Tell us about a time when you identified fraudulent activity through your audit process.

During an audit of the financial department at my previous company, I noticed some irregularities in the expense reports of a particular employee. I decided to dig deeper and conducted a thorough analysis of the employee's expense records. I discovered that this individual was consistently submitting fraudulent expense claims by inflating their reimbursement requests. I immediately reported my findings to my supervisor and provided them with all the necessary evidence to support my claims. As a result, an internal investigation was launched, and the employee was confronted with the evidence. The company took appropriate disciplinary actions, including termination, and implemented stricter controls to prevent such fraudulent activities in the future.

During an audit of the financial department at my previous company, I came across some suspicious transactions that raised my concerns. I decided to conduct a detailed review of the company's financial records, analyzing various data sets and cross-referencing them with external sources. Through this process, I was able to identify a pattern of fraudulent activity involving several employees colluding to manipulate expense claims and divert funds. To ensure a comprehensive investigation, I collaborated with the IT department to extract and analyze electronic communications and financial transactions. I then compiled a comprehensive report outlining my findings, including specific instances of fraudulent activity and their financial impact on the company. I presented this report to senior management, providing clear recommendations on strengthening internal controls and detecting similar fraudulent activities in the future. As a result of my efforts, the company implemented my recommendations, terminated the employees involved, and recovered a significant amount of misappropriated funds.

During an audit of the procurement department at my previous company, I detected irregularities in the bidding process for a major contract. The data analysis revealed that a supplier with ties to an employee had consistently won contracts despite offering inferior products at higher prices. To understand the extent of the fraudulent activity, I collaborated with the IT department to extract and analyze emails, invoices, and financial transactions related to the supplier. By conducting a forensic analysis of the electronic evidence, I uncovered evidence of kickbacks and bribes being exchanged between the employee and the supplier. I compiled a comprehensive report, including detailed evidence, financial impact, and recommendations to prevent future fraudulent activities. I presented this report to the executive team and external investigators, who subsequently launched a legal investigation. The supplier was blacklisted, the employee was terminated, and strict procurement policies were implemented to prevent similar occurrences in the future.