Forrest Gump famously said, “Life is like a box of chocolates—you never know what you’re gonna get.” Each chocolate represents a moment in our lives. There are ups and downs, and sometimes there are unexpected twists and turns.
The ups in my life are the chocolates filled with caramel, and the downs are the chocolates filled with raspberry or nuts. However, I am not a fan of surprises when I bite into a piece. If I buy a box of chocolates, I buy the ones with diagrams that show what is in each piece, which mitigates surprises.
Eliminating surprises is the ideal way to find the truth in fraud fighting interviews. In my last blog post, I covered ten tips to help you detect a lie, a crucial component to uncovering the truth. You need to have a pretty good idea of the fraud scheme(s), potential time frame, possible fraud losses, and other potential areas that may have been impacted before you start asking the questions.
When I teach others about the strategy for interviewing potential fraudsters, I say, “Know more than they think you know.” Additionally, you should always try to maintain the upper hand. But, if for some reason, you feel like you are losing the upper hand, don’t reveal it. Maintain your confidence. There will be time after the interview to regroup and reassess.
The following are a few tips to help you uncover the truth, while maintaining the upper hand:
You should practice these tips to enhance your fraud fighting skills. The truth can be elusive, and often it takes a skilled interviewer to discover it. Do you have any other tips that help you uncover the truth?
If you ever have an idea for a future blog or a question about a published blog, please contact me with your thoughts. I would love to hear from you.
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