Behavioral red flags of fraud: a gender-based ex post analysis

Abstract

PurposeThis study aims to attempt a gender-based ex post examination of behavioral red flags of fraud exhibited by fraud perpetrators.Design/methodology/approachQualitative data collected from semi-structured interviews were triangulated, quantified and subjected to statistical analysis to calculate the relative risk of exhibition of a behavioral red flag of fraud by a male/female fraud perpetrator.FindingsThis study reports the percentage of fraud cases in which male and female fraud perpetrators display particular behavioral red flags. The study also enlists the behavioral red flags likely to be more frequently exhibited by female fraud perpetrators relative to male fraud perpetrators and vice-versa.Practical implicationsUse of the results of this study in anti-fraud training is likely to make organizational fraud more susceptible to observation.Originality/valueThis study is unique because it is one of the very few studies that examine employee behavior as a potential fraud signal, establish gender distinction in behavioral red flags of fraud, and assess this phenomenon in a country other than a Western country.