A fraud case is an investigation into financial deception for monetary gain. These cases can be criminal or civil, and may involve multiple business entities, government agencies or programs or private charities. Fraud can be a complex case to work, and requires careful consideration of legal compliance and ethical considerations.
In order to build a strong fraud case, it is essential to gather as much evidence as possible. This includes securing physical and digital records. Using a secure case management system can help, as it allows you to review records multiple times without damaging the originals, and provides a way to keep track of the information and evidence collected in a single location. The investigator should also be careful not to rely on inferences or assumptions, and draw conclusions only from objective facts.
The investigation process starts with a clear fraud policy and assembling a competent investigative team. This includes hiring external specialists like retired law enforcement as needed. During this phase, the investigator should identify the scope of the inquiry – people, business units and transactions. They should also document all planned information-gathering approaches including records retrieval, interviews and site visits.
The next step is to review and analyze all the evidence gathered. The investigator should assess whether the evidence supports or contradicts the initial suspicions and provide a report of their findings. They should also make recommendations for corrective actions, policy improvements or legal action. Finally, they should create a plan for documenting their evidence and securing it for future use.