Page 188 - Deception at work all chapters EBook

Planning Investigations and Legal Background for Tough Interviews 189

CONSIDER COVERT ACTION PRIOR TO THE INTERVIEW

You should consider whether it would be beneficial to take covert action, before or after the
first step, to detect the suspects in a dishonest act which cannot be excused, or to trace assets
or accomplices

The possibilities include:

• Interception and covert recording of company telephone, fax and data lines: But first understand
the legal position.

• Intercepting company mail: Including email and again subject to the legal issues explained on
page [xref].

• Installing video or audio monitors: In offices, warehouses or computer centres or on equipment
which the suspects may use in carrying out the fraud.

• Searching the suspect’s work area or office: Before doing this take a Polaroid photograph or
video recording to help you make sure everything is put back in its original place.

• Searching the suspect’s PC: Covertly copy his diskettes. Do not use standard software to take
a secret copy of a hard disk as this may destroy the evidential value of what you find. It is
much better to retain the services of a professional computer forensic technician. Consider
carefully what rights you have to access the suspect’s PC (see page [xref]).

The possibilities should be considered and where appropriate included in the resolution plan.
However, it is critical that the actions you take are proportionate to the seriousness of the
suspected transgression

Your action must be proportionate

PREPARE A DIARY OF EVENTS

From the first moment, you should start compiling a diary of events or chronology which
shows, in date and time sequence, everything that happened from all of your sources, espe-
cially telephone call logs, expense statements and correspondence. It is a critical document
and puts you in control. Table 5.10 gives an example.

Table 5.10 Diary of events

Date Day of GMT Action or event Comments Source Cross
week reference

12 3 4 567

2002

Jan 1 Wed 14.00 Bill Smith calls John Jones (14 mins) Call Logs 1

Jan1 Wed 14.15 John Jones calls Zurich Bank (12 mins) Call Logs 2

Jan 1 Wed 20.30 Bill Smith entertains Robinson at Hilton Expenses 1
Hotel (Bill £145.76)

Columns 2 and 3 can be particularly important in international frauds, involving different
time zones and public holidays. The diary of events can be kept on Microsoft Excel, which has