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This study aims to investigate the perceived willingness to adopt and use Forensic Accounting and Investigation Standards (FAIS) in Forensic Accounting and Investigation (FAI) assignments. The study also analyses the usefulness of FAIS in achieving the principle of natural justice (PNJ) concerning fairness.

The respondents comprised 118 accounting professionals whose online survey responses were analyzed descriptively. This study also uses a 2 × 2 contingency analysis representing two levels of usefulness and fairness.

The results revealed that FAIS 410 received the highest mean rating while FAIS 240 received the lowest mean rating in willingness to adopt and use FAIS, and most of the standards were related to the PNJ concerning fairness. The study shows the accounting professionals’ readiness to adapt and flourish with the help of these Standards in FAI assignments.

The findings of this study will increase practitioners’ awareness of the usefulness and fairness of FAIS, which will enhance their understanding of the significance of implementing these newly developed standards to harmonize the investigative process in forensic audits. Additionally, the findings may encourage regulators, researchers, accounting bodies and their members to adopt and conduct further FAIS studies that can advance financial crime prevention, detection and investigation knowledge.

This paper substantially contributes to the literature as it is the first to examine the usefulness and fairness of “Forensic Accounting and Investigation Standards” in the context of forensic audits and investigations, which has not been previously explored.

This study aims to examine how auditors perceive the influence of crucial fraud prevention factors in deterring financial statement fraud within the corporate sector. Additionally, this research explores the mediating effect of fraud awareness in elucidating the impact of ethical leadership and internal control systems on preventing financial statement fraud.

The study used an online survey, targeting a sample of 141 professionally qualified auditors with at least one year of practical experience in the field. The researchers used “Structural Equation Modeling (SEM)” to examine relationships between latent variables using partial least squares structural equation modeling. The study investigated the impact of whistleblowing systems, fraud awareness, ethical leadership, internal control systems and corporate governance on fraud prevention.

This research finding provides evidence to the corporate sector by establishing the significance of fraud awareness as the most influencing factor in preventing financial statement fraud. Furthermore, the combined explanatory variables account for 77.4% of the overall variance in financial statement fraud prevention. The study reveals a partial mediation effect of fraud awareness on the relationship between the internal control system and financial statement fraud prevention.

This research finding may assist in developing an effective fraud prevention programme to mitigate fraud instances and improve financial reporting quality. In the corporate sector, each organisation should clearly specify the policies on whistleblowing systems, fraud awareness training, internal control systems and corporate governance. To foster a comprehensive fraud prevention programme, the leaders should enforce these policies with employee support.

This research integrated crucial elements to develop a new theoretical framework for investigating financial statement fraud prevention within the corporate context. Accordingly, this research framework provides a more in-depth explanation of preventing financial statement fraud from an auditor’s perspective. Additionally, this research is the first to explore the mediating role of fraud awareness in influencing the effectiveness of the internal control system in preventing financial statement fraud.

Although corporations exert considerable efforts to uphold ethical standards in their business operations, fraud instances persist as an enduring and formidable challenge within organisations, defying their utmost efforts. The presence of fraud poses a substantial and recurring threat to corporations, leading to significant financial losses on an annual basis. This emphasises the crucial need for a comprehensive understanding of the factors contributing to fraudulent activities and the intricate nature of fraud risk factors inherent in business operations. Therefore, this paper aims to enhance the efficacy of fraud detection and prevention measures through critical analysis and refinement of established fraud theories, drawing upon the existing literature on this subject matter.

This paper offers a comprehensive qualitative analysis of the existing literature, thoroughly reviewing prominent models that aim to elucidate the underlying motivations behind fraudulent behaviour. Moreover, drawing upon the existing theoretical foundation, this study conceptualises a model that enhances the understanding of the crucial factors contributing to fraudulent behaviour.

The study presents new theoretical insights concerning the role of personal integrity in fraudulent decision-making, presenting refined interventions that enhance comprehension of the underlying drivers of fraud occurrences and strategies for prevention. Furthermore, the study reveals a comprehensive three-part approach to improving organisational health through strengthening compliance mechanisms and cultivating an ethical-values-based culture.

The study introduces a novel conceptual framework, the personal ethic-based fraud motivation model, which offers a deeper understanding of the factors and conditions influencing individuals’ propensity to engage in fraudulent activities. Furthermore, this study presents a three Cs strategy that effectively delineates the influential forces that drive individuals to surmount fraud risks.