Pop quiz! Who is more at risk for expense fraud? Big businesses with more than 100 employees or small businesses with less than 100 employees? You may be surprised to learn that it’s actually the little guy. If your company still relies on expense processes with paper receipts and spreadsheets, it’s very likely your company is experiencing fraud as well!
Fraud expenses occur when an employee makes a claim for reimbursement that is fictitious or inflated. In 2018, the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners conducted a study on fraudulent expense reimbursements and found it accounts for 21% of all fraud in small businesses and 11% in large businesses.
There are 4 common types of expense fraud:
• Fake Expenses– making up fake expenses.
• Personal Expenses– employees may try to write off personal expenses as business expenses.
• Multiple Reimbursements– submitting receipts more than once.
• Overstated Expenses– legitimate expenses that have been inflated.
How to identify and prevent expense fraud:
Start with a policy – set a clear and fair expense policy for all employees to follow.
Give your employees the right tools – putting tools and systems in place can simplify the process. Oddly enough using hard copies, employees have been found twice as likely to commit fraud.
Change how you do expenses – try to incorporate the use of a corporate charge card for greater control of reimbursement charges.
Audit Selectivity – Make sure all new hires understand the company policy by auditing their first ten expense claims.
Bring in HR support – expense fraud can be a learned behavior- make sure managers and their managers are receiving reliable advice and information.
Finally, one of the best ways to avoid employee expense fraud is to be sure your companies’ rates are fair and up to date and enforce a strict “no excuse” policy.
Alex Bulmer - Three Pillars Bookkeeping and Business Services
763-464-6408, Office@threepillarsbusinessservices.com
Fraud expenses occur when an employee makes a claim for reimbursement that is fictitious or inflated. In 2018, the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners conducted a study on fraudulent expense reimbursements and found it accounts for 21% of all fraud in small businesses and 11% in large businesses.
There are 4 common types of expense fraud:
• Fake Expenses– making up fake expenses.
• Personal Expenses– employees may try to write off personal expenses as business expenses.
• Multiple Reimbursements– submitting receipts more than once.
• Overstated Expenses– legitimate expenses that have been inflated.
How to identify and prevent expense fraud:
Start with a policy – set a clear and fair expense policy for all employees to follow.
Give your employees the right tools – putting tools and systems in place can simplify the process. Oddly enough using hard copies, employees have been found twice as likely to commit fraud.
Change how you do expenses – try to incorporate the use of a corporate charge card for greater control of reimbursement charges.
Audit Selectivity – Make sure all new hires understand the company policy by auditing their first ten expense claims.
Bring in HR support – expense fraud can be a learned behavior- make sure managers and their managers are receiving reliable advice and information.
Finally, one of the best ways to avoid employee expense fraud is to be sure your companies’ rates are fair and up to date and enforce a strict “no excuse” policy.
Alex Bulmer - Three Pillars Bookkeeping and Business Services
763-464-6408, Office@threepillarsbusinessservices.com