The Small Business Fraud Prevention Manual


Book Description

"Small business owners and managers cannot afford losses due to fraud, yet many of these types of businesses are the most common victims. The ACFE's Small Business Fraud Prevention Manual provides information on the most common internal and external fraud schemes committed by customers, employees and vendors against small businesses as well as tips on how to prevent these schemes from happening to you." -- Back cover.




Solving Employee Theft


Book Description

Solving Employee Theft: New Insights, New Tactics is a how-to guide written in everyday language for both small business owners and theft investigators. This book lives up to the promise of its title by outlining step-by-step procedures that will solve most employee theft cases that business owners are likely to encounter. More than thirty years' experience as a theft investigator and polygraph expert have provided author James W. Bassett with an uncanny knowledge of how sticky-fingered employees think. Now he shares this knowledge so employers can stop internal theft. Solving Employee Theft is filled with case studies and amusing anecdotes that bring the author's insights to life. Additional topics in the book include effective applicant screening, theft-proofing your business, how employers are unknowingly complicit in employee theft, and how the Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA) can benefit employers as well as employees.




Ask a Manager


Book Description

From the creator of the popular website Ask a Manager and New York’s work-advice columnist comes a witty, practical guide to 200 difficult professional conversations—featuring all-new advice! There’s a reason Alison Green has been called “the Dear Abby of the work world.” Ten years as a workplace-advice columnist have taught her that people avoid awkward conversations in the office because they simply don’t know what to say. Thankfully, Green does—and in this incredibly helpful book, she tackles the tough discussions you may need to have during your career. You’ll learn what to say when • coworkers push their work on you—then take credit for it • you accidentally trash-talk someone in an email then hit “reply all” • you’re being micromanaged—or not being managed at all • you catch a colleague in a lie • your boss seems unhappy with your work • your cubemate’s loud speakerphone is making you homicidal • you got drunk at the holiday party Praise for Ask a Manager “A must-read for anyone who works . . . [Alison Green’s] advice boils down to the idea that you should be professional (even when others are not) and that communicating in a straightforward manner with candor and kindness will get you far, no matter where you work.”—Booklist (starred review) “The author’s friendly, warm, no-nonsense writing is a pleasure to read, and her advice can be widely applied to relationships in all areas of readers’ lives. Ideal for anyone new to the job market or new to management, or anyone hoping to improve their work experience.”—Library Journal (starred review) “I am a huge fan of Alison Green’s Ask a Manager column. This book is even better. It teaches us how to deal with many of the most vexing big and little problems in our workplaces—and to do so with grace, confidence, and a sense of humor.”—Robert Sutton, Stanford professor and author of The No Asshole Rule and The Asshole Survival Guide “Ask a Manager is the ultimate playbook for navigating the traditional workforce in a diplomatic but firm way.”—Erin Lowry, author of Broke Millennial: Stop Scraping By and Get Your Financial Life Together




Small Business Information Security


Book Description

For some small businesses, the security of their information, systems, and networks might not be a high priority, but for their customers, employees, and trading partners it is very important. The size of a small business varies by type of business, but typically is a business or organization with up to 500 employees. In the U.S., the number of small businesses totals to over 95% of all businesses. The small business community produces around 50% of our nation¿s GNP and creates around 50% of all new jobs in our country. Small businesses, therefore, are a very important part of our nation¿s economy. This report will assist small business management to understand how to provide basic security for their information, systems, and networks. Illustrations.




Embezzlement


Book Description

Your most trusted employee. Your right hand. However, something just doesn't feel right about your business. Could an employee be stealing from you? Certainly you're mistaken, right? After all, this person helped you grow your business, has full access to everything from passwords to bank statements. Sure, that gives your employee the opportunity, but he or she would never take advantage of it. We lock our cars and our houses to protect ourselves. What do you do to protect your business? This book is designed to help you prevent, detect, and investigate embezzlement. You will learn how opportunity, pressure, and rationalization are the basis for fraud. Kelly Paxton is a former federal agent who was used to dealing with "bad guys." Once she started working embezzlement cases, she quickly realized that honest people steal. So, arm yourself with her knowledge, insight, and tips on how to protect your future today. Here's what some experts in the field have to say about Embezzlement: How to Detect, Prevent, and Investigate Pink-Collar Crime: "A thoroughly enjoyable and accessible read -- chock full of stories that bring the subject of pink-collar crime to life. Kelly Paxton helps us understand that fraud happens in all aspects of our personal and professional lives. She opens our eyes to the realities of fraud and gives thoughtful tips to deal with it. A must-read for everyone -- whether you have seen or experienced fraud first-hand or not." --BETHMARA KESSLER-SPEAKER, Chair, ACFE Board of Regents "What a fantastic book by fraud-fighter Kelly Paxton! It's an easy read that combines interesting embezzlement stories, relevant fraud concepts, and excellent fraud prevention tips. Kelly's discussion of what constitutes pink-collar crime was enlightening. This is a must-read for any conscientious business owner looking for practical advice on reducing their exposure to employee fraud." --TRACY COENEN, Forensic Accountant "Fraud comes in many forms--from simple theft by swiping a few dollars from your mom's wallet to technically sophisticated, movie-ready Casino Royale-like scripts. The word "fraud" is so generic that one can find myriad applications, making seemingly everyone an expert in such a loosely defined field. In the past twenty years, I've seen FBI agents turned celebrity thanks to movies like Wolf on Wall Street alongside famed convicted hacker hoodlums, each professing to know and teach about fraud. Their backgrounds and experiences make them interesting, perhaps even sexy (if fraud could ever be considered sexy), but it doesn't make them well-rounded like Kelly Paxton. Paxton's dedication and earnest work on pink-collar crime dates back a decade. Her focus, experience, and resilience in professing, sharing, and training in this unique and often overlooked criminal activity stands alone. Embezzlement exemplifies real experiences, tactics, and investigative solutions for this least-suspecting yet growing criminal element representing nearly half of the total labor force: Women. Fraud examiners, investigators, and industry pros will be grabbing Embezzlement off the shelf and find it hard to put down." --CYNTHIA HETHERINGTON, President, Hetherington Group




Policies and Procedures to Prevent Fraud and Embezzlement


Book Description

IS YOUR BUSINESS VULNERABLE TO FRAUD? It's not a secret that corporate fraud and scandal are real threats to business today, from which no business, large or small, is immune. Fraud losses are devastating-but they are also highly avoidable. Policies & Procedures to Prevent Fraud and Embezzlement shows you how to proactively safeguard your business's assets and reputation from countless plots, schemes, and even identity theft. This invaluable tool prepares auditing CPAs, internal auditors, fraud investigators, and managers to: Thoroughly evaluate their organization's system of internal controls Assemble a fraud examination team Document a fraud action plan Expose weaknesses that could lead to fraud Take corrective action to reduce the possibility of victimization Embezzlement and fraud are realities that all organizations must confront, with the growing list of collapsed corporate giants serving as evidence of the destruction caused by financial abuses. Policies & Procedures to Prevent Fraud and Embezzlement offers provocative new strategies to deal with this ongoing dilemma and serves as a road map to reduce financial dishonesty in the workplace.




Theft by Employees


Book Description




Preventing and Detecting Employee Theft and Embezzlement


Book Description

"If you don't think that some employees have figured out ingenious ways to steal from businesses, read this book. The real-life examples will change your mind." Joseph T. Wells, CFE, CPA, founder and Chairman, Association of Certified Fraud Examiners "An easy-to-read, but comprehensive step-by-step approach that covers every potential area for employee fraud and embezzlement. Great checklists at the end of each chapter show what steps to put into place for controls and protection. Includes real-life examples that really 'bring the story home.' " Jean L. Conover, CPA, past CEO/CFO, Jefferson Radiology PC "This book is a must-read for seasoned entrepreneurs as well as those considering entering their own business venture. While developed for small business, the risk detection and prevention methodologies presented by Mr. Pedneault are universal to all businesses. The concise checklists provide ready guidance for establishing a complete system of controls." Denise H. Armstrong, CPA, Chief Financial Officer, Sea Research Foundation, Inc. d/b/a Mystic Aquarium and Institute for Exploration "This book is a must for every individual owning their own business. Mr. Pedneault clearly articulates the fraud risks that occur in each business system. In the book, he offers practical advice for internal controls and illustrates the risks with real-life examples." Leonard W. Vona, President, Fraud Auditing, Inc.




Occupational Fraud and Abuse


Book Description




Avoiding Cyber Fraud in Small Businesses


Book Description

INCREASE THE LIFE SPAN OF YOUR SMALL BUSINESS The average small business has a life span of about five years, and inadequate internal controls are the main cause of failure. Cyber fraud, the leading culprit today in internal criminal activity, occurs when advanced technologies are used to steal money or property. The majority of such crimes occur in-house, and the lack of sufficient capital and technological resources committed to protecting company assets makes small businesses especially vulnerable. Awareness of the dangers of internal theft by computer, illegal access to information systems, credit card fraud, and Internet scams is integral-especially as auditors, business owners, and managers are increasingly held responsible for negligence. Providing critical guidance on what auditors and businesses can do to better prevent and detect the growing number of occurrences of cyber fraud, the information in this one-of-a-kind manual: * Protects outside auditors by supplying the knowledge to ensure they meet their responsibilities * Protects small business owners by providing them with the necessary tools to meet due diligence requirements in cyber fraud prevention * Focuses on the key areas of vulnerability Take the first step in protecting your company-and your future-with Avoiding Cyber Fraud in Small Businesses, the only book committed to helping you keep your small business free of computer crime.