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Craft or Graft? The Insidious World of Construction Fraud
Whether it is a public works
project, a new high-rise office building, a corporate
headquarters, a stadium or a sewer pipe, few things are as
costly -- and often controversial -- as construction
projects. Major construction almost always affects a
considerable amount of people from company employees to local
community members, and when it comes to public construction,
the taxpayers are the ones footing the bill.
Therefore, it's no surprise
that when major construction frauds are revealed, the outcry
is usually enormous. However, the unfortunate reality is
that most construction frauds go completely unseen, and
millions of dollars are embezzled from unwitting public and
private organizations on a rather regular basis. (Read
more...)
Bid
Rigging: Fleecing the Public from Day One
While tales of money skimming and
corrupt public officials are most likely to grab headlines, it's
important to understand that construction fraud isn't all due to
blatant job site overpayments and easily-bribed government
inspectors. Sometimes, even the most trusted construction
companies begin cheating their customers long before they are
awarded the contract through a process of secret collusion and
artificial price inflation known as bid rigging. (Read
more...)
Defending Your Walls: How to Help Prevent Construction Fraud
Construction fraud can affect anyone
-- public corporations, private businesses and even and even
government agencies -- and usually scams are only discovered long
after the project is finished. So what can you do to prevent
construction fraud in your organization? Avoid becoming a victim
by heeding these tips: (Read
more...)
Q & A
with Fraud Specialist Ronald Goldstock
The Kessler Report spoke with fraud
specialist Ronald Goldstock, former director of the New York State
Organized Crime Task Force, and now a professor of law and
independent consultant. Our discussion covered some of the
problems inherent with fighting construction fraud: (Read
more...)
Computer Forensics: Sherlock Holmes in the Information Age
The past decade has certainly been
memorable… technology has exploded, advancing so rapidly that most
people simply can't keep up. The PC that was considered
state-of-the-art at the turn of the century is now barely powerful
enough to run a standard operating system. Wireless technology has
expanded so fast, that customers can hardly get used to their
phones or PDAs before they are eclipsed by the next best thing.
Home computer users are surfing the Internet at speeds they would
have thought impossible only a matter of years ago. Tons of
information is only a mouse click away, and people are
communicating with others from all over the globe without ever
getting off their chairs. Technology has truly changed the face of
business and society at large by leaps and bounds, and not since
the Industrial Revolution has something managed to alter the
lifestyles of so many people worldwide. Impressive? Yes.
Amazing? Perhaps. Dangerous? Without a doubt.
Because for all the convenience,
entertainment and "wow" value technology has bestowed upon us in
recent years, it has also revealed a dark side. (Read
more...)
Q & A:
Do-It-Yourself Investigation
As computer crime continues to
proliferate, and the demand for system security increases, many
companies are hoping to save time and money by taking matters of
computer forensics into their own hands, purchasing software tools
and training existing employees to investigate security breaches
and employee abuse. While this in-house method may seem to be a
low-cost solution, it may not be the best one. (Read
more...)
Q & A: Theft in
the workplace
These days, businesses not only have
to worry about protecting their property (both physical and
intellectual) from outsiders, but they also have to keep an extra
close eye on their own employees. Employee theft costs companies
billions of dollars each year, and the culprits are sometimes the
ones you least suspect. (Read
more...) |
