Fraud Trends Examiner is a newsletter from The Whitaker Group, LLC. We
hope you find it to be both informative and beneficial.You have
received this newsletter because of our past business relationship,
introduction, meeting, or as the result of a training event
association.
We will be sending future issues periodically that will cover fraud
trends and prevention techniques, security consulting issues, as well
as various business management related topics and tips.
Please feel free to forward this newsletter to any other colleague that
you think may benefit from it.
Window
Film May Offer Defense Against Wireless Hackers
Unfortunately, burglary and industrial espionage have
gone high-tech. High-tech however doesn't necessarily mean James
Bond-like gizmos and futuristic devices. Nowadays, no actual breaking
and entering is required to steal some workplace secrets and proprietary
information. All that's really needed in some cases is a wireless
laptop and a vulnerable point - such as a window - where a signal can
be accessed.
Many of the building components used in today's wall
structures provide some attenuation, but glass does not - making
windows often times the point of least resistance for radio
frequency leakage. New glass security technology can significantly
reduce or eliminate the intrusion of RF, IR, UV and Microwave signals.
If you are unsure whether you are at risk, consider contacting a
qualified security professional to conduct a vulnerability assessment.
Worker's Compensation Fraud
Potential
Warning Signs of Worker's Compensation Fraud
You may not
discriminate against a worker who has filed previous workers'
compensation claims. However, when you have several of the following
suspect behaviors present or you observe an emerging pattern, don't be
afraid to investigate further for possible fraud or to forward your
suspicions to the appropriate authority.
About
the worker
the injured worker has an
unstable work history; i.e., an employee who often changes jobs
the claimant has a history of
reporting subjective injuries which may include workers'
compensation or liability claims
the claimant is consistently
uncooperative
the injured worker has been
recently terminated, demoted, or passed over for a promotion
the injured worker is in line
for early retirement
the injured worker is making excessive
demands
the injured worker calls soon
after the injury and presses for a quick settlement of the case
the injured worker moves out of
state soon after the injury
the injured worker changes his
or her address to a post office box or receives mail via a friend
or relative
About
the workplace
othe injured worker's workplace is
experiencing labor difficulties
the
accident occurs just prior to job termination, layoff, after
formal discipline of the employee, or near the end of the
employee's probationary period
About
the injury
othe injured worker was not injured
in the presence of witnesses
othe injury is a subjective one,
like stress, emotional trauma, or is hard to prove, like back pain,
headache, insomnia, etc.
othe accident is not promptly
reported by the employee to the employer
othe employers' first notice of the
injury is from an attorney or a medical clinic, and not from the
injured worker
physicians
who have examined the injured worker have vastly differing
opinions regarding the injured worker's disability
there is
no sound medical basis for the disability; all physicians'
reports indicate a full recovery
the
injured worker is claiming disability exceeding that which is
normally consistent with such an injury
the
accident occurs late Friday afternoon or shortly after the
employee reports to work on Monday
the
claimant has the accident at an odd time, such as at lunch hour
the
accident occurs in an area where the injured employee would not
normally be
the task
that caused the accident is not the type that the employee should
be involved in; i.e., an office worker who is lifting heavy
objects on a loading dock
the
details of the accident are vague or contradictory
Bear
in mind these are only possible
indicators of Worker's Compensation Fraud. These
bullets are only a sampling of indicators and any of them alone or in
concert may be completely legitimate. You owe it to your employees to
be fair and objective. If you have questions regarding how to go about
commencing an appropriate investigation, contact us or a firm that has
experience in handling these types of claims.
Our firm is dedicated to fighting fraud and providing
contemporary security management expertise and investigation
solutions for any size business. To learn more about our firm and
the services we provide, just click on our website link under Quick Links on
the right side of this page.
Thank you for taking time out of your busy day to read
this newsletter. I sincerely hope it has served as an informative
resource and has provided valuable information you can use. We welcome
any suggestions or ideas for future articles or other information
sharing ideas. Anything that benefits you, your clients or
colleagues, either directly or indirectly, is well worth the effort put
forth to disseminate it.
Sincerely,
James
E. Whitaker, CFE, CPP
The Whitaker Group, LLC
The
Whitaker Group, LLC offers a
comprehensive review of existing policies, procedures, and protocols
for any size or type of business. We specialize in auditing your
existing or proposed infrastructure for SIU Operations; existing
security and/or corporate security operation either propietary or
contracted; security and facilities management concepts and strategies;
cash handling, accounts receivable/payable, and vendor interaction
procedures; as well as a complete policy review regarding employee
safety and workplace violence and harassment related issues.
Many companies
rely on security vulnerability assessments that were conducted years
ago, if at all. In today's rapidly changing workplace environment, the
potential risks can be greater than ever before. We will assist your
personnel in identifying those potential risks and help develop
strategies to mitigate them more effectively. We can assist your staff
with understanding the potential risk vs. effectiveness of conducting
your own internal investigations. As a result, your staff will develop
more effective solutions to avoid many of those inherent risks and
still arrive at an acceptable resolution to the conflict.
We are pleased to announce that Mr. Doug Betts,
CPA, CFE is one of the valuable resource partners that we have
to benefit and assist our clients.
Mr. Betts has over 20 years of financial accounting
experience, both in public accounting and industry. Doug is a Certified
Public Accountant and began his career as an auditor with Coopers &
Lybrand, one of the eight largest accounting firms in the world at that
time, working with both publicly- and privately-held companies
throughout the United States. Subsequently, Doug held positions with
local accounting firms as well as controller with manufacturing and
service firms in northeast Ohio.
Doug is a Certified Fraud Examiner and concentrates in
the practice areas of forensic accounting, fraud investigation, and
fraud prevention services, utilizing the latest technology to analyze
and interpret electronic and other forensic data. In addition to
traditional forensic accounting investigations, Doug maintains a
special interest in family law forensic accounting involving issues of
fraudulent transfers, unreported and under-reported income, hidden assets
and child support.
Doug serves as the President of the Northeast Ohio
Chapter of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners and is a member
of the Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants and the American
Society for Industrial Security.
Doug holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting
from the University of Akron and is a frequently requested speaker
throughout Ohio on topics of small business fraud and fraud detection
and prevention for not-for-profit organizations.
Quote of the Month
"Aside from the strictly
moral standpoint, honesty is not only the best policy, but the
only possible policy from the standpoint of business relations. The
fulfillment of the pledged word is of equal necessity to the conduct of
all business. If we expect and demand virtue and honor in others, the
flame of both must burn brightly within ourselves and shed their light
to illuminate the erstwhile dark corners of distrust and dishonesty.
The truthful answer rests for the most part within ourselves, for like
begets like...honesty begets honesty; trust, trust; and so on through
the whole category of desirable practices that must govern and control
the world's business affairs.
