5 Ways Companies Can Prevent Employee Credit Card Fraud

In this new age world where technology rules almostensuring justice in the court of law. It is important for all
every sphere of life, monetary transactions of all kindsbusiness organizations to have a clearly outlined
and quantities are being conducted via electroniccompany policy that enlists all the rules regarding
channels. The convenience of owning and using creditcompany charge card use as well as the legal
cards on a regular basis far outstrips the practice oframifications that will be enforced in case of
carrying money in wallets all the time. With thiswrongdoing. Documents pertaining to the same must
increasing dependency on plastic money, the risks ofbe presented to each employee for reading and an
credit card fraud too have increased.agreement regarding the same must be signed. Even
For business organizations, preventing employee fraudthough there are instances in which these documents
has become a major responsibility. In a world whereare not admissible in legal cases, they are a means of
criminal intent is backed with superior technology,proving that the employee is aware of and agreed to
undertaking this responsibility has proven to be athe company credit card policy.
challenge. However, armed with the fraud prevention3. COLLABORATE WITH YOUR CREDIT CARD
policies and certain measures, that we have discussedCOMPANY
herein, companies can go a long way in ensuring theirWhen issuing cards to employees, businesses
own interests as well as the financial and personalorganizations should team up with the charge card
safety of their employees.company for choosing a plan that best ensures all
1. FORMULATE A RIGID, LEGALLYfinancial safety and includes measures against any
INDOCTRINATED COMPANY POLICYform of fraud or misuse. There are various programs
For companies that provide their employees with aand measures available that can negate these risks to
credit card for business related expenses it is a musta great extent. Credit cards can be written with a
to have a written and clearly detailed policy. Evencertain code which entirely blocks their usage in
though there are a number of responsible people in thespecific places. These codes are known as Merchant
world who would rather follow the norms than abuseCategory Classification codes, and when built into the
their privileges, there are many more who believe incards, forbid their usage in places like casinos,
using these professional privileges for personalnightclubs etc. Also, company owners can determine
materialistic motives.the expenditure limits of the credit cards that they
Even though, most of the times using a companyissue and have a policy system that calls for express
charge card for personal purposes is a rather futileauthorization in cases of large expenses.
attempt at saving money, for there are always4. SCRUTINIZE EACH EMPLOYEE AND MAINTAIN
records of the expenditure detailing the purchase, theEXTREME CAUTION
cost, the date and time and place which help theSurveys and studies have unearthed the fact that
company to find the user of the card, it does not detersome of the biggest credit card frauds are actually
many who have ignoble intent.performed by venerable and trusted employees.
For owners of businesses, simply taking for grantedExempting a favored or high- level employee from
that each employee will be aware of, appreciative andscrutiny because of their position or relationship with
willing to follow an unwritten code of honorablethe organization might lay the groundwork for inducing
conduct is a rather precarious assumption. It is amalpractices. The expenditure and credit card usage
financial risk of extreme proportions, for in the case ofof each employee and member of the firm should be
a credit card fraud, even if the offender isappraised by an auditing firm.
apprehended; the company stands to lose vast5. TALK TO YOUR EMPLOYEES ABOUT THE
amounts of money.POLICY AND EMBRACE AUTHORITY
2. LEGALLY ENFORCE THE CREDIT CARDSome employers are hesitant of reminding their
POLICYemployees of the credit card policy for a number of
Simply having a detailed and documented companypsychosocial reasons. However, leaving matters
policy is not enough. In times where criminal intent andunspoken and ambiguous creates more possibilities of
activity flourished unbounded, it is the duty of businessrisk. Company owners should reinforce policy norms in
owners to back their company policies with legaleven the slightest cases of neglect. Excusing
measures. Having an unspecified code of conduct ormisbehavior will only set the wrong tone for the rest of
even a written down company policy is not enough forthe employees.