1.
Only the police carry out forensic investigations.
The escalation of sophisticated and complex financial crimes, often perpetrated across international borders has challenged the diminishing resources of regulators and law enforcement agencies.
The abuse may not constitute or support a criminal conviction and is therefore outside the purview of a government investigation.
Nor may it be the best and appropriate way to resolve the problem.
Forensic investigators, often drawn from the most senior ranks of law enforcement, prosecution and regulatory agencies have honed their specialist expertise for the private sector where they manage cases for their clients with same rigor and attention to detail.
2.
Forensic investigators wear white coats, latex gloves and work for the police.
There are certainly trained colleagues who undertake their work in such attire, but it is increasingly likely you will find the modern forensic investigator involved in analyzing complex business transactions and relationships, looking for the minute and not so obvious connections.
The tool in trade including a raft of mapping and display software applications that scan deliberately deleted records; trawling through a myriad of subscriber databases piecing together key data as it goes.
3.
Forensic investigation is just about quantifying loss, economical damage for insurance or personal injury, warranty, breach of contract claims, divorce or other legal settlements.
It is true that many forensic accountants specialize solely in this area and have little if anything to do with criminal investigation or the broader areas of forensic examination.
However, there are a small but increasing number who are engaging in the wider field of forensics.
4.
The role of forensics is to produce evidence for court.
While this can be the case and evidence is regularly developed for criminal and civil proceedings, forensic investigation can also be used to produce the not so obvious but compelling facts that will convince the other side to settle or abandon an action.
Much more common now is the use of forensics in the workplace; where emails, SMS texts, internet messaging, the use of web browsing and social networking can be routinely analysed; electronic files are examined to determine the precise time of opening and if entries or deletions were made to the document; if copied or sent onto another party.
Documents are examined to identify the author through use of language; psychologically or criminally profiled; and matched to known fingerprint or DNA samples.
In other cases, documents are tested for their authenticity.
* Certain activities, which contravene Workplace laws, may not be permitted in some jurisdictions.
5.
Forensic investigation and forensic accounting is the same thing.
Farthest from the truth; work carried out by qualified forensic accountants is just one small element in the overall forensic investigation process.
While the detailed analysis of financial records can be vital in winning a case, particularly those involving fraud, the vast majority of investigations may never require this form of examination.
When needed, it maybe just a small but complimentary component of a broader range of analytical and investigative skills.
Only the police carry out forensic investigations.
The escalation of sophisticated and complex financial crimes, often perpetrated across international borders has challenged the diminishing resources of regulators and law enforcement agencies.
The abuse may not constitute or support a criminal conviction and is therefore outside the purview of a government investigation.
Nor may it be the best and appropriate way to resolve the problem.
Forensic investigators, often drawn from the most senior ranks of law enforcement, prosecution and regulatory agencies have honed their specialist expertise for the private sector where they manage cases for their clients with same rigor and attention to detail.
2.
Forensic investigators wear white coats, latex gloves and work for the police.
There are certainly trained colleagues who undertake their work in such attire, but it is increasingly likely you will find the modern forensic investigator involved in analyzing complex business transactions and relationships, looking for the minute and not so obvious connections.
The tool in trade including a raft of mapping and display software applications that scan deliberately deleted records; trawling through a myriad of subscriber databases piecing together key data as it goes.
3.
Forensic investigation is just about quantifying loss, economical damage for insurance or personal injury, warranty, breach of contract claims, divorce or other legal settlements.
It is true that many forensic accountants specialize solely in this area and have little if anything to do with criminal investigation or the broader areas of forensic examination.
However, there are a small but increasing number who are engaging in the wider field of forensics.
4.
The role of forensics is to produce evidence for court.
While this can be the case and evidence is regularly developed for criminal and civil proceedings, forensic investigation can also be used to produce the not so obvious but compelling facts that will convince the other side to settle or abandon an action.
Much more common now is the use of forensics in the workplace; where emails, SMS texts, internet messaging, the use of web browsing and social networking can be routinely analysed; electronic files are examined to determine the precise time of opening and if entries or deletions were made to the document; if copied or sent onto another party.
Documents are examined to identify the author through use of language; psychologically or criminally profiled; and matched to known fingerprint or DNA samples.
In other cases, documents are tested for their authenticity.
* Certain activities, which contravene Workplace laws, may not be permitted in some jurisdictions.
5.
Forensic investigation and forensic accounting is the same thing.
Farthest from the truth; work carried out by qualified forensic accountants is just one small element in the overall forensic investigation process.
While the detailed analysis of financial records can be vital in winning a case, particularly those involving fraud, the vast majority of investigations may never require this form of examination.
When needed, it maybe just a small but complimentary component of a broader range of analytical and investigative skills.
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