Internal Control and Fraud Risk Factors
Internal Control and Fraud Risk Factors
Internal Control and Fraud Risk Factors
International Federation of Accountants recognizes that the term “internal control” can have multiple
meanings, including:
1. Internal control system or process: “the process designed, implemented, and maintained by
those charged with governance, management, and other personnel to provide reasonable
assurance about the achievement of an entity’s objectives with regard to reliability of financial
reporting, effectiveness and efficiency of operations, and compliance with applicable laws and
regulations.”
2. Internal control activity or measure: activities performed to treat risks and effectuate internal
control. Internal control as an activity or measure is sometimes simply referred to as “control”.
3. Internal control as a state or outcome: an organization is “in control,” when it has achieved its
internal control objectives. -desired level of internal control, achieved by treating the risks an
organization faces in accordance with its risk management strategy and policies on internal
control, while achieving the organization’s objectives.
SCOPE OF INTERNAL CONTROL
Internal control should be used to support the organization in
achieving its objectives by managing its risks, while complying with
rules, regulations, and organizational policies. The organization
should therefore make internal control part of risk management and
integrate both in its overall governance system.
Example:
Organizations always face uncertainty in achieving their strategic,
SCOPE operational, and other objectives. Proper risk assessment and
internal control assist organizations in making informed decisions
about the level of risk that they want to take, and implementing the
necessary controls, in pursuit of the organizations’ objectives.
However, risks should not be taken without an explicit understanding
of their potential consequences for achieving an organization’s
objectives. Therefore, decision makers require relevant and reliable
information, produced through the internal control system, to
effectively implement and execute their strategic and operational
plans.
COMPONENTS OF INTERNAL CONTROL
Management’s Assesment of internal control
identification and performance over time
assesment of risk
Monitoring
Risk Assessment Controls
1. Supporting the organization’s objectives – through one goal, internal control will
be modified with the intention of achieving the organization’s objectives.
2. Determining roles and responsibilities – proper assigning of roles would help in
the proper application of internal control, this helps in the proper collaboration of
the organization.
3. Fostering a motivational culture – as is in any great leader, motivation can
improve morale and would encourage solidarity and unity in an organization.
4. Linking to individual performance – this it to give credit where it is due.
5. Ensuring sufficient competency – to fulfil responsibilities, qualified personnel
should be assigned with the proper tasks on internal control.
6. Responding to risk – controls are created in acknowledgement of risks.
7. Communicating regularly – communicating is the key to being understood, thus
proper communication can help the organization understand the system of control
and its effects on the organization.
8. Monitoring and evaluating – this is to determine the weaknesses of internal
control.
9. Providing for transparency and accountability – internal control should be
reported to stakeholders in transparent manner and should include feedback from
them.
TYPES OF CONTROLS
Detective
Preventive detective controls aim to find errors or
preventive controls aim to stop fraud fraud after it happens. Some examples
before it happens. Some examples include; Reconciliations, Review, and
include; separation of duties, Inventory counts
approval for actions, control of
access to files and other important
assets, physical control of assets, and
employee training.
Automated
it involves
computerized assets.
Manual
involves the participation of
people.
Internal Controls should be Selected,
Implemented and Applied
Risks come with uncertainty; it is the job of controls
to minimize risks. Identifying what risks accompany a
decision is the start to creating a well-planned and
well implemented control, but it should be at an
appropriate level of control, because if a control is to
strict it may paralyze the operations of the company
or if it is too lenient it may not prevent errors or
fraud, controls should also be cost-effective, that the
overall cost of implementing a control is not larger
than the cost of the risk it plans to prevent.
Essentially controls should be made in
acknowledgement of specific risks and its
consequences and should be well balanced that it
provides the best possible outcome.
Organization should Report on
Internal Control Performance
Organizations should report internal control and how it plays
in the organization; the organization should also report to the
stakeholders its risk profile, or the profile in which a company
has the ability to accept and mitigate risk, this helps in the
proper decision on allocating investments. The reporting on
internal control and risk profile should be transparent in a way
that internal and external stakeholders would know the
situation of the company; it should include how the internal
control works and what risks it intends to deal with, and what
are the weaknesses of the internal control. It should also be
noted that for competitive issues, confidentiality should also be
taken into account. Finally, there should be proper
communication between the organization and the stakeholders
for proper input on the internal controls of the organization.
DEFINITION
Types of Fraud:
FRAUD 1. Fraudulent Financial Reporting (FFR)
2. Misappropriation of Assets (MOA)
Fraudulent Financial Reporting
Fraudulent Financial Reporting (FFR) is an
intentional misstatements such us omissions or
disclosure of amounts in financial statements
to deceive users. Often involves override of
controls to manage earnings to influence the
perception of users as to the entity’s
performance and profitability.
This includes:
• Recording fictitious entries
• Inappropriate adjusting assumptions
• Omitting, advancing, or delaying recognition
• Concealing, or not disclosing facts
• Engaging in complex transactions
• Altering records
Misappropriation of Assets
This includes:
• Embezzling receipts
• Stealing physical assets
• Causing the entity to pay for
fictitious orders
• Using entity’s assets for personal
use
DEFINITION
Red Flags are an indication that refers to undesirable
situations or conditions that contributes to fraud,
waste, and abuse of resources. This is usually present
whenever fraud is committed. Every organization is at
risk for fraud-- internal or external. Internal auditors
should be alert in determining red flags or possible
indicators of fraud such as inventory shrinkage, missing
RED FLAG documents, duplicate payments, spikes in invoice
volume, frequent complaints, and or excessive
adjusting entries. Employee behavior could also be sign
of fraud such as lifestyle changes, history of debts, and
excessive gambling.
PREVENTING FRAUD
01 Purchasing
Department
Accounts Payable
Department
04
Hiding fraudulent
Overbilling
transactions
Inventory
02 Payroll Department Department 05
Accounting
Commission fraud
manipulations
03 Cash Receipt
Department
Embezzlement
Purchasing Department
Overbilling is a method where the
vendor submits an inflated invoice for
payment. Either quantities invoiced do
not match the number of items actually
delivered or the prices of items have
been upwardly adjusted in order to make
the purchasing company pay more than
it should. Possible controls include
exclusive communication of purchasing
department with the vendor, entity
maintains a list of authorized vendors,
and entity compares purchase price to
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Payroll Department
Commission fraud or bonus fraud
occurs when an employee whose pay is
partially or fully based on commissions or
bonuses inflates sales to collect higher
commissions or bonuses or posts non-
existent sales which are later reversed.
Possible controls include conducting
random audits of payroll records and
compare the check register with payroll
records.