Page 274 - ACFE Fraud Reports 2009_2020

Victim organizations

If we make a direct comparison of the U.S. cases from our current study to the data from 2008, we can see that, though
the median loss in each category is smaller absolutely, the median losses suffered by the smallest organizations are
greater than those suffered by larger organizations. This finding is similar to our observations in previous studies and
suggests that small companies in the United States are indeed disproportionately harmed by occupational fraud.

Size of Victim Organization (u.S. cases only) — Median loss

2010 (U.S. only)
$150,000
<100
$200,000
2008
Number of Employees 1,000 — 9,999 $60,000 $116,000 $176,000
$150,000
100 — 999

$84,000
10,000+
$147,000
$0 $50,000 $100,000 $150,000 $200,000
Median Loss

An analysis of the nature of losses at small businesses becomes more interesting when we expand our examination to each
region represented. For the frauds perpetrated in Europe, Asia, Canada and the United States, the median losses were signifi-
cantly greater at small organizations than at those with more than 100 employees. Conversely, the median losses experienced by
small organizations in Central/South America and the Caribbean, Africa and Oceania were notably less than those experienced
by their larger counterparts.

30 | 2010 RepoRt to the NAtioNs ON OccuPATIONAl FRAUD ANd AbuSE