Fraud can come in many shapes and sizes, which means it is often happening in places one would not expect to find it.
An investigation conducted by Schools Week – the results of which were published in October – highlight this point nicely. The education-focused magazine and website explored school admissions across the UK and found that there had been a huge rises in cases of fraud in schools up and down the country.
Schools Week stated that the number of school admission fraud investigations has nearly trebled in the past three years, jumping from 470 in 2012-13 to 1,257 last year. As a result of these investigations, 696 offers of places have been withdrawn after cheating parents were caught out.
“The majority of frauds involved parents lying about their addresses to get a place at their school of choice – including using the addresses of grandparents, their businesses,” the investigators explained when announcing the findings.
Whether it is in the school system or the business world, fraud investigations are a vital part of uncovering deceitful acts carried out by an individual or organisation. Frenkels Forensics has vast experience in helping to detect fraud and produce a report explaining precisely what took place and the financial ramifications of the fraudulent activity – this is important in ensuring the proceeds of a crime hearing can retrieve the money obtained via fraudulent behaviour.
But Frenkels Forensics also acts on behalf of defendants who might find themselves accused of fraud as part of a sweeping investigation into activities that do not concern them. In these instances the company’s expert forensic accountants can produce evidence to demonstrate that the defendant was either wrongfully accused, or at least ensure the defendant does not have to pay unreasonable sums of money back above and beyond the amount they benefited from the fraud itself.
For expert help with a fraud investigation contact Frenkels Forensics for an independent appraisal.
Alternatively, if you’re looking for advice in another aspect of forensic accountancy, then do get in touch via Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn or by visiting our website www.frenkels.com
By Vitek Frenkel – find me via Google+.