Behavioural red flag
Definition
An observable action or pattern that suggests elevated fraud risk by signalling pressure, rationalisation, arrogance, or capability. Examples include living beyond apparent means, refusing to delegate, complaining persistently about perceived injustice, and hostile responses to audit queries. Red flags raise suspicion; they are not evidence of fraud by themselves.
Related terms
- Arrogance
- In the Pentagon model, the belief that normal rules do not apply to oneself. Arrogance replaces or bypasses rationalisation: the perpetrator does...
- Capability
- In the fraud diamond, the personal attributes that allow an individual to execute a fraud: seniority and authority, knowledge of controls and...
- Fraud diamond
- Wolfe and Hermanson's 2004 extension of the fraud triangle that adds capability as a fourth condition. The model holds that pressure, opportunity,...
- MICE model
- A motivational taxonomy derived from counterintelligence practice: Money (financial gain or need), Ideology (loyalty, grievance, or belief), Coercion (external pressure or blackmail),...
- Pentagon model
- An extension of the fraud diamond by Jonathan Marks (2011) that adds arrogance as a fifth element, describing individuals so confident in...
Explained in
- The Fraud Diamond and Other Extended Fraud ModelsAn observable action or pattern that suggests elevated fraud risk by signalling pressure, rationalisation, arrogance, or capability. Examples include living be...