The monitoring of fraudulent activity indicates it is a growing and increasingly global problem. Whether by unethical staff, dishonest citizens, or opportunist hackers, fraud is a threat to any organisation’s integrity. It may take the form of petty pilfering or it may involve huge sums. The impact of fraud on efficiency, reputation and morale can often be greater than the direct financial loss of an individual incident. The proceeds of fraudulent transactions can be spirited away (especially in the virtual world) across borders, requiring lengthy, costly and complex processes to repatriate stolen funds.
This programme introduces a range of techniques which can help to combat fraud – though a difficult lesson is that the risk can never be completely eradicated. These techniques include the introduction of higher quality vigilance systems, more rigorous investigation processes, strategies to increase the prospect of successful fraud prosecutions, and measures to combat money laundering and seek repatriation of stolen funds.