ABSTRACT
Cases of frauds and foreign in banks have not only become incessant but have also been on the increase in recent years. Although frauds and foreign in banks are global phenomena, their growth in Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporations (NDIC) annual report for instance, presents a disturbing picture of rising trends of fraud in banks from N360.2 million in 1992 to N351.9 million in 1991. The amount unloved in frauds in commercial banks alone rose to N1, 377.15 million in 1993, whereas the actual expected loss rose from N64.8 million to N241.0 million. Fraud, in banks is clearly unacceptably something’s drastic ought to be done to gently stem the tide in view of its image implications for the banking industry and the adverse effects it will have on the economy. The study emerges in response to this development. In carrying out this research work, questionnaires were distributed to the respondents for their reactions. Equally oral interviews were also carried out and some texts written by eminent scholars were consulted. The researcher believed all these would give enough information for a sound report. This study therefore seeks to identify the causes and effects of book fraud. After analyzing the returned 25 questionnaire distributed to the staff of Afribank Nigeria PLC Enugu, the following findings were made: No internal control system is 100% errors proof but the internal control system of banks can be designed to make the perpetration of fraud difficult. Non-periodic review of work by bank management gives loophole and the tendency to commit fraud in the industry. The law enforcement agencies of the countries fail to deal seriously with the bank fraud sters apprehended and handed over to them.Based on these, the following recommendation were made: The use of close circuit television surveillance should be commencing in all banks. Bank should ensure that computer operator’s passwords are kept in safe hands.
CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The level of fraud in the present day Nigeria has assumed on epidemic dimension. It has eaten deep into every aspect of our life to the extent that a three years old child talks about 419, the name given to the newly discovered fees fraud that is hunting us a nation. Fraud is defined as “deceit or tricking deliberately practiced in order to gain some advantages dishonestly.” For an action to constitute fraud therefore there must be a dishonest intention and the action must be intended to benefit the perpetrator to the detriment of another person. Going by this definition, frauds in the Nigeria economy cannot be restricted to the banks alone. Although frauds cut across all sectors of the economy and that size of an enterprises usually determines the volume of frauds perpetrated, such problems as inadequate manpower, poor internal control system, inadequate incentives and unsuitable legal framework for dealing with offenders, downturn in the economy, recognition being accorded the wealthy people regardless of their sources of wealth play a major role in the perpetration of frauds.
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