The adage ‘prevention is better than cure’ also applies in the case of misappropriation, supply- and price-fixing, theft, balance-sheet manipulation, embezzlement, corruption and other forms of fraud.

Our forensic and dispute advisory team includes leading experts in the field of fraud prevention (CFE), auditors of information technology systems (CISA), financial auditors, and tax and legal advisers. We therefore have all the competencies required for fraud prevention and investigation. We work closely with BDO colleagues worldwide to provide expertise across the globe.

Fraud prevention and investigation services includes:

Fraud investigation

If you have concerns about potential fraud, or have discovered it in your business, we conduct an investigation which includes:

• forensic review of accounting records and other documents, with the help of established statistical programs intended to detect fraud
• interviews with the persons involved
• forensic review of the information system
• evidence collection and damage estimate
• report preparation
• assistance in cooperation with your lawyers

Fraud-risk analysis and the creation of a fraud-prevention and detection programme

The essential elements of the fraud-prevention and detection programme are:

• overview of key business processes and assessment of internal controls
• assessment of the risk of fraud in key business processes
• interviews with administrators of key business processes in order to identify fraud risk
• data analysis
• employee training on ethical norms in order to prevent and detect fraud
• establishment of a fraud-reporting system

Investigative due diligence

Every company wants to do business with trusted business partners. Therefore, we can carry out a due diligence investigation of potential customers (depending on the availability of information in each country) that usually includes:

• an overall evaluation of business operations and management reputation
• media searches
• a review of involvement in insolvency or other court proceedings
• global compliance checks carried out in conjunction with BDO offices around the world
• local inquiries