Fraud fact: Crooks prefer cash - Crawford Ellenbogen

It should come as no surprise that cash (including checks that are easily cashed) is the most popular target of fraud perpetrators. Once stolen, cash is virtually untraceable. But fraud experts have tools to unearth these schemes, particularly fraudulent disbursements. To confirm overbilling, experts might investigate accounts with no tangible deliverables and examine returned checks to find fraud. To trace “ghost” employee scams, they review employee lists, personnel files and other documents. You can help prevent cash fraud with strong internal controls.