NCJ Number
194697
Date Published
2002
Length
13 pages
Annotation
After providing four examples of fraud based in the use of computing and communications technologies, this paper suggests strategies for countering these types of fraud.
Abstract
The four types of fraud examined involve telecommunications technology, electronic funds transfer, identity theft, and online sharemarket manipulation. Telecommunications crime involves the manipulation of PABX's to enable long-distance telephone calls to be charged to organizations without authorization; this can involve substantial amounts of money. Fraud in electronic funds transfer involves the interception or alteration of electronic data messages transmitted from the computers of financial institutions so as to enrich the offender. Identity theft for the purposes of fraud involves the creation of false documents that are used to misrepresent one's identity in defrauding organizations, stealing funds, and then evading detection. Online sharemarket manipulation involves the use of computers and e-mail to facilitate the manipulation of sharemarkets during secondary trading of securities. This can occur through the use of rumor, hyperbole, or other forms of misinformation to boost the price of a stock prior to the manipulator's quick and profitable sale of the stock. There are three main strategies for preventing fraud: reduce the supply of motivated offenders; protect and education the suitable targets; and limit opportunities by making the crime more difficult to commit. This paper outlines four general preventive strategies: effective corporate governance, fraud control policies, personnel monitoring, and computer usage monitoring. The paper concludes with a discussion of the consequences of failure to respond to fraud within organizations.