Effective Fraud Awareness is No Laughing Matter! Or Can It Be So? (From Reducing Criminality--Partnerships and Best Practices, P 1-4, 2000, Adam Graycar, ed. -- See NCJ-186333)

• NCJ Number: 186364
• Author(s): Graeme Waters
• Date Published: 2000
• Length: 4 pages
• Sale Source: Australian Institute of Criminology
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: Australia

Annotation

This paper describes a program that uses humor to improve fraud awareness.

Abstract

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) believes that effective fraud control is a managerial responsibility and that staff must receive some awareness education about what fraud is and what to do about it. The Office developed a multimedia CD-ROM using animations and video with some humorous content but with a serious message. The ATO used the CD-ROM program and implementation of a career protection policy that provides a support mechanism for internal witnesses and “whistle-blowers” to educate their own staff regarding fraud and related issues. Results included: (1) a 25 percent increase in staff awareness of fraud control measures to prevent outside fraud; (2) a 32 percent increase in staff awareness of fraud control measures to prevent fraud inside the ATO; (3) an 8 percent reduction in staff lack of understanding of the concept of outside fraud and a 7 percent reduction in staff lack of understanding of fraud from within; and (4) increases of from 5 to 30 percent in staff classifying a range of specific actions as fraud. Note