Financial Statement Fraud + We

ISBN-13: 9781118301555 / Angielski / Twarda / 2012 / 320 str.

Gerard M Zack

Opis

Valuable guidance for staying one step ahead of financial statement fraud Financial statement fraud is one of the most costly types of fraud and can have a direct financial impact on businesses and individuals, as well as harm investor confidence in the markets. While publications exist on financial statement fraud and roles and responsibilities within companies, there is a need for a practical guide on the different schemes that are used and detection guidance for these schemes. Financial Statement Fraud: Strategies for Detection and Investigation fills that need.

• Describes every major and emerging type of financial statement fraud, using real-life cases to illustrate the schemes
• Explains the underlying accounting principles, citing both U.S. GAAP and IFRS that are violated when fraud is perpetrated
• Provides numerous ratios, red flags, and other techniques useful in detecting financial statement fraud schemes
• Accompanying website provides full-text copies of documents filed in connection with the cases that are cited as examples in the book, allowing the reader to explore details of each case further

Straightforward and insightful, Financial Statement Fraud provides comprehensive coverage on the different ways financial statement fraud is perpetrated, including those that capitalize on the most recent accounting standards developments, such as fair value issues.

Spis treści

Foreword xiii

Preface xvii

Acknowledgments xxi

PART I REVENUE–BASED SCHEMES 1

Chapter 1 Introduction to Revenue–Based Financial Reporting Fraud Schemes 3

Revenue Recognition Principles 3

Changes Proposed by FASB and IASB 5

Overview of Revenue–Based Schemes 6

Chapter 2 Timing Schemes 9

Alteration of Records 9

Shipping Schemes 10

Percentage of Completion Schemes 12

Improper Estimates of Revenue Recognition Period 15

Multiple–Element Revenue Recognition Schemes 17

Customer Loyalty Programs 22

Channel Stuffing 24

Bill and Hold Schemes 27

Sales with Right of Return 29

Improper Pushing of Current Revenue to Future Periods 30

Use of Reserves as a Rainy Day Fund 32

Chapter 3 Fictitious and Inflated Revenue 33

Fictitious Revenue Schemes 33

Sales to Related Parties 37

Infl ated Revenue Schemes 41

Consignment or Financing Arrangements 43

Chapter 4 Misclassification Schemes 47

Recording Financing Arrangements as Revenue 47

One–Time Credits Reported as Revenue 49

Sales Incentive Schemes 50

Chapter 5 Gross–Up Schemes 57

Agent versus Principal 58

Barter and Round–Trip Transactions 59

Phony Revenue and Expenses 61

PART II ASSET–BASED SCHEMES 63

Chapter 6 Improper Capitalization of Costs 65

Start–Up Costs 66

Research and Development Costs 67

Property and Equipment 68

Software Development and Acquisition Costs 71

Website Costs 73

Intangible Assets 75

Advertising Costs 77

Other Deferrals and Prepaid Expenses 79

Inventory Capitalization Schemes 80

Inventory Flow Assumptions 81

Chapter 7 Asset Valuation Schemes 85

Fictitious Assets 85

Inventory Valuation Schemes 86

Inflating the Basis of Property and Equipment 88

Inflating the Basis of Assets Acquired in Noncash Transactions 89

Assets Acquired from Related Parties 92

Understating Depreciation and Amortization Expense 93

Investment Property 95

Improper Valuation of Investments Financial Assets 96

Loans 104

Equity Method Investments 108

Proportionate Consolidation 109

Improper Classification or Amortization of Intangible Assets 111

Impairment Losses Nonfinancial Assets 112

Investments in Insurance Contracts 115

Chapter 8 Fair Value Accounting 117

Fair Value Considerations 117

Methods of Measuring Fair Value 118

Internal versus Externally Developed Valuations 124

Inputs Used in Measuring Fair Value 127

PART III EXPENSE AND LIABILITY SCHEMES 129

Chapter 9 Shifting Expenses to Future Periods 131

Timing Schemes Involving Liabilities 131

Accounts Payable 131

Compensated Absences 132

Contingent Liabilities 133

Accrued Compensation 137

Improper Use of Liability Reserves 138

Chapter 10 Omissions and Underreporting of Liabilities 141

Debt 141

Guarantees 146

Pension Liabilities 149

Conditional Asset Retirement Obligations 152

PART IV OTHER FINANCIAL REPORTING SCHEMES 155

Chapter 11 Consolidations and Business Combinations 157

Fraudulent Reporting Involving Consolidations 157

Business Combinations 164

Chapter 12 Financial Reporting Fraud as a Concealment Tool 171

Financial Statement Fraud to Conceal Asset Misappropriations 171

Financial Statement Fraud to Conceal Illegal Acts 174

Chapter 13 Financial Statement Fraud by Not–for–Profit Organizations 177

Inflating the Value of Non–Cash Contributions 179

Improperly Reporting Contributions Raised for Others 179

Netting the Results of Fund–Raising Events 180

Improper Allocation of Costs Associated with Joint Activities 182

Misclassification of Expenses 185

Chapter 14 Disclosure Fraud 187

Categories of Disclosure Fraud 189

Common Disclosure Risks 189

PART V DETECTION AND INVESTIGATION 197

Chapter 15 Detecting Financial Statement Fraud 199

Motives for Financial Statement Fraud 200

Fraud Risk Indicators 202

Internal Control Indicators 202

Chapter 16 Financial Statement Analysis 209

Use of Analytical Techniques to Detect Fraud 209

Horizontal Analysis 210

Vertical Analysis 211

Budget Variance Analysis 212

Chapter 17 Ratio Analysis 215

Research on Ratio Analysis 216

Use of Operating Ratio Analysis to Detect Financial Statement Fraud 217

Another Useful Measure: Working Capital to Total Assets 225

Chapter 18 Other Detection Procedures 227

Analysis Utilizing Multiple Ratios 227

Ratios Involving Nonfinancial Data 231

Other Information and Disclosures in Financial Statements 232

Understandability of Financial Statement Disclosures 234

Testing of Journal Entries 235

Chapter 19 Fraud or Honest Mistake? 239

The Smoking Gun 240

Witnesses 240

Altered Documents 241

Multiple Records 242

Destruction of Evidence 242

Actions That Contradict Recommendations 243

Patterns of Behavior 244

Personal Gain 244

There s No Other Explanation for It 244

Chapter 20 Assessing (or Minimizing) Auditor Liability 245

Litigation against Auditors 246

Concealment from the Auditors 247

Auditing Standards 248

Consideration of the Risks of Material Misstatement 249

Improper or Inadequate Use of Analytical Procedures 254

Auditing Accounting Estimates and Fair Values 257

Revenue Recognition Risks 263

Insufficient Consideration of Related Party Transactions 266

Auditing Disclosures in the Financial Statements 266

Overreliance on the Management Representation Letter 267

Appendix: Financial Statement Fraud Indicators 269

Bibliography 275

About the Author 277

About the Website 279

Index 281

Index to Cases 287

O autorze

GERARD M. ZACK, CFE, CPA, CIA, is a fraud examiner and forensic accountant with more than thirty years of experience performing audits and investigating fraud. In addition to providing antifraud services to clients, he serves on the faculty of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, where he conducts antifraud training on financial statement fraud and other topics. He has also spoken at AICPA and IIA events.

Blurb

FINANCIAL STATEMENT FRAUD

Strategies for Detection and Investigation

Although financial statement fraud is the least frequently encountered fraud, it is by far the most costly, at a median loss of $1 million per case. Yet, the indirect losses from financial statement fraud jobs, support, morale, and loyalty are also significant and almost impossible to measure. Learn how to spot the warning signs before the damage is done. Financial Statement Fraud explores the many different methods of perpetrating financial statement fraud, the accounting principles that are exploited, and the methods to detect and prevent fraud in any organization.

Assuming an understanding of basic financial statements and the purpose each serves, as well as basic accounting concepts, author Gerard Zack highlights the many different types of fraud schemes. Financial Statement Fraud provides auditors, fraud investigators, government agencies, and investment analysts with detailed descriptions of the most common or emerging schemes involving the preparation and issuance of fraudulent financial statements.

Filling the need for practical guidance on financial statement fraud and the roles and responsibilities within companies, Financial Statement Fraud features:

• References to pertinent U.S. and international accounting standards violated in the preparation of fraudulent financial statements
• A wide range of detection tools, from the simplest of ratios to complex analyses and tests, as well as fraud indicators
• A comprehensive, global approach that includes U.S. GAAP and IFRS
• Red flags and ratios to help you detect financial statement fraud schemes
• Coverage of auditor liability: when is an auditor liable for failing to detect fraud?
• Real–world cases that illustrate many of the fraud schemes featured throughout the book

A companion website includes copies of SEC Accounting and Auditing Enforcement Releases (AAERs), complaints that were filed, and various other documents associated with most of the cases cited in the book. These documents provide all of the details associated with each case, enabling researchers to perform their own analysis to more fully understand the schemes and relate them to the detection tips provided in the book.

Financial statement fraud can cost an organization more than just revenue. Arm yourself with the knowledge to identify where it happens, when to expect it, and how to detect it with the expert guidance found in Financial Statement Fraud.