Problem:
Many corporations and government entities have an internal auditing function and a separate fraud investigation function either as a subunit of internal auditing or security or as a separate unit within the organization. In addition, many accounting and consulting firms have a forensic, investigation, and litigation support services.
The financial forensic investigation techniques and procedures used both within an organization as well as within a professional service firm can come in different ways. For example, some forensic techniques for analyzing financial statements are common for financial auditors, fraud auditors, forensic accountants, and investigators. Other techniques, such as using behavior detection methods and interviewing methods, are primarily used in specific fraud investigation engagements.
Please post an answer to the following questions. Support your answers with academic or real life criminal justice examples to accentuate your point.
- In your opinion, are internal controls an effective way to protect organizations of internal and external fraud? Why?
- Do you think that it is a wise investment to contract services that provide security against fraud or should it be an in-house department that provides fraud security services? Why?