Fraud and corruption training

Summary

Train and support staff to identify red flags to detect fraud, know what to do if they suspect fraud and know how to report it. Fraudsters can take advantage if staff and contractors are not aware of what constitutes fraud and corruption.

Why this countermeasure matters

A lack of trained staff to identify and report fraud and corruption may lead to:

• a dysfunctional workplace culture
• fraud or corrupt activity going unnoticed or unchallenged
• fraudsters feeling more confident their actions will not be identified and reported
• less action and accountability to prevent, detect and respond to fraud and corruption
• unknown and unaddressed systemic fraud or corruption.

Fraudsters can take advantage of this environment, particularly when staff:

• are not aware of what fraud and corruption is
• cannot identify red flags that would indicate fraud or corruption
• do not know what to do if they suspect fraud or corruption.

How you might apply this countermeasure

Some ways to implement this countermeasure include training and supporting staff by:

• staff and contractors completing fraud awareness training as part of their induction
• staff and contractors completing fraud awareness training regularly (such as every 12 months)
• running fraud awareness campaigns
• sending strong and consistent messages from leadership about ethics and fraud awareness to staff
• making clear and accessible fraud awareness content available on the staff intranet
• educating providers or grant recipients on what fraud is

• implementing and promoting integrity networks and processes to raise staff awareness about how to report potential fraud.

How to check if your countermeasures are effective

Here are some ways to measure the effectiveness of this type of countermeasure:

• review the training materials to determine if messages are clear and relevant to staff
• review training to make sure it aligns to national guidelines and frameworks
• determine how often training or reinforcement messages should happen
• conduct interviews, workshops or surveys with staff to measure their understanding of fraud control policies
• analyse training data, including the percentage of staff who have undertaken the training and measure results against Key Performance Indicators
• identify case studies where relevant staff have reported fraud or proactively fixed control vulnerabilities
• check that staff can easily access training materials and other support materials
• undertake a staff census and particularly ask questions relevant to fraud risk and corruption
• review Australian Public Service Commission Census results.