A powerful new tool for all forensic accountants, or anyone whoanalyzes data that may have been altered Benford's Law gives the expected patterns of the digits in thenumbers in tabulated data such as town and city populations orMadoff's fictitious portfolio returns. Those digits, in unaltereddata, will not occur in equal proportions; there is a large biastowards the lower digits, so much so that nearly one-half of allnumbers are expected to start with the digits 1 or 2. Thesepatterns were originally discovered by physicist Frank Benford inthe early 1930s, and have since been found to apply to alltabulated data. Mark J. Nigrini has been a pioneer in applyingBenford's Law to auditing and forensic accounting, even before hisgroundbreaking 1999 Journal of Accountancy article introducing thisuseful tool to the accounting world. In Benford's Law, Nigrinishows the widespread applicability of Benford's Law and itspractical uses to detect fraud, errors, and other anomalies. Explores primary, associated, and advanced tests, all describedwith data sets that include corporate payments data and electiondata Includes ten fraud detection studies, including vendor fraud,payroll fraud, due diligence when purchasing a business, and taxevasion Covers financial statement fraud, with data from Enron, AIG,and companies that were the target of hedge fund short sales Looks at how to detect Ponzi schemes, including data on Madoff,Waxenberg, and more Examines many other applications, from the Clinton tax returnsand the charitable gifts of Lehman Brothers to tax evasion andnumber invention Benford's Law has 250 figures and uses 50 interestingauthentic and fraudulent real-world data sets to explain boththeory and practice, and concludes with an agenda and directionsfor future research. The companion website adds additionalinformation and resources.

If you learn how to follow the money, it could lead you to a career in forensic accounting. Though mystery and intrigue are not words usually associated with the field of accounting, the profession does have a more adventurous side, and it's known as forensic accounting. Like other forensic work, which is usually done to ferret out wrongdoing in connection with criminal or civil investigations, forensic accounting calls for practitioners to dig deeper into a case than investigators ordinarily do and to challenge themselves to find cleverly concealed evidence. Accounting sleuths look at financial records with a critical eye, disregarding what the numbers look like on the surface and determining what they really mean when the entire fiscal picture is pieced together and put into proper prospective. Forensic accounting involves believing that, while numbers never lie, they can be manipulated, and everything is not always as it appears. With profits at the core of many criminal activities, law enforcement is relying more heavily than ever on the talents of accountants to help build cases against lawbreakers. Financial evidence unearthed through the efforts of forensic accountants is usually the most convincing part of a case brought against white-collar criminals involved in fraud, real estate scams, embezzlement, Ponzi schemes, stock manipulation, and other financial swindles. Forensic accounting doesn't end there. Investigative numbers crunchers help bring down drug empires, weapons smugglers, loan sharks, illegal gambling operators, money launderers and even terrorists. They also work to untangle financial disputes involving corporations, businesses, estates and divorce cases. This new Careers Ebook contains a wealth of unbiased information about this occupational field, based on the latest national surveys. Careers Ebooks cover attractive and unattractive sides, opportunities, education necessary, personal qualifications required, earnings, descriptions of different job specialties, first person accounts by those in the field, and how to get started; including practical advice on what to do now. There are live links to schools and colleges, associations, periodicals and other sources of reliable information.

A practical, hands-on guide to forensic accounting Careers in forensic accounting are hot-US News & World Report recently designated forensic accounting as one of the eight most secure career tracks in America., Forensic accountants work in most major accounting firms and demand for their services is growing with then increasing need for investigations of mergers and acquisitions, tax inquiries, and economic crime. In addition, forensic accountants perform specialized audits, and assist in all kinds of civil litigation, and are often involved in terrorist investigations. Forensic Accounting For Dummies will track to a course and explain the concepts and methods of forensic accounting. Covers everything a forensic accountant may face, from investigations of mergers and acquisitions to tax inquiries to economic crime What to do if you find or suspect financial fraud in your own organization Determining what is fraud and how to investigate Whether you're a student pursuing a career in forensic accounting or just want to understand how to detect and deal with financial fraud, Forensic Accounting For Dummies has you covered.

As economic crimes continue to increase, accountants and law enforcement personnel must be vigilant in expanding their knowledge of ways to detect these clandestine operations. Written by a retired IRS agent with more than twenty years of experience, Financial Investigation and Forensic Accounting, Third Edition offers a complete examination of the current methods and legal considerations involved in the detection and prosecution of economic crimes. Explores a range of crimes Following an overview of the economic cost of crime, the book examines different types of offenses with a financial element, ranging from arson to tax evasion. It explores offshore activities and the means criminals use to hide their ill-gotten gains. The author provides a thorough review of evidentiary rules as well as the protocol involved in search warrants. He examines the two modalities used to prove financial crime: the Net Worth Method and the Expenditure Theory, and presents an example scenario based on real-life incidents. Organized crime and consumer fraud Additional topics include organized crime and money laundering — with profiles of the most nefarious cartels — consumer and business fraud and the different schemes that befall the unwary, computer crimes, and issues surrounding banking and finance. The book also presents focused and concrete advice on trial preparation and specific accounting and audit techniques. New chapters in the third edition New material enhances this third edition, including new chapters on investigative interview analysis and document examination, as well as advice for fraud examiners working on private cases, including the preparation of an engagement letter. For a successful prosecution, it is essential to recognize financial crime at its early stages. This practical text presents the nuts and bolts of fraud examination and forensic accounting, enabling investigators to stay ahead of an area that is increasingly taking on global importance.

For courses in Forensic Accounting As a result of increased litigation and regulatory enforcement, the demand for forensic accountants has never been higher. This area of specialty is considered the top niche market in the accounting profession. The new Forensic Accounting is the first text of its kind to provide a comprehensive view of what forensic accountants actually do and how they do it. With experience as both practitioners and educators, authors Robert Rufus, Laura Miller, and William Hahn offer a unique perspective that bridges the gap between theory and practice. They present concepts in the context of a scientific approach, emphasising critical thinking, reasoning, and problem solving—skills that are useful in a wide variety of academic and professional environments. And because its content is consistent with the AICPA curriculum for the Certified in Financial Forensics (CFF) credential, this text gives your students a head start on the path toward career advancement. Forensic Accounting facilitates an outstanding teaching and learning experience—for you and your students. It will help you to: Introduce the requisite forensic accounting skills: The text identifies a three-layer skill set and provides students instruction in the key areas of forensic accounting expertise. Offer an inside view into forensic accounting practice: Integrated case studies and sample documents give students a glimpse into the actual practice of forensic accounting. Highlight the importance of a scientific approach: The authors explain the benefits of utilising a scientific approach and provide opportunities for students to practice its application. Foster thorough understanding via learning aids: Various tools, throughout the text and at the end of each chapter, support students as they learn and review. The full text downloaded to your computer With eBooks you can: search for key concepts, words and phrases make highlights and notes as you study share your notes with friends eBooks are downloaded to your computer and accessible either offline through the Bookshelf (available as a free download), available online and also via the iPad and Android apps. Upon purchase, you'll gain instant access to this eBook. Time limit The eBooks products do not have an expiry date. You will continue to access your digital ebook products whilst you have your Bookshelf installed.