Expense Fraud | Expense Account Fraud

If you suspect that one of your employees is not handling expense reports correctly, our investigators at the Aaden Corporate Detective Agency in Stuttgart can provide clarity through surveillance: +49 711 7153 011-0.

Lack of Awareness of Wrongdoing + Opportunity

Around one third of all economic crimes in Stuttgart are committed in connection with employment relationships, meaning by employees and/or with their support (PKS Stuttgart 2014). Employees who do not carry out their work within company premises—such as field staff or workers in external warehouses—are particularly prone to enriching themselves unlawfully at the expense of their employer. Company management grants field staff such as drivers, client managers, and others a level of trust that is all too often exploited, as our Stuttgart detectives know from their investigations.

Especially when it comes to expense reports, which inevitably arise for employees working in the field, the temptation to have personal costs paid through the company account is high. Many dishonest employees have their own way of justifying this: on the one hand, they are aware that their behavior is illegal, but the assumption that “this small trick won’t be noticed” reduces the perceived severity of the offense. On the other hand, they believe that “the boss won’t become poor because of it,” and therefore no consequences will follow for such a “minor matter” (a mindset also seen in insurance fraud). In reality, however, these supposed trivialities constitute fraud and are therefore punishable by law. Swift and decisive action following surveillance by our Stuttgart corporate detectives not only stops this misuse of company funds but also sends a clear message to other employees that such misconduct will not be tolerated.

When Small Things Become Big Problems | Stuttgart Detectives Investigate

As a business owner, you will usually not notice expense fraud immediately, as perpetrators tend to act cleverly and discreetly: when refueling a company vehicle, they may fill an additional canister for their private car; postage costs may include private mail, and so on. Many small amounts accumulate over time into a significant loss. Other employees may act more boldly, convincingly claiming that urgent repairs were necessary for the company vehicle or that an expensive hotel had to be booked because cheaper ones were fully occupied.

For you as an employer, proving intentional misconduct can be difficult—but for our experienced detectives in Stuttgart, monitoring suspicious employees is part of everyday work. Our investigators are familiar with the behavior patterns of dishonest employees and can therefore carry out effective surveillance, documenting fraudulent activities in detail over several days. At the conclusion, you will receive a written report with evidence admissible in court. If needed, feel free to seek non-binding advice from our corporate detectives at the Aaden Detective Agency Stuttgart: info@aaden-detektive-stuttgart.de.