According to the latest staff fraud report from the UK’s Fraud Prevention Service, and specifically the Credit Industry Fraud Avoidance System (CIFAS), only 3% of insider or staff fraud attacks were uncovered in 2012 using the formal “whistle blowing” process, where a colleague reports what they see or suspect.
People appear to have a low appetite to “inform” on the suspected or actual misdeeds of their colleagues. Is this because colleagues are too trusting, or because they are willing to turn a blind eye, or because there is a stigma attached to becoming a whistle blower or an informant? Experts believe the latter to be the biggest barrier.
