Monthly Archives: February 2019

14 Feb

A Simple Anti-Fraud Training Outline

Education is a highly effective fraud prevention technique for companies. Studies have shown that companies with anti-fraud educational programs in place can cut their fraud losses in half. By educating employees, management is giving them the tools to help look for and stop fraud. This information helps them know what behavior is acceptable and not acceptable.

The training does not have to be elaborate. It simply has to show employees what to look for, highlighting the most common areas of abuse.  A company’s training session could (should?) include things like this:

  • Introduction to fraud: Provide the basics about fraud, how it is committed, and how it affects the company.
  • Areas of the company most vulnerable to fraud: Tell employees about the most at-risk areas and assets of the company so they can be on the lookout.
  • Common ways that fraud could be committed at the company: Give concrete examples of some of the most common frauds that employees might witness.

Read More →

12 Feb

Multi-Level Marketing is Not Like Corporate America

Fans of multi-level marketing (MLM) often say that it is just like corporate America! There are levels of employees and managers… Corporate America is a pyramid and MLm is no different. That’s a faulty analysis. When I call MLM a pyramid scheme, I am not calling that because the management structure looks like a pyramid. I am calling it a pyramid scheme because of how it functions.

A pyramid scheme is a pay-to-play scam. People pay to become a part of it, and they pay continually through minimum purchases that are required to remain a qualified member of the scheme. MLM is based on the continuous recruitment of people into the scam using the promise of making money, despite the fact that more than 99% of participants in MLM actually lose money. MLMs sell a fake opportunity. While they appear to be focused on selling products or services, those things are simply a front to make the “opportunity” look like a legitimate business. Sadly, MLM is not a business. Read More →

04 Feb

Evaluating the Income of a Business

It’s not unusual to want to confirm the income of a business in litigation. Whether it’s a divorce, a business breakup, a wage claim, or other matter that involves accurately reporting business income, it may be necessary to attempt to verify that income.

I frequently work withe clients who claim that the reported income of a business is artificially low. For example, a spouse who runs a small business may make the income of the business look lower than reality in order to reduce spousal support payments and/or reduce the value of the business for the division of assets.

In a business divorce, a party may falsely report lower income to reduce the value of the business and therefore the amount necessary to buy out the other owner(s). A wage claim involving commissions and bonuses that relate to sales volumes may need a verification of income if the company is accused of underreporting sales.

How do we do this? Read More →