The Fraud triangle is a framework designed to explain the reasoning behind a worker’s decision to commit Fraud , Armed Robbery and Kidnapping . The three stages, categorized by the effect on the individual, can be summarized as pressure, opportunity and rationalization.
Pressure – Financial pressure and critical commitments . This could lead them to thinking of more criminal innovative ways of solving the problem the pressure on the individual – is the motivation behind the crime and can be either personal financial pressure, such as debt problems, or employer not paying salary on time. The pressure is seen by the domestic staff as unsolvable by orthodox, legal, sanctioned routes and unshareable with others who may be able to offer assistance. A common example of a perceived unshareable financial problem is gambling debt. Maintenance of a lifestyle is another common example, school fees of kids, wife might be pregnant again , hospital bills, etc
Opportunity – You leave loads of money or Gold around the house or in the car . In this stage the domestic staff sees a clear course of action by which they can abuse their position to solve the perceived unshareable financial problem in a way that – again, perceived by them – is unlikely to be discovered. In many cases the ability to solve the problem in secret is key to the perception of a viable opportunity.
Rationalisation – the domestic staff to be able to justify the crime in a way that is acceptable to his or her internal moral compass. Most domestic staffs are first-time criminals and do not see themselves as criminals, but rather a victim of circumstance. Rationalisations are often based on external factors, such as a need to take care of a family, or a dishonest / rude employer which is seen to minimise or mitigate the harm done by the crime.
With the excessive rate of kidnapping and armed robbery in Nigeria today. For our personal safety and security, those closest to you are the most likely to know your weak points and are more likely to be tempted to do you harm. Until we get a proper public security system, you have to greatly supplement yours by being proactive.
- Have you registered the Maid, Drivers, Nannies, etc., in your homes with the relevant agencies such as the Police or Neighborhood Vigilante/Security groups?
Does. the police station or security agencies know what to capture?
Do you trust the source of your domestic staff?
- Do you have the photographs of your Domestic Staff?
Do you have a file for each domestic staff?
Do you have a contact number for your domestic staff and the domestic staff’s family and friends?
- Do you attend your Estate / Street meetings or are you so reserved that you have no relationship with your neighbors and too busy to attend meetings?
- Do you have a WhatsApp group for residents only for emergency messages such as when a neighbor is being attacked or robbed, a fire incident, a neighbor is critically ill and needs urgent help and other emergencies?
- Do you know if your Cook, Nanny, Driver, Steward, Maid, day care center handlers or lesson teacher, etc., could have been involved in a previous crime
Have you done a simple check on the internet using the names provided?
Have you employed the services of a professional to verify the guarantors provided?
- What will it cost you to do a medical test for them before you employ them?
- It is your life that is in danger if you engage a sick victim without knowing their medical history.
What happen if the domestic staff passes away while in your employment?
Is the person in your house a victim of child trafficking?
- That house help you get yearly from an agent, have you ever bothered to check where the agent lives or whatever job he does?
- Do you know the house help he gives you could be a thief, hired killer or kidnapper?
- Do you know that your personal Driver or domestic staff could be a wanted person by the Police in another State for theft or kidnapping? Have you done a check on them with the Police and do you have a 5×7 photograph of them?
- Never allow your daughters get too familiar with Drivers. Especially when they are below 16 years of age.
Why do you have to leave your child with your driver or domestic staff but you would prefer to keep valuables locked away? Which is more valuable ? (Children or material things locked away in the room)
- Drivers must never be allowed to take your children to school alone. There must always be a trusted female adult in the car.
A recent of case of kidnapping was done by the drive and the house girl, is it more important to secure a job or secure your family?
- Do you know that your Driver could be hypertensive, have Hbp, poor eye sight or he could have an enlarged heart and not fit to drive?
Do you know the risk ad habits drivers imbibe when they sit with other drivers in parties ?
Was your driver introduced to you by another driver who has been dismissed?
What kind of person do you think you are to your driver and domestic staff?
Do you know where your domestic staff resides?
Have you built some level of dependency on you by the driver and domestic staff by show support with some of his family responsibilities ( kids school fees, monthly food stuffs, etc)
Does madam interact with the domestic staffs wives and female children?
Is it easier for you to pay thousands for your kid’s school fees or show neglect to the needs of your domestic staff?
Does our general behavior (shouting and being rude to them) be the motive to them wanting to harm you and your family?
- Is your security guard a citizen or a foreigner from Niger, Chad or Benin Republic? How did/can you confirm that? If he is a foreigner, is he registered by the requisite organization and eligible to work here?
What trade do they do during the day?
We have heard of cases where the behavior of madam and oga has been the motive for the harm ?
- Never talk about money transactions or cost of your jewelries or valuables in the presence of your Domestic Staff.
What does madam do with her used cloths?
Does your washman was the underwear’s of the family members?
How do you treat your domestic staff that has engaged in frequent trips abroad with you and your family?
- Never allow house help clean up your room. It is a time they search your room to know where valuable things are kept and waiting for the right time/opportunity to operate and run away.
But what really is valuable in the room? Gold, Money or Children
- Most theft incidents usually have in-house informants. Please note that the longer your Domestic Staff work with you, the more dangerous they can be.
If they have worked with you for so long have you impacted on their lives by sending the children to school?
Do you take time to ask about their welfare on a periodic basis and also proffer solutions?
- Are you aware that the Domestic Staff monitor your movement? It is good to monitor your Domestic Staff – do you do same? Sometimes go home or office when they least expect you.
Do you always have to come home with your car?
How does the domestic staff feel when you take them to parties and they stand out as house girls?
Does the domestic staff and driver stay in the crèche until the child finishes school?
Do they mix with other house helps and drivers?
- You must always ensure that all gates leading into your house is checked and secured every night.
- Criminals are deadly, as they wait for a time to strike when you least expect and they are hardly ever thought to be the suspect.
Do you make sure you pay your domestic staff on time every month?
- Would a CCTV system installed in your home and monitor it at intervals help?
Does your staff know that there is a CCTV in the house?
Have you used viewings from the CCTV to punish your staff?
Kindly contact us at https://www.globalfraudforensics.co.uk/ for all your verification needs and background check consulting
Charles Bell
Fraud Verification officer
[email protected]
http://www.globalfraudforensics.com
Ensuring Fraud Compliance is our competence
Country of pain
But why do Nigerians like using house girl and house boys ? What you wish on your own child