Countering Fraud for Competitive Advantage: The Professional Approach to Reducing the Last Great Hidden Cost

Substantially reduce the largely hidden cost of fraud, and reap a new competitive advantage. As the title suggests, Countering Fraud for Competitive Advantage presents a compelling business case for investing in anti-fraud measures to counter financial crime. It looks at the ways of reaping a new competitive advantage by substantially reducing the hidden cost of fraud. Aimed at a wide business community and based on solid research, it is the only book to put forward an evidence-based model for combating corporate fraud and financial crime. Despite its increase and capture of the news headlines, corporate fraud is largely ignored by most organizations. Fraud is responsible for losses of up to nine percent of revenues—sometimes more. Yet, most organizations don't believe they have a problem and don't always measure fraud losses. This highlights an area for capturing a competitive advantage—with the right counter-fraud strategy, massive losses due to the cost of fraud can be reduced for a fraction of the return. Advocates a new model for tackling fraud and illustrates theories with best practice examples from around the world The authors have close links with the Counter Fraud Professional Accreditation Board: Jim Gee is a world–renowned expert in the field, and has advised private companies and governments from more than 35 countries. Mark Button is Director of the leading Centre for Counter Fraud Studies, Portsmouth University, U.K. Organizations are losing millions of dollars to fraud. This book outlines a comprehensive approach to reducing financial crime and helping return some of the revenue lost to the cost of fraud.

Table of Contents:
1 Introduction 1 1.1 Book Outline 4 End Notes 5 2 The Fraud Problem 7 2.1 Introduction 7 2.2 The Fraud Problem 7 2.3 The Extent of Fraud 15 2.4 Trends in Fraud 20 2.5 The Impact of Fraud 25 2.6 Conclusion 29 Further Reading 29 End Notes 29 3 The Fraudster and the Culture of Fraud 33 3.1 Introduction 33 3.2 Understanding the Fraudster 33 3.3 Cultures and Fraud 43 3.4 Conclusion 46 Further Reading 47 End Notes 47 4 The Resilience to Fraud 51 4.1 Introduction 51 4.2 National Resilience 51 4.3 Organisational Resilience 56 4.4 Further Research 63 4.5 ACFE Research 63 4.6 Understanding the Problem: Fusing the Fraudster, the Culture, and the Structures of Resilience 65 4.7 Conclusion 66 Further Reading 67 End Notes 67 5 Measuring Fraud Losses and Tailoring the Strategy 69 5.1 Introduction 69 5.2 The Problem with Risk Management 70 5.3 Measuring Fraud 71 5.4 Wider Benefits of Fraud Measurement 81 5.5 Conclusion 82 Further Reading 83 End Notes 83 6 Creating an Anti-Fraud Culture and Preventing Fraud 85 6.1 Introduction 85 6.2 Situational Measures 85 6.3 Creating an Anti-Fraud Culture 94 6.4 Conclusion 98 Further Reading 99 End Notes 99 7 Detecting Fraud and Investigating Professionally 103 7.1 Introduction 103 7.2 The Costs of Investigation 103 7.3 Who will Investigate? 104 7.4 Proactive Investigations 107 7.5 Reactive Investigations 113 7.6 Conducting Fraud Investigations 115 7.7 Psychology and Investigation 125 7.8 Conclusion 128 Further Reading 129 End Notes 129 8 Sanctioning Fraudsters and Pursuing Redress 131 8.1 Introduction 131 8.2 Understanding Fraudsters and the Place of Deterrence 131 8.3 The Sanctions Tool Box 133 8.4 Publicising Sanctions 141 8.5 Conclusion 143 Further Reading 143 End Notes 143 9 Enhancing Performance through Counter-Fraud Metrics 145 9.1 Introduction 145 9.2 New Ways of Thinking About Security and Fraud 145 9.3 Developing a Counter-Fraud Metrics Programme 150 9.4 Define Overall Objectives/Metrics 150 9.5 Decide Metrics That Meet Those Objectives 151 9.6 Develop Strategies for Generating Metrics 159 9.7 Establish Benchmarks and Targets 160 9.8 Determine How Metrics will be Reported 160 9.9 Create Action Plan 161 9.10 Review/Refine Cycle 161 9.11 Challenges and Critique of Metrics 162 9.12 Conclusion 163 Further Reading 163 End Notes 163 10 The Counter-Fraud Professional 165 10.1 Introduction 165 10.2 Counter-Fraud Professional Infrastructure 165 10.3 The Essence of the Counter-Fraud Professional 171 10.4 Redefining the Counter-Fraud Professional 176 10.5 The Counter-Fraud Department 177 10.6 Conclusion 178 Further Reading 178 End Notes 179 11 Reaping the New Competitive Advantage 181 11.1 Introduction 181 11.2 Bringing the Counter-Fraud Strategy Together 181 11.3 Reaping the Benefits 183 11.4 How Quickly can Losses be Reduced and by How Much? 185 11.5 The World’s 500 Largest Companies 187 11.6 UK FTSE 350 Companies 188 11.7 French CAC 40 Listed Companies 190 11.8 German DAX 100 Listed Companies 191 11.9 Concluding Remarks: Reap the Advantage! 191 Further Reading 192 End Notes 192 Index 195

About the Author :
Professor Mark Button is Director of the Centre for Counter Fraud Studies at the Institute of Criminal Justice Studies, University of Portsmouth. Mark has written extensively on counter fraud and private policing issues, publishing many articles, chapters and completing five books with two forthcoming. Some of the most significant research projects include leading the research on behalf of the National Fraud Authority and ACPO on fraud victims; the Department for International Development on fraud measurement, Acromas (AA and Saga) on ‘Cash-for-Crash fraudsters’, the Midlands Fraud Forum, Eversheds and PKF on ‘Sanctioning Fraudsters’. Mark has also acted as a consultant for the United Nations Offices on Drugs and Crime on Civilian Private Security Services. Mark also holds the position of Head of Secretariat of the Counter Fraud Professional Accreditation Board. Before joining the University of Portsmouth he was a Research Assistant to the Rt Hon Bruce George MP specialising in policing, security and home affairs issues. Mark completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Exeter, his Masters at the University of Warwick and his Doctorate at the London School of Economics.  Jim Gee is Director of Counter Fraud Services at BDO LLP, the leading accountancy and business services firm and Chair of the Advisory Board and Visiting Professor at the Centre for Counter Fraud Studies at University of Portsmouth. During more than 25 years as a counter fraud specialist, he led the team which cleaned up one of the most corrupt local authorities in the UK - London Borough of Lambeth - in the late 1990s; he advised the House of Commons Social Security Select Committee on fraud and Rt. Hon. Frank Field M.P. during his time as Minister of State for Welfare Reform; between 1998 and 2006 he was Director of Counter Fraud Services for the Department of Health and CEO of the NHS Counter Fraud Service, achieving reductions in losses of up to 60% and financial benefits equivalent to a 12 : 1 return on the costs of the work. Between 2004 and 2006 he was the founding Director General of the European Healthcare Fraud and Corruption Network; and he has since worked as a senior advisor to the UK Attorney-General on the UK Government’s Fraud Review as well as delivering counter fraud and regulatory services to public bodies and private companies both in this country and internationally. He has worked with organisations from more than 35 countries to counter fraud including for mining companies in Africa and South East Asia. He has also advised the Chinese Government about how to measure, pre-empt and reduce the financial cost of fraud.

Review :
"Insightful and full of fascinating stats." (Supply Business, July 2013) "... if you are already in the fraud field; for the starter or the curious, the whole book will give you ideas." (Professional Security, April 2013)