'Fraud risks may hamper India Inc's dreams'

As India Inc steps up the gas to expand in the global arena, it faces the risk of stumbling on frauds, the levels of which were far higher compared to global levels, according to international consulting firm Ernst and Young.

A survey by E&Y in emerging markets has revealed that fraud levels in India are considerably higher at 42 per cent than the global levels of 27 per cent.

"The growing focus on cross-border expansion, high levels of growth with internal processes not keeping pace and large number of new employees joining the organisation are making most companies vulnerable to greater fraud risk in recent times," Ernst and Young National Director, Risk and Business Solutions, Sunil R Chandiramani said.

The study said as many as 42 per cent of the Indian companies believe that internal collusion, corruption and bribery have skewed up fraud levels in India.

About 14 per cent of Indian companies also admitted experiencing 'significant' fraud in the last two years. The survey said the actual number may be higher due to various reasons, including non-disclosure of fraud and non-discovery of significant frauds among others.

As many as 36 per cent of the responding companies considered internal collusion with third parties as the greatest fraud risk, followed by corruption and bribery, considered as a fraud threat by 29 per cent, it said, adding only 14 per cent of the respondents considered financial statement fraud as the greatest fraud risk.

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