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Homework answers / question archive / John Doe, a fraud examiner, has been hired by ABC Corporation to investigate a shortage of cash, which management thinks is being caused by fraudulent behavior
John Doe, a fraud examiner, has been hired by ABC Corporation to investigate a shortage of cash, which management thinks is being caused by fraudulent behavior. John Doe could spend his time and money pusuing witnesses to the crime or collecting documents that would confirm fraudulent activities. As with most fraud examiners, he chooses to collect supporting documents instead of pursuing witnesses.
Explain why John and most other fraud examiners prefer documents over witnesses; then describe elements of good document care.
Answer:
John and most other fraud investigators prefer documents over witness as documents do not forget or do not tell inconsistent stories on differernt occasions. Documents cannot be cross-examined or confused by attorneys like the case of witness. Documents cannot commit perjury like the witness. Documents cannot be co-conspirator in the fraud like the witness . Threfore documents are always preferable to witness for the fraud investigators.
Elements of good document care are ;
1. Keeping a Chain of custody documents; Record needs to be maintained when a document is received and subsequently what happens to the document since its reveipt.
2. Marking of the evidence; A transparent envelope to be used for the storage of the document with the sign of the examiner and date and time of receipt mentioned on the envelope. A copy of the document needs to be made and the original needs to be kept in a secure place.
3. Organization of evidence: Large fraud cases may result is huge no of documents that can be called up on demand during investigation. Therfore organization of documents and keep them in tamper prrof condition is of extreme importance. Dut to the storage constraints , today document managment softwares are used to store documents in electronic format which can be sorted according to date , subject and other reference and can be called up and searched using any key word. Also the security of software keep the documentary evidence secure.
4. Co-Ordination of documentary evidence: Good document care also involves using investigation analysis software like Analyst's Notebook 14 and Xanalys Link Explorer which are used when in complex investigations require the multiple involvement and requirements from investgators, leagal counsels, Accountants, Witness etc.
5. Disaster management and recovery : Documents in hard or soft form must be maintained with adequate provision for recovery during disaster or sabotage. Provision for keeping back ups in a secure and diffrenet place is absolutely necessary for this purpose.
