TheInternal Controlstopic in the APS Certification Program emphasizes preventing employee fraud through robust controls, particularly in AP, where access to payments and vendor data creates risks.Conducting detailed background checkson new AP employees is a standard control to verify integrity and reduce the risk of fraudulent behavior. Other options, such as NDAs, accounting degrees, or temporary hiring, are less effective or irrelevant for fraud prevention.
Option A (Require that all potential employees sign an NDA prior to hire): Non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) protect confidential information but do not directly prevent fraud, which involves financial misconduct (e.g., embezzlement). This is not a primary fraud control.
Option B (Ensure all staff members have accounting degrees): An accounting degree does not guarantee honesty or prevent fraud. Many AP roles require practical skills, not formal degrees. This is not a fraud control.
Option C (Hire only temporary employees and rotate them out): Temporary staffing and frequent rotation disrupt continuity and may increase fraud risk due to lack of accountability. This is not a fraud control.
Option D (Conduct detailed background checks on all new AP employees): Background checks verify criminal history, credit issues, and past employment, identifying potential fraud risks. This is a standard and effective control. Correct answer.
Reference to IOFM APS Documents: The APS e-textbook underInternal Controlsstates, “To prevent employee fraud, organizations should implement controls like detailed background checks for AP staff to ensure trustworthiness.” It lists background checks as a key measure, alongside segregation of duties and surprise audits, but does not mention NDAs, degrees, or temporary staffing as fraud prevention controls. The training video reinforces this, citing background checks as essential for roles with financial access.
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