FCA173 - Governmental, Small-Medium Enterprise and Not-For-Profit Frauds

Outline info
Semester
School
Last revision date 2025-05-26 01:38:15.965
Last review date 2025-07-14 00:15:11.538


Subject Title
Governmental, Small-Medium Enterprise and Not-For-Profit Frauds

Subject Description
Students learn about government, small medium enterprise (SME) and not-for-profit (NFP) frauds including: contract rigging, funding entitlement programs, fictions or double billing schemes, and kick back affect, cash larceny and skimming schemes. In addition to learning the characteristics and types of SME and NFP organizations, students are exposed to how internal controls and the Board of Directors play an integral role in the prevention of NFP and SME frauds. Students review recent government frauds and attempt to determine the cause and how they could be prevented in the future. They also learn the characteristics and types of SME frauds and how they differ from frauds against large government and private organizations. 

Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this subject the student will be able to:

  • Recognize billing and other fraud schemes committed in Governmental, SME and Not-for-Profit organizations.  
  • Facilitate the development of internal controls and Board of Directors/Committee guidance polices to prevent and detect frauds. 
  • Discuss the common weakness in Governmental and Not-for-Profit internal controls. 
  • Structure and position fraud prevention instruments in small medium sized organizations to produce maximum results. 
 

Essential Employability Skills

    •  Communicate clearly, concisely and correctly in the written, spoken and visual form that fulfils the purpose and meets the needs of the audience.

    •  Respond to written, spoken, or visual messages in a manner that ensures effective communication.

    •  Apply a systematic approach to solve problems.

    •  Locate, select, organize, and document information using appropriate technology and information systems.

    •  Analyze, evaluate, and apply relevant information from a variety of sources.

Academic Integrity
Seneca upholds a learning community that values academic integrity, honesty, fairness, trust, respect, responsibility and courage. These values enhance Seneca's commitment to deliver high-quality education and teaching excellence, while supporting a positive learning environment. Ensure that you are aware of Seneca's Academic Integrity Policy which can be found at: http://www.senecapolytechnic.ca/about/policies/academic-integrity-policy.html Review section 2 of the policy for details regarding approaches to supporting integrity. Section 2.3 and Appendix B of the policy describe various sanctions that can be applied, if there is suspected academic misconduct (e.g., contract cheating, cheating, falsification, impersonation or plagiarism).

Please visit the Academic Integrity website http://open2.senecac.on.ca/sites/academic-integrity/for-students to understand and learn more about how to prepare and submit work so that it supports academic integrity, and to avoid academic misconduct.

Discrimination/Harassment
All students and employees have the right to study and work in an environment that is free from discrimination and/or harassment. Language or activities that defeat this objective violate the College Policy on Discrimination/Harassment and shall not be tolerated. Information and assistance are available from the Student Conduct Office at student.conduct@senecapolytechnic.ca.

Accommodation for Students with Disabilities
The College will provide reasonable accommodation to students with disabilities in order to promote academic success. If you require accommodation, contact the Counselling and Accessibility Services Office at ext. 22900 to initiate the process for documenting, assessing and implementing your individual accommodation needs.

Camera Use and Recordings - Synchronous (Live) Classes
Synchronous (live) classes may be delivered in person, in a Flexible Learning space, or online through a Seneca web conferencing platform such as MS Teams or Zoom. Flexible Learning spaces are equipped with cameras, microphones, monitors and speakers that capture and stream instructor and student interactions, providing an in-person experience for students choosing to study online.

Students joining a live class online may be required to have a working camera in order to participate, or for certain activities (e.g. group work, assessments), and high-speed broadband access (e.g. Cable, DSL) is highly recommended. In the event students encounter circumstances that impact their ability to join the platform with their camera on, they should reach out to the professor to discuss. Live classes may be recorded and made available to students to support access to course content and promote student learning and success.

By attending live classes, students are consenting to the collection and use of their personal information for the purposes of administering the class and associated coursework. To learn more about Seneca's privacy practices, visit Privacy Notice.

Prerequisite(s)
None.

Topic Outline

  • Financial documents and forensic investigation
  • Forensic accounting and auditing investigations
  • Principles and practices of forensic investigation
  • Financial reports and investigative findings

Mode of Instruction
In-Class / Online Virtual Classroom
A combination of teaching methods will be utilized which may include lectures, case studies, discussions, group and individual work.

Online Self-Directed
This subject is delivered online. This may involve the use of digital materials and/or a text, group discussions, interaction with your instructor and online activities.

Prescribed Texts
Ecard-ACfi Fraud Manual Access Code, 9th Edition (ISBN: 88880061762)
Part number is from Algonquin College's Campus Store (Connections), students may check with the Seneca Bookstore or purchase directly from Algonquin.

To find out the cost of books and learning material go here.

Any courses not listed on the bookstore webpage do not require any resources for purchase. All resources will be provided by your instructor.

Reference Material
Guides on research and citations: https://library.senecapolytechnic.ca/

Required Supplies
None.

Student Progression and Promotion Policy

http://www.senecapolytechnic.ca/about/policies/student-progression-and-promotion-policy.html

Grading Policyhttp://www.senecapolytechnic.ca/about/policies/grading-policy.html

A+ 90%  to  100%
A 80%  to  89%
B+ 75%  to  79%
B 70%  to  74%
C+ 65%  to  69%
C 60%  to  64%
D+ 55%  to  59%
D 50%  to  54%
F 0%    to  49% (Not a Pass)
OR
EXC Excellent
SAT Satisfactory
UNSAT Unsatisfactory

For further information, see a copy of the Academic Policy, available online (http://www.senecapolytechnic.ca/about/policies/academics-and-student-services.html) or at Seneca's Registrar's Offices. (https://www.senecapolytechnic.ca/registrar.html).


Modes of Evaluation

Assignments are due on the dates specified. Should extenuating circumstances arise, contact your instructor prior to the assignment due date so that an appropriate course of action can be established. Late assignments may be subject to a penalty and may not be accepted after a set period of time.
 
In cases of cheating or plagiarism, the College Academic Policy will prevail. Please ensure that all assignments and reports are properly documented.
 
Students are referred to the following website for Seneca College Library style guides, Academic Honesty Policy and Copyright guidelines: https://library.senecapolytechnic.ca/
 
Dates for evaluations are specified in the weekly schedule addendum to this outline. The evaluation process may include, but is not limited to, tests, exams, assignments or presentations. Supporting documentation may be requested for absences or missed submissions due to medical or other reasons. Faculty must be notified immediately in the event of a missed evaluation. Upon acceptance of the absence, and applicable documentation, the weighting of the missed deliverable will normally be applied to the final exam.
 
English Competency
The ability to communicate effectively is essential for success in business. Therefore, you must demonstrate English competency in this course in both oral and written work. Ensure your written work includes correct sentence structure, spelling and punctuation. Always spell check, edit and proofread your work.
 
Grading is based on the following marking scheme:
 
Assignments and Discussions 70%
Final Assessment    30% 

All the academic policies of the College at which you registered apply. This includes, but is not limited to policies related to grading, supplemental exams, deferred exams and accommodations.

Approved by: John Wong1, Danielle Mercier