For the majority of this module on fraud, we've concentrated on raising awareness about schemes that can impact small businesses. As a result we've emphasized occupational frauds which are invariably perpetrated by individuals, such as bribery or embezzlement. In future months, we plan to add more sections covering organizational frauds, which are generally perpetrated by businesses or governments in areas such as antitrust and procurement (government contracting) frauds.
The important thing to keep in mind is, regardless of the type of fraud or fraudster, you should file a complaint with local authorities and urge them to prosecute whenever possible.
- Criminal Prosecution -- Criminals must be proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, so evidence of guilt must be documented and preserved to achieve a successful prosecution.
- Civil Action -- Civil actions are held to a less stringent standard than criminal acts and are decided on the preponderance of evidence.