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Open Access
Article
Publication date: 7 July 2023

Elda du Toit

According to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, financial statement fraud represents the smallest amount of fraud cases but results in the greatest monetary loss. The…

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Abstract

Purpose

According to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, financial statement fraud represents the smallest amount of fraud cases but results in the greatest monetary loss. The researcher previously investigated the characteristics of financial statement fraud and determined the presence of 16 fraud indicators. The purpose of this study is to establish whether investors and other stakeholders can detect and identify financial statement fraud using these characteristics in an analysis of a company’s annual report.

Design/methodology/approach

This study analyses a financial statement fraud case, using the same techniques that were previously applied, including horizontal, vertical and ratio analysis. These are preferred because stakeholders have relatively easy access to them.

Findings

The findings show several fraud characteristics, with a few additional ones not previously found prevalent. Financial statement fraud thus tends to differ between cases. It is also easier to detect and identify fraud indicators ex post facto.

Originality/value

This study is a practical case showing that financial statement fraud can be detected and identified in the financial statements of companies that commit fraud.

Details

Journal of Financial Crime, vol. 31 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1359-0790

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 April 2000

C. Koornhof and D. du Plessis

There is increasing international concern about the escalation of fraud and, in particular, financial statement fraud. Detecting financial statement fraud and proving such fraud…

1641

Abstract

There is increasing international concern about the escalation of fraud and, in particular, financial statement fraud. Detecting financial statement fraud and proving such fraud remains an elusive goal. Red flagging is an early warning system that has been used by auditors to determine the probability of financial statement fraud. The purpose of this research project was to survey investors and lenders in South Africa on their use of red flags and to obtain their opinions on the relative importance of individual red flags. A questionnaire was sent to banks that are registered with the Registrar of Banks (representative of lenders) and to portfolio managers registered with the Financial Services Board (representative of investors). The research findings indicate that lenders and investors in South Africa appear to be aware of the benefits of red flagging as an early warning system. A structured approach (questionnaires/checklists) in using them is to be lacking at present. Respondents rated all red flags in the questionnaire as being important. No distinction was discernable among the different categories that were based on the nature of red flags.

Details

Meditari Accountancy Research, vol. 8 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1022-2529

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 26 July 2021

Arief Hidayatullah Khamainy, Mahrus Ali and M. Arif Setiawan

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effect of the new fraud diamond model in explaining financial statement fraud.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effect of the new fraud diamond model in explaining financial statement fraud.

Design/methodology/approach

The variables used to examine the factors consist of motivation, opportunity, personal integrity and capability. This research used manufactured companies listed in the Indonesia Stock Exchange of the 2015–2019 period as the population.

Findings

There has been a positive influence between personal financial need (OSHIP), nature of the industry (RECEIVABLE) and history of sale (SG) toward financial statement fraud, while the negative effect is found only in the effective monitoring (IND).

Research limitations/implications

The new fraud diamond model theory which is used as a reference in this study is a new and under-developed theory. So the author suggests that further research on this theory be carried out to strengthen the new fraud diamond model theory and ensure whether it can be used as a reference to find out the causes of financial statement fraud. In addition, the object used in this study is limited to manufacturing companies, so the author suggests that further research combine several types of companies.

Originality/value

The research finding supports the new fraud diamond model theory in elaborating the financial statement fraud phenomenon.

Article
Publication date: 1 October 2018

Noorul Azwin binti Md Nasir, Muhammad Jahangir Ali, Rushdi M.R. Razzaque and Kamran Ahmed

We examine whether the fraud firms are engaged in real earnings management and accrual earnings management prior to the fraud year in the Malaysian context.

3085

Abstract

Purpose

We examine whether the fraud firms are engaged in real earnings management and accrual earnings management prior to the fraud year in the Malaysian context.

Design/methodology/approach

Our sample comprises of 65 financial statement fraud and 65 non-fraud firms over a period of eight years from 2001 to 2008.

Findings

Using the abnormal cash flow from operations (CFO) and abnormal production costs as the proxies for real earnings management, we find that financial statement fraud firms engage in manipulating production costs during preceding two years of the fraud event. However, our results show that financial fraud firms engage in manipulating CFO prior to the fraud event. Additionally, we find that financial statement fraud firms prefer to manipulate earnings using accruals relative to real earnings prior to the fraud year.

Originality/value

Our results demonstrate that real earnings management is more aggressive in financial statement fraud firms compared to the non-fraud firms in the four years prior to fraud.

Details

International Journal of Accounting & Information Management, vol. 26 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1834-7649

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 September 2023

Abinash Mandal and Amilan S

This study aims to examine how auditors perceive the influence of crucial fraud prevention factors in deterring financial statement fraud within the corporate sector…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine how auditors perceive the influence of crucial fraud prevention factors in deterring financial statement fraud within the corporate sector. Additionally, this research explores the mediating effect of fraud awareness in elucidating the impact of ethical leadership and internal control systems on preventing financial statement fraud.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used an online survey, targeting a sample of 141 professionally qualified auditors with at least one year of practical experience in the field. The researchers used “Structural Equation Modeling (SEM)” to examine relationships between latent variables using partial least squares structural equation modeling. The study investigated the impact of whistleblowing systems, fraud awareness, ethical leadership, internal control systems and corporate governance on fraud prevention.

Findings

This research finding provides evidence to the corporate sector by establishing the significance of fraud awareness as the most influencing factor in preventing financial statement fraud. Furthermore, the combined explanatory variables account for 77.4% of the overall variance in financial statement fraud prevention. The study reveals a partial mediation effect of fraud awareness on the relationship between the internal control system and financial statement fraud prevention.

Practical implications

This research finding may assist in developing an effective fraud prevention programme to mitigate fraud instances and improve financial reporting quality. In the corporate sector, each organisation should clearly specify the policies on whistleblowing systems, fraud awareness training, internal control systems and corporate governance. To foster a comprehensive fraud prevention programme, the leaders should enforce these policies with employee support.

Originality/value

This research integrated crucial elements to develop a new theoretical framework for investigating financial statement fraud prevention within the corporate context. Accordingly, this research framework provides a more in-depth explanation of preventing financial statement fraud from an auditor’s perspective. Additionally, this research is the first to explore the mediating role of fraud awareness in influencing the effectiveness of the internal control system in preventing financial statement fraud.

Details

Journal of Financial Reporting and Accounting, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1985-2517

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 September 2019

Noorul Azwin Binti Md Nasir, Muhammad Jahangir Ali and Kamran Ahmed

This study aims to examine the relationship between the presence of a Malay director on the board and financial statement fraud in Malaysia. Further, the authors investigate…

2545

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine the relationship between the presence of a Malay director on the board and financial statement fraud in Malaysia. Further, the authors investigate whether financial statement fraud firms improve their governance mechanisms compared to non-fraud firms subsequent to the fraud year.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use hand-collected data comprising 76 financial statement fraud and 76 non-fraud firms over a period of eight years from 2001 to 2008.

Findings

Using a univariate and logistic regression model, the results demonstrate a significant positive relationship between the proportion of Malay directors on the board and the financial statement fraud. The authors also find that fraud firms significantly increase the proportion of independent directors on their boards, increase the frequency of board and audit committee meetings and reduce duality subsequent to the detection of financial statement fraud compared to the non-fraud firms.

Originality/value

The findings of the study are useful to policy-makers, regulators, firms and investors.

Details

Accounting Research Journal, vol. 32 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1030-9616

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 February 1998

Rocco R. Vanasco

This paper examines the role of professional associations, governmental agencies, and international accounting and auditing bodies in promulgating standards to deter and detect…

27114

Abstract

This paper examines the role of professional associations, governmental agencies, and international accounting and auditing bodies in promulgating standards to deter and detect fraud, domestically and abroad. Specifically, it focuses on the role played by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), the US Government Accounting Office (GAO), and other national and foreign professional associations, in promulgating auditing standards and procedures to prevent fraud in financial statements and other white‐collar crimes. It also examines several fraud cases and the impact of management and employee fraud on the various business sectors such as insurance, banking, health care, and manufacturing, as well as the role of management, the boards of directors, the audit committees, auditors, and fraud examiners and their liability in the fraud prevention and investigation.

Details

Managerial Auditing Journal, vol. 13 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0268-6902

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 July 2021

Nadia Smaili, Paulina Arroyo and Faridath Antoinette Issa

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether large blockholders are associated with financial statement fraud at their companies. Although a substantial body of prior…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether large blockholders are associated with financial statement fraud at their companies. Although a substantial body of prior studies has focused on chief executive officers’ motivations to manipulate financial statements, the correlation between majority shareholders and financial statement fraud has received little attention. This paper aims to fill this gap by investigating whether the sample firms have controlling shareholders or executives (i.e. blockholders vs management) and whether financial statement fraud schemes, motivations and consequences differ between blockholder- and management-controlled firms.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a clinical approach, the authors Study 12 Canadian financial statement fraud cases uncovered by the Ontario Securities Commission between 1997 and 2020.

Findings

First, the authors find blockholder control in six cases. These findings infer that these large shareholders received private benefits at the expense of minority shareholders. The comparative analyzes suggest that fraudulent firms controlled by blockholders go bankrupt more often than those controlled by managers. The authors also find that improper disclosure is the most common fraud scheme in blockholder-controlled firms.

Originality/value

The authors conduct a deep analysis of financial statement fraud cases to examine the of blockholder control on the likelihood of financial statement fraud. This paper adds new insights to the research on financial crime by investigating whether large shareholders affect the probability of fraud and the extent to which they might do so.

Details

Journal of Financial Crime, vol. 29 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1359-0790

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 September 2023

Moh. Riskiyadi

This study aims to compare machine learning models, datasets and splitting training-testing using data mining methods to detect financial statement fraud.

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Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to compare machine learning models, datasets and splitting training-testing using data mining methods to detect financial statement fraud.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a quantitative approach from secondary data on the financial reports of companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange in the last ten years, from 2010 to 2019. Research variables use financial and non-financial variables. Indicators of financial statement fraud are determined based on notes or sanctions from regulators and financial statement restatements with special supervision.

Findings

The findings show that the Extremely Randomized Trees (ERT) model performs better than other machine learning models. The best original-sampling dataset compared to other dataset treatments. Training testing splitting 80:10 is the best compared to other training-testing splitting treatments. So the ERT model with an original-sampling dataset and 80:10 training-testing splitting are the most appropriate for detecting future financial statement fraud.

Practical implications

This study can be used by regulators, investors, stakeholders and financial crime experts to add insight into better methods of detecting financial statement fraud.

Originality/value

This study proposes a machine learning model that has not been discussed in previous studies and performs comparisons to obtain the best financial statement fraud detection results. Practitioners and academics can use findings for further research development.

Details

Asian Review of Accounting, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1321-7348

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 April 2022

Jaswadi Jaswadi, Hari Purnomo and Sumiadji Sumiadji

This study aims to investigate cases of fraudulent financial statements that have occurred in Indonesia and explore the similarities of cases that existed in the period before and…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to investigate cases of fraudulent financial statements that have occurred in Indonesia and explore the similarities of cases that existed in the period before and after the establishment of the Financial Services Authority.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper provides a descriptive examination of financial misstatements issued by different regimes by listed companies of the capital market and financial institution supervisory agency and the introduction of new financial service authority; among 93 listed companies that were subject to an official investigation arising from the publication of financial misstatements, these assessments were facilitated by mean of content analysis of annual reports following the announcement of an investigation.

Findings

The findings indicate that each regime has a specific pattern of financial statement fraud. It is found that senior management is responsible for most fraud, and recording a fictitious sale is the most common method of falsifying financial statements. Under the new regime, the publication of cases is limited since the introduction of risk-based supervision. Financial Services Authority is likely to fine and prosecute the director of a company as a perpetrator rather than a corporation as a legal entity.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature on the incidence of financial statement fraud in public companies and provides a detailed descriptive comparison of cases scrutinized by securities exchange commission in an emerging country.

Details

Journal of Financial Reporting and Accounting, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1985-2517

Keywords

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