Nobody wants to think that someone around them would steal or forge anything. However, it’s a cruel truth in a society that your colleagues may be willing to do just that to get ahead. Learning how to prevent frauds in business is a difficult subject and the one that is constantly changing and shifting as we study it more. It’s particularly challenging for those who own or work for a small business, which likely doesn’t have the budget, personnel, or resources to keep track of these things. Small business fraud prevention methods don’t usually take things such as the “controlscan scam” into consideration. If you feel like you need to learn more, then this is the education to keep you safe and fraud-free.
What is Fraud?
Fraud can mean many things. It can be difficult to write a concise description: It frequently turns into an essay. Because of this, we’ll start broad: Fraud is a deception, wrongful and/or criminal, that will result in gain. This gain can be either monetary (stealing from a till at the service station you work at, for example) or personal (doctoring files to make it look like you made record sales when you didn’t). Because of this, even if you don’t own any enterprise, you can be susceptible to fraud. Here, the biggest problem we’re going to look at is fraud dealing with a business project that you’re working on. This is rather precise, but the tips work well in other instances, too.
Know the Law
The law, of course, has very much to say about this. In both the United States and the United Kingdom, fraud is considered to be a criminal act. 18 U.S. Code § 1341 is one of the United State’s laws against fraud, and they make it very clear: You can face up to twenty years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000 for committing this crime. There are more stringent laws with harsher punishments on the books, as well. Meanwhile, in the UK, the Frauds Act of 2006 makes it illegal to commit fraud. The punishment is a bit more lenient than what you would see in the United States, with the imprisonment being up to ten years. However, the threat of a fine has no set maximum in the United Kingdom, making it worse for people’s wallets.
Know Who Is Around You
The first way to protect your hard work is to know who is around you. You should know who works with you and who might gain from stealing your work. In most standard businesses, it will be hard to find someone to whom this can apply. But, if you work in a particularly cut-throat industry, you might be surprised at how many people around you are not reliable.
Password-Protect Your Computer
This is the most basic of security tips, but it’s the one not enough people actually follow: Password protects your devices. Your best bet is to use a password randomizer that will tell you what your password should be, usually just a string of random letters and numbers. Passwords that aren’t words are the strongest ones and are always the hardest to get through. Everything, from your Facebook page to the online essay service Edubirdie should be secure. Change the passwords often: Weekly, if at all possible. And don’t allow anyone else to know it. Don’t leave it written down, don’t share it with anyone, and try to keep people from seeing you when you type it. Writing it down is a bad move in general, and does you no service. Definitely don’t make it “password”: An essay could be written about how bad of an idea that is.
Lock and Key
Anything that you have that can’t be locked down on your computer should be kept somewhere safe under lock and key, if possible. This includes physical files or items that are a part of your project or work that you have to have separately. Invest in a good, locking briefcase, box, or other items in order to keep people from gaining access to your project that they shouldn’t have. Try not to leave digital files just lying around, either: Keep flash drives locked somewhere secure, along with any discs that you might have (if you still use them). You want everything dealing with your project to be secure. If you’re lost without writing your password down, store it here.
Don’t Get Complacent
This is the biggest tip of all. Quite often, somebody starts out following all of the safety procedures but then decides that it doesn’t matter. After all, nobody has stolen your work yet; why would then now? So they become complacent and start taking a more relaxed approach. Passwords are left where people can see them, they’re never changed, or they become the dreaded “password1”. You don’t keep things locked down, or you give someone the key without keeping an eye on them, or you let them take a copy of your project home on a flash drive. And, in that moment of complacency, you’ll get your project stolen.
Fraud is a problem, though it’s a mostly silent and hidden one. Countries around the world have laws against it, but still, it persists. By following these tips, you’ll be less likely to end up a victim.
