One of the easiest ways to steal from a company is through expense reimbursements.
Fraud Schemes
The two primary schemes perpetrated are employees claiming reimbursement for fictitious expenses or inflating actual business expenses. Examples of fictitious expenses that have been known to appear on expense reports include:
- Charging for items used for personal reasons (gas, groceries, hotels, etc.).
- Billing for travel and expenses that never materialised (cancelled airline tickets, seminar or convention registration fees, tuition reimbursement and professional dues payments).
- Seeking reimbursement for items that were never purchased (office supplies, gifts for clients).
- Collusion among employees who both bill separately for travel or mileage reimbursement when they travelled together.
- Outright falsifying or manipulating receipts.
Inflating business expenses can be found when employees
- Claim meals and entertainment reimbursement that may be in excess of allowed per diems or items not reimbursable under your policy (alcohol, leisure activities, sports tickets).
- Add tips to reimbursement when tips were already included.
- Add tips to their reimbursement copies that were greater than what was actually left.
- Fly first class or use limousines when modest means may be available and more applicable.
- Use inflated mileage totals when seeking reimbursement for auto travel.