Workplace fraud, which tends to increase in difficult economic times, is a serious economic threat to businesses.  To counter this, businesses need to start by cultivating a culture of ethics, starting with the top executives. 

Careful and thorough screening of prospective employees is also essential, along with a zero tolerance policy toward offenders and well constructed internal controls.   Companies also need to be alert to warning signs, such as disorganized bookkeeping, unrecorded transactions, missing records, excessive voids or credits and un-reconciled bank accounts.  Identifying the fraud is the first step, but it is also necessary to identify the fraudster. 

A fraud investigation team can help track down the offender and prepare the ground for a successful prosecution.