Guide to Detection of Errors and Frauds in Auditing

Do you know about the purpose of auditing?

Auditing is important for checking an organization’s financial information for reliability and accuracy. This includes looking at financial records, transactions, and how they manage their cash flows and making sure that there are no errors in the audit report while auditing. It is the best way to identify errors in financial records, helping to build trust and provide a more accurate financial report.

Why Auditing is Important for Business?

It is important for businesses as it acts as an organized inspection of financial records, processes, and controls to ensure accuracy, liquidity, and observation of rules and regulations. By conducting regular audits, businesses can find and fix mistakes, fraud, or errors in their financial operations. This helps keep financial information accurate and reliable with investors, creditors, and customers. It provides valuable perception into areas for advancement and permits businesses to increase their internal controls and operational efficiency.

How to Detect Errors and Frauds in Auditing

Verification through Trial Balance:

To detect errors and fraud in auditing, the first step is to check the trial balance. By cross-checking the account books, auditors can identify discrepancies and errors more effectively, ensuring a thorough examination of financial records.

Data Comparison for Accuracy:

Auditors can find mistakes better by looking at data from different accounts and comparing it to the trial balance numbers. This comparative analysis aids in pinpointing inconsistencies and discrepancies, enabling auditors to rectify errors promptly.

Balancing Accounts for Accuracy:

Checking the balance of accounts is essential in error detection. Discrepancies in account balances indicate potential errors that require correction. By verifying and rectifying these discrepancies, auditors ensure the accuracy of the final audit report.

Prior Year Comparison:

Another method to detect errors is by comparing the previous year’s balances with the current year’s opening balances. Discrepancies between these figures can signal errors that need investigation and correction, facilitating a comprehensive audit assessment.

Scrutinizing Primary Books of Account:

Auditors can identify errors by examining the primary books of accounts where companies record transactions. This scrutiny provides insights into potential mistakes, allowing auditors to detect and address errors effectively during the audit process.

Creating a Record of payables and receivables:

As companies often have numerous debtors and creditors, auditors undertake a thorough examination of the trial balance to ensure accuracy and detect potential issues. This multifaceted process involves:

Scrutinizing the List of Debtors and Creditors:

Auditors meticulously review the list of debtors and creditors

  • They verify the amounts owed and due, cross-checking records for discrepancies
  • Any inconsistencies or errors detected are promptly addressed to maintain the integrity of the trial balance

Investigating Potential Fraud:

  • Auditors remain vigilant in identifying any signs of fraudulent activities
  • They leverage their extensive experience and expertise to uncover even the most subtle instances of fraud
  • Auditors do a deep check to find and tell about any cheating tricks, making sure the company’s financial records are honest and haven’t been messed with.

Identifying High-Risk Areas:

Auditors know that some parts of the financial records are more likely to have mistakes than others. They pay extra attention to these risky areas, looking very closely for any weird things. If they find a mistake, they investigate it really well, write down what they find, and suggest ways to fix it so it doesn’t happen again.

Why Do We Need Auditors in UAE?

ADEPTS Auditors play an important role in ensuring business’s financial health. UAE is a successful global business hub that attracts different companies, and auditors are needed to check their financial records and execution. ADEPTS auditors help to recognize and repair any irregularities and make sure observations are within local and international rules. Their role is important in administering confidence among investors, creditors, and stakeholders by providing an impartial evaluation of a company’s financial health.

Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Audits in UAE

The Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism and Illegal Organisations (the “AML-CFT Decision”) under Decree-Law No. (20) of 2018 specifies particular AML/CFT obligations. Moreover, UAE federal laws impose obligations on auditors concerning the nature and content of their duties regarding the auditing of accounts and the reporting of crimes detected while carrying out those duties. 

The AML-CFT Law and the AML-CFT Decision require both Financial Institutions and Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs) to fulfill certain obligations, which include the basis of an effective risk-based AML/CFT program. These include:

  • Identifying and assessing money laundering/ financing of terrorism (ML/FT) risks
  • Establishing, documenting, and updating policies & procedures to mitigate the identified ML/FT risks
  • Maintaining adequate risk-based customer due diligence (CDD) and ongoing monitoring procedures
  • Identifying and reporting suspicious transactions 
  • Establishing a sufficient AML/CFT governance framework, which includes hiring an AML/CFT Compliance Officer and making sure that employees are appropriately screened and trained

Risk Identification and Assessment for Auditors

Auditors have a distinctive role as they address the legal requirements for identifying and assessing risks and the specific factors to consider from two different perspectives. The first perspective concerns the identification and assessment of their own ML/FT risks. The second perspective concerns the auditor’s responsibilities concerning the client’s ML/FT risk identification and assessment obligations. The second responsibility will often depend on the specific role of the auditor in the business relationship with the client. 

Auditor’s ML/FT Risk Identification and Assessment

Auditors perform various tasks or activities related to their activities. They perform

  • Financial audits 
  • Operational audits
  • Compliance audits

Client’s ML/FT Risk Identification and Assessment 

When conducting audit functions related to the evaluation of a client’s internal controls and/or AML/CFT program,  auditors have to take into account the following:

  • Appropriate risk factor considerations 
  • Implementing a risk-based approach effectively.
  • Formulation, documentation, and consistent use of proper risk assessment methodology
  • Involvement of AML/CFT compliance officer, senior management, risk managers, or other resource persons as appropriate to the nature and size of the client’s business
  • Procedure for periodically reviewing and updating both the risk assessment and its methodology.

Note: Auditors in UAE should document their methods (along with the justification for their use) and apply them consistently to all related business activities. This applies to both themselves when it comes to risk identification and assessment and their clients when it comes to auditing their internal controls and/or AML/CFT programs.

Auditing AML/CFT Internal Controls, Policies and Procedures, and Governance

When conducting an audit, auditors in the UAE should focus primarily on carefully examining the client’s AML/CFT internal controls, policies and procedures, and governance structures. In this regard, auditors should consider these:

  • Involvement of appropriate resources in the formulation, approval, and implementation of relevant internal controls, policies, and procedures related to AML/CFT
  • Ensuring that the organization’s stated risk appetite aligns consistently with relevant policies and procedures.
  • The pertinent internal controls, policies and procedures, and governance structures must comply with the AML-CFT Law, Decision, and related rules and regulations.
  • Implementing a risk-based strategy represented in internal controls, rules, and procedures, as well as in the suitability and proportionality of ML/FT mitigation measures with the inherent risks that have been recognized, following the organization’s size and type.
  • Maintaining records, applying regular reviews and changes, and documenting pertinent internal controls, policies, and procedures.

Who needs to do AML Compliance Services in UAE?

AML regulations apply to several businesses in the United Arab Emirates, including banks, exchange houses, money service providers, insurance companies, and real estate brokers. These companies must implement AML policies and procedures, perform due diligence on customers, and alert law enforcement to suspicious activity. 

ADEPTS AML Compliance Services in UAE

At ADEPTS, to combat the financing of terrorism (CFT) and anti-money laundering (AML), we offer the following services: 

  • AML Compliance Policy & Procedures
  • Risk Assessment & Risk Profiling
  • AML/CFT/KYC Health Check
  • Documentation & Transactions
  • Compliance Assistance
  • AML Audit & Reporting
  • Anti-Corruption & Financial Fraudulence