Fraud in Businesses and Internal Control System
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Journal of Modern Accounting and Auditing,ISSN 1 548-6583 July 20 1 2,Vo1.8,No.7,983-989
Fraud in Businesses and Internal Control System Kadir Dabbagoglu T.C.Halle University,Istanbul,Turkey
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This study,based on the literature,stresses the effectiveness of internal control systems for the prevention,to a reasonable extent,of fraudulent practices that cause resource loss in business.In this context,the key concepts related to fraud and internal control systems are presented first.After the introduction,the relation between fraud and internal control systems is elaborated,and the method for establishing an effective internal control system which is needed to detect and prevent fraud is explained.As for the conclusion,the study connects the effectiveness of the internal control system with the effectiveness of the elements which compose the system,and provides some suggestions for increasing the efficacy of the elements which compose the system,such as control environment, risk analysis,information-communication,control activities,and monitoring.
Keywords.fraud,internal control system,monitoring
Introduction Fraud is the main management issue which most of compames are subj ected to and cannot be detected promptly,since scientific preventions are not considered,it replicates itself.When global competition environment requires cost minimization,on the other hand,significant studies have realized fraudulent transaction which is called abusiveness.In global scale,it indicates that losses arising from fraudulent transactions have reached serious level for companies.Fundamental factor which causes fraudulent transactions and postpones post-detection action plan is deficiency of corporate govemance.It is mentioned that there are fraudulent transactions at cOnsiderable level which cannot be detected or detected but are not associated with judicial process at companies away from corporate governance.High and unrealistic performance benchmarks, high tax rates,and shortcomings on ethics breed abusiveness. The essential detective and preventive precaution against fraudulent transactions is internal control system. An effective and efficient internal control system requires a proper control environment,risk analysis,control proceedings,oversight,and information system.The control environment signifies owners’and directors’point of view.It consists of prevalent controls.Risk analysis involves establishing risk committees in which especially internal auditors are included and engaged in risk assessment,risk management,and reporting. Control proceedings consist of control activities that are intended for cycles such as purchase-payments, sales—collections,and human resources. It consists of specific controls.Information system is directly related to communication skills of internal control system.It is the key item for increasing effectiveness of the system.Oversight is needed for monitoring performance and enhancement ofthe system.
Kadir Dabbagoglu,Ph.D.,Department ofBusiness Management,T.C.Halle University.Email:kadirdabbagoglu@halic.edu.tr 984 FRAUD IN BUSINESSES AND INTERNAL C0NTR0L SYSTEM 1’he Concept of Fraud Whenever there is any human factor,crime rate inevitably shows an increase.For this reason,crimes such
as corruption,irregularity,misconduct,cheating,counterfeiting,and fraud are probably as old as the history of humanity.The human factor,which composes a significant part of any business,is accompanied by error and
fraud.Although the concept of error does not include any wrongful intention,the act of fraud always includes
some deliberate actions.Although concepts such as corruption,irregularity,misconduct,cheating,
counterfeiting,and fraud can be used interchangeably,if the authors consider that the case in question is about the intentional and harmful behavior of employees in a business,the word fraud will be the most appropriate and general expression.The concept of fraud which has a wide range of possible meanings and applications, has various definitions.In the dictionary of the Turkish Language Association,the wordfraud is defined as“to cheat on someone;deception or plot,trick,trap,or intrigue intended to mislead someone”.According to the International Federation of Accountants(IFAC),fraud is an intentional act by one or more individuals in management,by those charged with governance or employees of the third party who are involved in deception to obtain an unj ust or illegal advantage.The Internal Control Institute of Turkey refers to fraud as misconduct and defines it as“illegal acts described as counterfeiting and misappropriation”. These acts are not solely related to the existence of a violent threat or use of physical force.Various parties or institutions can perpetrate misconduct to obtain a business related or personal advantage,money,goods or services,or to avoid service loss or to make payments. According to Association of Certified Fraud Examiners(ACFE)(20 1 0,P.42),“fraud is the use of one’s occupation for personal enrichment through the deliberate misuse or misapplication of the employed organization’s resources or assets”.This is a general definition and includes all the corruption and fraud that employees,executives,and senior executives can commit.These kinds of fraud can be as simple as embezzlement of corporate assets or as complex as cheating on financial tables.According to American Institute of Certified Public Accountants(AICPA)(2002,P.34),“fraud is also a comprehensive legal concept that can be separated from‘error’depending on its detection as an intentional or unintentional act”.As a conclusion,fraud was the intentional misuse or abuse of resources and assets of a business or the obtaining of illegal advantage by acquiring them(Bozkurt,2009). In a wider context,fraud was any engagement in malevolent acts in a printed or digital environment without the knowledge of relevant parties in the business,thus caused financial damage,violated national and international legislations,or had been encouraged by conspiring in the crime at the stages of development, documentation,and recording of an accountancy’s related case while these were being reported to the relevant parties(( ̄aliyurt,2007).Since fraud is intentionally done on documentation and records,it cannot be expected to appear by itself in the accounting system.On the contrary,since it is done intentionally,it is rather hard to detect.The reason for this is that the human mind constantly develops new methods and ways of hiding such activity. Scope and Nature of Fraud In general,there are two basic methods of obtaining something illegally:By physical force and by mental acts.The first kind of action is called theft,and the second is called fraud.Theft is usually more striking and violent than fraud and attracts more attention from the press.However,the damages done due to fraud are greater than the ones done due to theft.Fraud always included cheating,trust,and dishonesty(Albrecht,2003).