

Preventing Employee Fraud: An Introduction
A Course for Business Owners, Managers and Security Professionals
Self paced
tutorials
ASSIGNMENTS
Employee fraud costs the typical organization 5% of its revenues in a given year. According to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) losses are in the billions of dollars with an average loss per case at $2.7 million.
The impact of fraud in enormous. It has become a global threat to business success. No industry is immune. Fraud occurs in major corporations, non-profits, charities and educational institutions. It can be found in religious groups and virtually every level of government. In fact, the ACFE estimates that no less than 1/3 of U.S. business failures are the result of fraudulent activities.
This course addresses an immediate need. It provides an awareness of the employee fraud problem. It then provides the learner with the many different forms fraud takes in the workplace. These range from expense account scams and kickbacks to the misappropriation of company assets and fraudulent financial statements. The course then discusses the importance of an organizational anti-fraud program and the implementation of internal controls to minimize business losses.
This course is specifically tailored for:
- Business owners and managers
- Front-line supervisors
- Human resources specialists
- Students of business or public administration
- Corporate compliance and legal entitities
- Corporate security professionals
- Public sector managers and government officials
Preventing Employee Fraud: An Introduction is unique because of its generic approach to employee fraud. The concepts presented are applicable to all businesses and organizational environments. The author is a security professional with over 30-years of leadership experience in both the private and public sectors. The course is divided into 13 focused sections with the utmost respect for the learner's time. As an introductory course, this program sets the tone for future offerings from this instructor, including Conducting Internal Fraud Investigations and Managing the Internal Threat.
Authoritative, relevant and affordable, Preventing Employee Fraud: An Introduction is the ideal tool for those responsible for the bottom-line, the protection of assets, and for leaders seeking a competitive advantage.
Course Content
Number of Videos: 16
Number of Documents: 4
Number of Online Tests: 1
Number of Assignments: 2
Certifications
Although this course does not result in any particular certification or professional credential, it can be submitted for continuing education consideration. Upon successful completion of the 10-question quiz, the learner may request a personalized Certificate of Completion (.PDF) documenting his or her accomplishment.
Syllabus for the Course
Section 1- Introduction and Welcome to the Course!
This section discusses the course contents, organization and expectations for successfully completing the program. It also introduces the learner to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE)
Section 2- Fraud Defined
This section provides the legal definition (according to U.S. law) of fraud. It also provides examples of major fraud schemes such as subpar mortgages, healthcare fraud, and insurance and insider trading frauds. The fraud triangle is introduced. The role of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in fraud enforcement is also outlined.
Section 3- Insurance and Mass Marketing Frauds
This section continues with our examination of specific fraud types. This includes:
- Staged auto accidents
- Property insurance scams
- Mass marketing frauds
- Advance fee schemes (including the Nigerian 419 fraud)
- Recovery and impersonation strategies
- The FBI's asset foretiture and anti-money laundering programs
Section 4- Introduction to Employee Fraud
This section looks as fraud's impact on the workplace. It stresses:
- The impact of technolgy and globalization
- Fraud as an intentional act and the role of concealment
- Two primary fraud models- asset missappropriation and fraudulent finacial reporting
- Motivations and incentives for employee dishonesty
- Losses by employee groups.
Section 5- Introduction to Internal Controls
This section discusses the importance of internal controls (such as segregation of duties and documentation) The key concept: No one person should have excessive control over the organization's cash cycle. Safeguards and oversight is imperative.
Section 6- Employee Perspectives
This section stresses the importance of honest employees. It includes how dishonest staff operate and what their likely targets are. The importance of knowing your environment and the challenges to a small building are also reviewed. The dangers of "organizational intimacy" are introduced- when family and friends are placed on the payroll, there is a natural tendency to cut corners in the hiring process and the enforcement of robost internal controls.
Section 7- Fraud Hotspots
This section reviews the financial impact fraud has, as well as other negative organizational outcomes experienced by the organization. The section then identifies five of the most likely fraud hotspots in a typican business environment. These include:
- Purchasing
- Corporate credit cards
- Payroll
- Sales and accounts recievables
- Information and IT systems
Section 8- Fraud Myths
This section uncovers popular myths regarding fraud. For example:
- Well-paid employees don't commit fraud...
- Let the police handle the situation...
- Trusted employees do not commit fraud...
Section 9- Fraud Case Studies (Assignment)
This section consists of a .PDF document featuring links to actual fraud cases. The learner reads each case and should respond to the question(s) associated with each case. The eight cases cover widely diverse activities in:
- The banking industry
- A public utility
- Health care
- A police department
Section 10- Prevention: The Basics (Assignment and Lecture)
This section looks at the importance of a sound fraud prevention policy and the crucial step of effectively communicating it to staff. An assignment includes a link to a sample policy (from the ACFE). The learner is to review this model and be prepared to correctly answer the questions provided.
In addition to the above assignment, this section also features a video lecture that builds on anti-fraud techniques and preventive controls.
Section 11- Internal Controls and Policy Management
This section builds on previous material and recommends the development and benefits of using a working group to develop an anti-fraud policy. Key foundations of any successful program include:
- Hiring honest people
- Setting an ethical and open tone
- Developing a robust anti-fraud policy
- Training staff early and often in the fraud policy
- Including vendors, contractors and others in the anti-fraud effort
The section recommends the use of an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). It also discusses general safeguards for organizational checks, credit cards, and similar vulnerabilities.
Language of instruction: English
- Understand the crippling effects of fraud on business success.
- Define the three components of the fraud triangle.
- Explain various employee theft and fraud schemes.
- Implement an organizational anti-fraud program.
- Learn basic "internal controls" used to minimize fraud.
Cole Morris has more than 30 years of security experience in a wide range of business, military and government environments. This experience includes a 20-year career in the U.S. military, supervision of high-risk federal contracts, leadership of a Fortune 500 high-tech security department, and homeland security. He has served as a logistics advisor to two foreign governments.
Morris is an internationally published author. He has taught graduate level courses in security administration for Webster University. He holds degrees (Criminal Justice) from Rowan University and Troy State University (Masters of Public Administration, MPA)
Professional credentials include Certified Protection Professional (CPP) and Certified Healthcare Protection Administrator (CHPA). He maintained status as a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) for approximately ten years.
In 2013 Morris retired as the Director of Security for a hospital network in Phoenix, Arizona. He continues to consult on healthcare workplace violence issues and provides e-learning products and security staff development services for clients.
Schedule & Syllabus
