Fraud is defined as "any behavior by which one person intends to gain a dishonest advantage over
another". In other words ,
fraud is an act or omission which is intended to cause wrongful gain to one person
and
wrongful loss to
the
other, either
by way of
concealment of
facts
or otherwise.
Losses sustained by banks as a
result of frauds exceed the losses due to robbery, dacoity, burglary and theft-all put together. Unauthorized credit facilities are extended for illegal gratification such as case credit allowed against pledge of goods, hypothecation of goods against bills or against book debts. Common modus operandi are, pledging of spurious goods, inletting the value of
goods, hypothecating
goods to more than one bank, fraudulent removal of goods with the knowledge and connivance of
in negligence of bank staff, pledging of goods belonging to a third party. Goods hypothecated to a bank are found to contain obsolete stocks packed in between goods stocks and case of shortage in weight is not uncommon.
Despite all care and vigilance there may still be some frauds, though their number, periodicity and intensity may be
considerably reduced. The following procedure would be very helpful if taken into
consideration:
1. All relevant data-papers, documents etc. Should be promptly collected. Original vouchers or other
papers forming the basis of the investigation should be kept under lock and key.
2. All persons in the bank who may be knowing something about the time, place a modus operandi of the fraud should be examined and their statements should be recorded.
3. The probable order of events should thereafter be reconstructed by the officer, in his own mind.
4. It is advisable to keep the central office informed about the fraud and further developments in regard thereto.