common form of occupational fraud, which is asset misappropriation. This form of fraud makes up 83% of all cases reported to the ACFE (ACFE, 2016). While asset misappropriation has the smallest median loss compared that of financial statement fraud or corruption, the ACFE still found that the median loss per case is $125,000. This may not present too large of a burden to larger organizations, however this loss affects smaller businesses quite differently. Thus, it is very important to identify the internal controls most suited to preventing fraud within a small business setting.


Executive Roadmap to Fraud Prevention and Internal Control

Executive Roadmap to Fraud Prevention and Internal Control
Author: Martin T. Biegelman
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 448
Release: 2012-04-10
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1118004582

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How-to, authoritative guidance for creating a best-in-class fraud prevention and compliance program in any organization Now in a Second Edition, this practical book helps corporate executives and managers understand the full ramifications of good corporate governance and compliance. It covers best practices for establishing a unit to protect the financial integrity of a business; theories and models on how and why fraud occurs in an organization; importance of strong internal controls; major compliance and corporate governance initiatives and milestones since 1985; and more. Complete coverage includes implementation guidance for a robust fraud prevention and compliance program, including sample policies, best practice examples, and a 14-point management antifraud program. Covers fraud risk assessment and prevention guidance Looks at global risk issues, including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and UK Bribery Act Examines amendments to the Federal Sentencing Guidelines for Organizational Crime Discusses Dodd-Frank Whistleblower Provisions Explores enterprise risk management key program elements Offers coverage of how fraud and compliance failures contributed to the financial crisis Includes enhanced principles for fraud data mining Presents new cases, checklists and real-world examples, expanded international coverage, and the latest technological tools Shows executives and managers what their responsibilities are regarding fraud prevention, internal controls, and compliance Provides an instructor's website, including a test bank Other titles by Biegelman: Building a World-Class Compliance Program and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Compliance Guidebook Completely revised and updated, Executive Roadmap to Fraud Prevention and Internal Control, Second Edition is every manager's best resource for understanding all the complex issues and responsibilities associated with fraud and compliance. Praise for Executive Roadmap to Fraud Prevention and Internal Control: Creating a Culture of Compliance "Martin Biegelman and Joel Bartow convert their lifelong experiences and unparalleled knowledge into a concise, well-written book. They provide the essential tools to take aspirational goals for fraud prevention and compliance and build them into concrete and effective programs." —From the Foreword by Bradley J. Bondi, Partner, Caldwater, Wickersham & Taft LLP "Executive Roadmap touches all the bases on corporate fraud. The authors – both experienced fraud investigators and federal law enforcement agents – lay out the history and major milestones of corporate fraud, and discuss with precision the key issues facing today’s executives and compliance leaders. The book provides a valuable overview for business leaders looking to develop and implement effective compliance programs and instill a culture of integrity in order to help their organizations defeat the challenges posed by today's sophisticated fraudsters." —Jeffrey Eglash, Senior Counsel, Litigation & Legal Policy, GE "Biegelman and Bartow provide great insight into not just how fraud occurs inside of companies, but why. Preventing fraud requires a solid understanding of both, making this book a must read for any executive who is serious about creating the compliance mechanisms and the corporate culture needed for effective fraud prevention." —Aaron G. Murphy, Partner, Latham & Watkins LLP "Business leaders would be wise to follow the recommendations in this book. Fraud prevention is more than just creating a set of policies. As the subtitle indicates, it is essential to create a culture of compliance. Empty words accomplish nothing. The authors, both experienced fraud examiners, have spent decades investigating fraud, as well as developing strategies to prevent it. This book is an essential tool in creating an anti-fraud environment in any company." —James D. Ratley, CFE, President & CEO, Association of Certified Fraud Examiners "Biegelman and Bartow's Executive Roadmap to Fraud Prevention and Internal Control is an essential guide for all who have an interest in eradicating corporate or institutional fraud. Written by experts in detecting and preventing fraud in its myriad forms, this book is a handy source for those who hope to avoid the predicaments that the authors have seen or in managing the crises that arise when the problems cannot be avoided. The new second edition is an indispensable addition to the libraries of internal compliance and legal officers, and forensic accountants." —Joel M. Cohen, Partner, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, former New York federal prosecutor and liaison to the French Ministry of Justice and OECD "Biegelman & Bartow's book offers expert guidance to anyone tasked with understanding and tackling fraud in the workplace. Their straightforward approach informs the reader and provides a roadmap and guidance for implementation of an effective fraud mechanism within any organization – small or large. I plan to provide a copy of the book to my Board of Directors and executive members of management." —Lisanne E. S. Cottington, Compliance Officer, Insight Enterprises, Inc. "This next edition is extremely timely. It covers key topics that any management member needs to know in today’s regulatory climate. These authors have used their extensive corporate and government experience to create a practical and easy to understand compliance guide. A superb resource for any executive." —Karen Popp, Partner at Sidley Austin LLP and former federal prosecutor and Associate Counsel to President Clinton "With executives increasingly on the hot seat when corporate compliance issues arise, clear guidance regarding risk areas and best practices is invaluable. Executive Roadmap to Fraud Prevention and Internal Control contains a timely combination of illustrative stories and practice tips regarding hazards in this complex area. It is a good resource for both corporate executives and the many professionals assisting corporations to prevent or detect fraud and build a culture of legal compliance." —Barb Dawson, partner with focus on internal investigations and business litigation, Snell & Wilmer LLP "Executive Roadmap to Fraud Prevention and Internal Control: Creating a Culture of Compliance is a truly phenomenal book. Martin Biegelman and Joel Bartow have accomplished an incredible achievement: they have flawlessly bridged the chasm between the theoretical/academic and practical/tangible. This is a volume that should not be on the bookshelf of every manager interested in compliance and fraud prevention (which should be every manager); it should be dog-eared and open on the desktop of every such manager! Kudos to Messrs. Biegelman and Bartow!" —William J. Kresse, M.S., J.D., CPA, CFF, CFE; Associate Professor, Graham School of Management; Director, Center for the Study of Fraud and Corruption, Saint Xavier University, Chicago "Biegelman and Bartow have again provided an invaluable resource for leaders in the corporate world who have responsibility for fraud, integrity, and compliance. They send a clear message that addressing fraud is a two part process- establishing robust controls and detection measures; and creating a culture of compliance and integrity. This work provides a detailed tour through the world of fraud controls while keeping the importance of culture at the forefront." —Ronald C. Petersen, Executive Director, Global Security, Ally Financial "From the perspective of an ethics and compliance practitioner, Martin Biegelman's and Joel Bartow's new offering is a Thanksgiving feast. Too often, companies and organizations get caught up in the moment, and don't stand back to examine the cultural, organizational and historic reasons that fraud exists. Biegelman and Bartow plow that road, and use their insights to offer invaluable tips in the design of effective anti-fraud programs." —James D. Berg, Vice President, Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer, Apollo Group Inc. "Biegelman and Bartow have indeed produced a functional roadmap for the executive to follow in fraud prevention and internal control. This book is a great asset for those engaged in the seemingly endless struggle to control fraud. A 'must read' for the industry." —Raymond L. Philo, MPA, Executive Director, Economic Crime Institute, Utica College "As if Executive Roadmap to Fraud Prevention and Internal Control wasn't a powerful enough tool for fraud fighters, now Biegelman and Bartow have added fresh insight and advice to the second edition. With compelling updates on costly internal and external fraud and corruption, together with easy-to-read descriptions of latest fraud-fighting technologies, this is a must-read for fraud examiners, auditors, attorneys and others—whether they've read the first edition or not." —Peter Goldmann, President, White-Collar Crime 101 LLC/FraudAware "Fraud borders on the ubiquitous in contemporary corporate culture. This book provides a rich and comprehensive guide to crafting a state of the art fraud deterrence program. While the book is sure to better equip corporate executives and directors in their fight against fraud, I intend to draw heavily upon its content in educating accounting students who represent the CEO's and CFO’s of the future." —Ingrid E. Fisher, PhD, CPA, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Accounting and Law, The University at Albany-SUNY "The book's exploration of fraud theories ranging from 'rotten apple' to the 'potato chip' (can't eat just one!), provides useful examination of the psychology of corporate fraud that explains its recurring nature and offers clues to creating a fraud resistant culture." —Zachary W. Carter, Partner and head of the Trial Group, Dorsey & Whitney LLP and former United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York


Internal Control/Anti-Fraud Program Design for the Small Business

Internal Control/Anti-Fraud Program Design for the Small Business
Author: Steve Dawson
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 219
Release: 2015-04-10
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1119083729

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A how-to guide to small business anti-fraud protection and internal control Internal Control/Anti-Fraud Program Design for the Small Business is a practical guide to protection for businesses NOT subject to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Written by an expert with three decades of forensic investigation experience, this book is geared specifically toward private, non-public small businesses and their unique needs in the realm of fraud protection. Covering all elements of an internal control structure applicable to the small business community, this guide provides a step-by-step roadmap for designing and implementing an effective, efficient internal control structure/anti-fraud program tailored to your business's particular needs. Case studies are used throughout to illustrate internal control weaknesses and the fraud that can result, and follow-up analysis describes the controls that would have reduced the probability of fraud had they been in place. You'll learn how to analyze your company's internal control issues, and implement a robust system for fraud prevention. Guidance toward Sarbanes-Oxley compliance is readily available, but there is little information available for the many businesses not subject to the act —until now. This book is the step-by-step guide for instituting an internal control program tailored to your small business. Understand the five elements of internal control Avoid gaps in protection with relevant controls Design the ultimate anti-fraud program Implement internal control tailored to your needs The majority of small business owners simply do not know the elements of or implementation process involved in internal control, and Sarbanes-Oxley guidelines don't necessarily scale down. Internal Control/Anti-Fraud Program Design for the Small Business helps you design and install the internal control/anti-fraud protection your business needs.


Internal Controls in Small City Government

Internal Controls in Small City Government
Author: M. Wade Cothran
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2022
Genre: Finance, Public
ISBN:

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The flexible design multiple case study was performed to broaden the understanding of the possible rationale for city government officials' failing to implement effective internal controls related to the global business problem of occupational fraud. The leadership of an organization should assume a stewardship attitude to reduce fraud risk by designing, implementing, monitoring internal controls, and testing their effectiveness. Asset misappropriation from occupational fraud results in the loss of assets and potential business failure. The research questions explored the internal control procedures implemented to prevent and detect property theft. Additionally, the research questions addressed the strategies implemented to establish segregation of duties and testing of internal controls for effectiveness. The stewardship theory was utilized to understand the leader's responsibility to protect the assets. The fraud triangle theory was applied to evaluate if internal controls were designed to monitor each of the three components. Interviews of 25 participants involved with small city governments in the central United States were conducted, and coinciding city documents were reviewed. The researcher identified five themes as the result of coding the data collected. The findings included how the leadership failed to design internal controls to monitor the pressure and rationalization components of the fraud triangle theory, or test internal controls for effectiveness. The researcher also discovered the leaders’ have a stewardship attitude to protect the assets from misappropriation. The study was conducted to improve business practices based on Biblical precepts of exhibiting exceptional stewardship over God-given authority.


An Exploration of Internal Controls and Their Impact on Employee Fraud in Small Businesses

An Exploration of Internal Controls and Their Impact on Employee Fraud in Small Businesses
Author: Kent Lachney
Publisher:
Total Pages: 164
Release: 2018
Genre: Fraud
ISBN:

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The purpose of this qualitative study was to gain greater understanding of the current practices of the internal control systems of small businesses and to explore the effectiveness of their systems in comparison with anti-fraud activities recommended by forensic accountants. The researcher selected five small businesses that were members of the Central Louisiana Regional Chamber of Commerce and had fewer than 100 employees. The researcher interviewed the owners and/or managers of the businesses, reviewed and analyzed company documentation, interpreted data, made observations, and offered recommendations. The researcher asked each participant to respond to questions related to the five elements of the model developed by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO): control environment, risk assessment, control activities, information and communication, and monitoring. The researcher discovered that there were more internal controls utilized by the businesses that participated in this study than were depicted in a review of current literature. Also, the researcher identified several themes of best practices of internal controls: anti-fraud training; written code of conduct; risk assessment; hiring and onboarding process; approval processes and authorization levels; separation of duties; information and communication; and monitoring. Further, the researcher made six recommendations for action: establishing internal controls; addressing personnel issues; conducting anti-fraud training; revising personnel manuals; assessing risk; and monitoring COSO standards. This study should assist small business owners and/or managers achieve their organization’s objectives and make a significant contribution to the local economy.


Internal Control Strategies

Internal Control Strategies
Author: Julie Harrer
Publisher:
Total Pages: 308
Release: 2008
Genre: Auditing, Internal
ISBN: 9781119205487

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Guides small and mid-sized businesses, as well as nonaccelerated SOX companies, how to implement effective internal controls. Provides practical ideas that controllers can implement into their programs to cut costs and reduce time with their internal controls program. It includes discussion of PCAOB stands, SEC and COSO guidance in nontechnical language. Provides proven, cost-effective methods to implement a strong internal control program preventing fraud.


Policies and Procedures to Prevent Fraud and Embezzlement

Policies and Procedures to Prevent Fraud and Embezzlement
Author: Edward J. McMillan
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 327
Release: 2006-07-18
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0471932906

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IS YOUR BUSINESS VULNERABLE TO FRAUD? It's not a secret that corporate fraud and scandal are real threats to business today, from which no business, large or small, is immune. Fraud losses are devastating-but they are also highly avoidable. Policies & Procedures to Prevent Fraud and Embezzlement shows you how to proactively safeguard your business's assets and reputation from countless plots, schemes, and even identity theft. This invaluable tool prepares auditing CPAs, internal auditors, fraud investigators, and managers to: Thoroughly evaluate their organization's system of internal controls Assemble a fraud examination team Document a fraud action plan Expose weaknesses that could lead to fraud Take corrective action to reduce the possibility of victimization Embezzlement and fraud are realities that all organizations must confront, with the growing list of collapsed corporate giants serving as evidence of the destruction caused by financial abuses. Policies & Procedures to Prevent Fraud and Embezzlement offers provocative new strategies to deal with this ongoing dilemma and serves as a road map to reduce financial dishonesty in the workplace.


The Master Guide to Controllers' Best Practices

The Master Guide to Controllers' Best Practices
Author: Elaine Stattler
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 537
Release: 2020-06-15
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1119723337

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The essential guide for today's savvy controllers Today's controllers are in leadership roles that put them in the unique position to see across all aspects of the operations they support. The Master Guide to Controllers' Best Practices, Second Edition has been revised and updated to provide controllers with the information they need to successfully monitor their organizations' internal control environments and offer direction and consultation on internal control issues. In addition, the authors include guidance to help controllers carryout their responsibilities to ensure that all financial accounts are reviewed for reasonableness and are reconciled to supporting transactions, as well as performing asset verification. Comprehensive in scope the book contains the best practices for controllers and: Reveals how to set the right tone within an organization and foster an ethical climate Includes information on risk management, internal controls, and fraud prevention Highlights the IT security controls with the key components of successful governance Examines the crucial role of the controller in corporate compliance and much more The Master Guide to Controllers' Best Practices should be on the bookshelf of every controller who wants to ensure the well-being of their organization.


Fraud Risk Management to Detect and Prevent Employee Fraud in Small Rural Businesses

Fraud Risk Management to Detect and Prevent Employee Fraud in Small Rural Businesses
Author: Daphen Y. Bishop
Publisher:
Total Pages: 209
Release: 2022
Genre: Fraud
ISBN:

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This section provides discussion and research results of this study. The researcher used qualitative multiple case study to explore how small rural businesses establish Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) internal controls to deter and prevent employee fraud. A qualitative multiple case study was based on the fraud diamond theory. Thirty small business owners or managers located in rural areas were interviewed to gain a greater understanding of the effectiveness of internal control in small rural businesses. After thematic analysis, the researcher identified seven major themes: (a) management’s commitment to integrity and ethical value, (b) identifying high-risk areas, (c) separation in key business functions, (d) ethically informed risk management, (e) leveraging technology, (f) financial and staffing challenges, and (g) low COSO familiarity. The findings showed that the participants implemented internal control procedures to the best of their abilities and knowledge to protect their business assets. Therefore, it appears that the internal control actions could help small business owners avoid potential profit loss. The research found strengths and weaknesses of internal control implementations. The strengths of their implementation were their awareness of the control environment, risk management, monitoring and information, and communication. The weakness of the implementation came from control activities, predominantly the violation of the separation of duties. Most of the participants knowingly or unknowingly gave the same employee multiple business responsibilities that could compromise the internal control procedure.


Occupational Fraud and Abuse

Occupational Fraud and Abuse
Author: Joseph T. Wells
Publisher:
Total Pages: 564
Release: 1997-01-01
Genre: Auditing, Internal
ISBN: 9781889277080

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