Benford's Law. Applications for Forensic Accounting, Auditing, and Fraud Detection

Praise for the Fourth Edition of Fraud Auditing and Forensic Accounting «Tommie and Aaron Singleton have made important updates to a book I personally rely very heavily upon: Fraud Auditing and Forensic Accounting (FAFA). In the newest edition, they take difficult topics and explain them in straightforward actionable language. All my students benefitted from reading the third edition of the FAFA to better understand the issues and area of fraud and forensic accounting. With their singular focus on understandability and practicality, this Fourth Edition of the book makes a very important contribution for academics, researchers, practitioners, and students. Bravo!»—Dr. Timothy A. Pearson, Director, Division of Accounting, West Virginia University, Executive Director, Institute for Fraud Prevention «Finally someone has written a book that combines fraud examination and forensic accounting. The authors have clearly explained both in their earlier edition and now they have enhanced the first with additional materials. The order in which the material is presented is easy to grasp and logically follows the 'typical' fraud examination from the awareness that something is wrong to the court case. The explanatory materials presented aid this effort by being both well placed within the book and relevant to the narrative.» —Dr. Douglas E. Ziegenfuss, Chair and Professor, Department of Accounting, Old Dominion University «Fraud Auditing and Forensic Accounting is a masterful compilation of the concepts found in this field. The organization of the text with the incorporation of actual cases, facts, and figures provides a logical and comprehensive basis for learning the intricacies of fraud examination and forensic accounting. The authors successfully blend the necessary basics with advanced principles in a manner that makes the book an outstanding resource for students and professionals alike.»—Ralph Q. Summerford, President of Forensic/Strategic Solutions, PC

Get the latest tools in fraud auditing and get rid of fraud in your organization With the responsibility of detecting and preventing fraud placed directly on the accounting profession, you are responsible for recognizing fraud and learning the tools and strategies necessary to stop it. Fraud Auditing and Forensic Accounting, Third Edition shows you how to develop an investigative eye toward both internal and external fraud and provides crucial information on how to deal with it when discovered. This authoritative, timely book equips auditors, investigators, corporate attorneys, and accountants to identify the signs of financial fraud and successfully investigate it. This new edition will enable you to: Recognize the characteristics of organizations in which fraud is likely to occur Detect and deter accounting fraud, using the most recently developed techniques Conduct an efficient, systematic fraud investigation Use the latest methods for documenting fraud and preparing evidence-and much more PRAISE FOR Fraud Auditing and Forensic Accounting, Third Edition «An excellent primer for developing and implementing an antifraud program as part of a SOX 404, fraud prevention and detection process. A clear and concise history of fraud and the methods needed to deter it now and for the future. It is like having a professor on call and in your office when you need one. Well written with easy-to-understand definitions and examples, this is a must-read for anyone who is putting a financial investigation unit in place.» —George Mullins, CFE, HealthSouthInternal Audit Manager and Project Manager, Antifraud Program «The book is an excellent anti-fraud resource for those professionals charged with the responsibility of detecting, investigating, and preventing fraud. I also highly recommend it to educators as a prospective textbook for a semester-long course in macro fraud examination.» —Thomas Buckhoff, PhD, CPA, CFE, Associate Professor of Forensic Accounting, Georgia Southern University, and Principal, FraudWise, LLC «This book, better than any other in print, hits the subject areas I cover in my fraud examination and forensic accounting class. The authors have done a great job of presenting complicated terms and techniques in a manner for students to understand. I particularly like the presentation of a fraud's endgame, namely the court case that recovers assets and puts these creeps in jail.» —Douglas E. Ziegenfuss, Professor and Chair, Department of Accounting,Old Dominion University

Fully revised, the proven primer on forensic accounting with all-new cases A must-have reference for every business professional, Forensic Accounting and Fraud Investigation for Non-Experts, Third Edition is a necessary tool for those interested in understanding how financial fraud occurs and what to do when you find or suspect it within your organization. With comprehensive coverage, it provides insightful advice on where an organization is most susceptible to fraud. Updated with new cases and new material on technology tools in forensic accounting Covers the core accounting, investigative, and legal aspects of forensic accounting for professionals new to the field Covers investigative and legal issues along with accounting schemes Written by a team of recognized experts in the field of forensic accounting, Forensic Accounting and Fraud Investigation for Non-Experts, Third Edition is essential reading for accountants and investigators requiring the most up-to-date methods in dealing with financial fraud within their organizations.

An invaluable tool equipping healthcare professionals, auditors, and investigators to detect every kind of healthcare fraud According to private and public estimates, billions of dollars are lost per hour to healthcare waste, fraud, and abuse. A must-have reference for auditors, fraud investigators, and healthcare managers, Healthcare Fraud, Second Edition provides tips and techniques to help you spot—and prevent—the «red flags» of fraudulent activity within your organization. Eminently readable, it is your «go-to» resource, equipping you with the necessary skills to look for and deal with potential fraudulent situations. Includes new chapters on primary healthcare, secondary healthcare, information/data management and privacy, damages/risk management, and transparency Offers comprehensive guidance on auditing and fraud detection for healthcare providers and company healthcare plans Examines the necessary background that internal auditors should have when auditing healthcare activities Managing the risks in healthcare fraud requires an understanding of how the healthcare system works and where the key risk areas are. With health records now all being converted to electronic form, the key risk areas and audit process are changing. Read Healthcare Fraud, Second Edition and get the valuable guidance you need to help combat this critical problem.

Detect fraud faster—no matter how well hidden—with IDEA automation Fraud and Fraud Detection takes an advanced approach to fraud management, providing step-by-step guidance on automating detection and forensics using CaseWare's IDEA software. The book begins by reviewing the major types of fraud, then details the specific computerized tests that can detect them. Readers will learn to use complex data analysis techniques, including automation scripts, allowing easier and more sensitive detection of anomalies that require further review. The companion website provides access to a demo version of IDEA, along with sample scripts that allow readers to immediately test the procedures from the book. Business systems' electronic databases have grown tremendously with the rise of big data, and will continue to increase at significant rates. Fraudulent transactions are easily hidden in these enormous datasets, but Fraud and Fraud Detection helps readers gain the data analytics skills that can bring these anomalies to light. Step-by-step instruction and practical advice provide the specific abilities that will enhance the audit and investigation process. Readers will learn to: Understand the different areas of fraud and their specific detection methods Identify anomalies and risk areas using computerized techniques Develop a step-by-step plan for detecting fraud through data analytics Utilize IDEA software to automate detection and identification procedures The delineation of detection techniques for each type of fraud makes this book a must-have for students and new fraud prevention professionals, and the step-by-step guidance to automation and complex analytics will prove useful for even experienced examiners. With datasets growing exponentially, increasing both the speed and sensitivity of detection helps fraud professionals stay ahead of the game. Fraud and Fraud Detection is a guide to more efficient, more effective fraud identification.

Manage client emotions in forensic accounting and fraud investigations While many resources exist that outline the primary functional aspects of conducting a forensic accounting or fraud investigation, this book is the first of its kind in addressing the significance of client emotions during investigations and how important the management of those emotions is to the investigation as a whole. Forensic accounting expert Stephen Pedneault has nearly 30 years of experience conducting such fraud investigations, and has become an expert in this form of holistic engagement management. In this comprehensive resource, Pedneault shares his real-world experiences to help the reader understand exactly what role client emotions can play in a fraud investigation, and how to acknowledge and address the emotions of all parties right from the start. Included in the book are pragmatic strategies for managing emotions throughout an engagement, starting with the initial client meeting. Readers will also learn how to develop their own personal approach to managing individuals’ emotions throughout an investigation, which has proven to be much more effective than ignoring or underestimating the role that emotions can play. The book: Is the first resource specifically addressing client emotions in fraud investigations Includes tips for dealing with emotions and managing expectations from the initial meeting Prepares practitioners for future engagements with a new, unique perspective on managing emotions Helps fraud investigators and forensic accountants develop their own personal approaches to dealing with individuals and their emotions For accountants, auditors, fraud investigators, and others in the field, this complete, groundbreaking resource is the quintessential guide to managing client emotions in forensic accounting and fraud investigations.

Discover how to detect fraud, biases, or errors in your data using Access or Excel With over 300 images, Forensic Analytics reviews and shows how twenty substantive and rigorous tests can be used to detect fraud, errors, estimates, or biases in your data. For each test, the original data is shown with the steps needed to get to the final result. The tests range from high-level data overviews to assess the reasonableness of data, to highly focused tests that give small samples of highly suspicious transactions. These tests are relevant to your organization, whether small or large, for profit, nonprofit, or government-related. Demonstrates how to use Access, Excel, and PowerPoint in a forensic setting Explores use of statistical techniques such as Benford's Law, descriptive statistics, correlation, and time-series analysis to detect fraud and errors Discusses the detection of financial statement fraud using various statistical approaches Explains how to score locations, agents, customers, or employees for fraud risk Shows you how to become the data analytics expert in your organization Forensic Analytics shows how you can use Microsoft Access and Excel as your primary data interrogation tools to find exceptional, irregular, and anomalous records.

Unique insights into the nature of fraud and how to expose it It's not enough to wait for a tip to expose corporate fraud. Fraud 101, Second Edition provides step-by-step guidance on how to perform detection procedures for every major type of fraud. Its new and detailed case studies reveal how easy it can be for a perpetrator to commit a fraud and how difficult it can be to prosecute. This new edition also offers expanded coverage of financial statement fraud, fraud-specific internal control, and Sarbanes-Oxley.

This AICPA Accounting and Auditing Guide is a must-have for the resource libraries of accounting and auditing professionals who work with not-for-profit organizations. This essential reference book assists accountants in the unique aspects of accounting and financial statement preparation and auditing for not-for-profit entities. Created with common errors and questions in mind, accountants benefit from not-for-profit industry-specific guidance on the issues they are likely to encounter this year. The 2018 edition includes guidance on financial reporting changes, reporting donated services between affiliated NFPs, split-interest agreements, contributions and grants, functional expenses and joint costs, and much more. This new edition provides a comprehensive discussion of FASB ASU No. 2016-14, Not-for-Profit Entities (Topic 958): Presentation of Financial Statements of Not-for-Profit Entities. The discussion includes highlights of the changes that will assist financial statement preparers with implementing the standard. The guide offers dual guidance throughout, providing readers with the “before-and-after” context to enhance their understanding of the changes, as well as two all-inclusive appendices.

A comprehensive guide to current issues and practices in governance for Takaful and re-Takaful operations As the global demand for Islamic insurance products increases, a thorough understanding of Takaful principles is vital for accountants, auditors, and leaders of companies offering these products. This book covers the basic accounting principles and practices of Takaful operations, including the segregation of assets, liabilities, income, and expenditures between the Takaful operator and participants; the setting aside of cash reserves for meeting outstanding claims and future claims; and the management of revenue and expenditure. Featuring extensive case studies from real-world situations, this book is the perfect primer for accounting students and practitioners unfamiliar with Islamic finance and Takaful operations. Written by experts from the International Islamic University Malaysia, the leading organisation in research in Islamic finance Covers all the major accounting principles and practices Based on real-world experience and packed with illustrative case studies For practicing accountants and business leaders, this book offers a thorough education in Takaful operations while also serving as an excellent guide for undergraduate students and researchers.