Fraud Investigation and the Interview

This article is the first in a series of fraud investigation tips, tricks and strategies. Be free to comment on these articles and share to others what has worked for you. We start with the interview/interrogation process.

It is important when conducting a fraud investigation that the interview should be done on a neutral space. A fraud interview and a fraud interrogation both involve questioning individuals suspected of committing fraud, but they differ in their approach, purpose, and intensity.

1. Fraud Interview:
   • Approach: A fraud interview typically involves a less confrontational and more conversational approach. The interviewer aims to gather information and assess the credibility of the interviewee’s responses.
   • Purpose: The purpose of a fraud interview is often to gather preliminary information, clarify suspicions, and understand the circumstances surrounding the alleged fraud.
   • Tone: The tone is generally neutral or friendly, and the interviewer may use open-ended questions to encourage the interviewee to provide detailed explanations.
2. Fraud Interrogation:
   • Approach: A fraud interrogation is a more formal and intense process. It involves structured questioning designed to elicit specific information and possibly uncover evidence of fraud.
   • Purpose: The primary purpose of a fraud interrogation is to obtain a confession or gather sufficient evidence to support legal action against the suspect.
   • Tone: The tone of a fraud interrogation can be confrontational, and the interrogator may use tactics such as direct questioning, evidence presentation, and psychological pressure to elicit information.

While both fraud interviews and fraud interrogations involve questioning individuals suspected of fraud, the interview is typically more informal and focused on gathering information, while the interrogation is a formal process aimed at obtaining a confession or evidence for legal action.

Conducting fraud interviews in a neutral space serves several important purposes:

1. Reduced Intimidation: A neutral space helps to reduce the feeling of intimidation or coercion that a suspect might experience if they were interviewed in a place associated with authority, such as a manager’s office or a company conference room. This reduced intimidation will help build a level of safety and repoir with the interviewee.
2. Perception of Fairness: Being interviewed in a neutral space can enhance the perception of fairness in the process. If the interview takes place in the suspect’s own workplace, they may feel that the odds are stacked against them or that the environment is biased.
3. Privacy and Confidentiality: A neutral space can offer better privacy and confidentiality, which is crucial when discussing sensitive issues like fraud. It minimizes the risk of others overhearing the conversation, protecting the integrity of the investigation and the privacy of the individuals involved.
4. Minimized Distractions: Neutral spaces are typically devoid of distractions or interruptions, allowing both the interviewer and the suspect to focus solely on the interview without external influences. If you conduct it in the interviewee’s office you run the risk that people see the person in the conference room and come in to ask a question, give a message, or other reasons. I recall early in my career, I was interviewing a person near their office. Their office was on one of the higher floors of the Twin Towers. I spent time trying to listen to the subject while being distracted by the fact that the buildings were swaying on this windy day in New York City and a keen understanding of why you should not fill your coffee cup to the top in said office.
5. Level Playing Field: Conducting the interview in a neutral space helps to establish a level playing field between the interviewer and the suspect. This can contribute to a more balanced exchange of information and a more productive interview overall.
6. Overlap: There is less of chance that suspects or witnesses will run into each other if the interview is being done in a neutral space. You want to avoid giving them a chance to talk and strategize.

Overall, choosing a neutral space for fraud interviews helps to create an environment that promotes transparency, fairness, and effective communication, all of which are essential for a successful investigation. If you need to train your staff in effective fraud examination techniques, call Auspicium.