对财务报表舞弊的思考外文翻译Word格式文档下载.docx

对财务报表舞弊的思考外文翻译Word格式文档下载.docx

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原文：

ConsiderationofFraudinaFinancialStatementAudit

DescriptionandCharacteristicsofFraud

Fraudisabroadlegalconceptandauditorsdonotmakelegaldeterminationsofwhetherfraudhasoccurred.Rather,theauditor'

sinterestspecificallyrelatestoactsthatresultinamaterialmisstatementofthefinancialstatements.Theprimaryfactorthatdistinguishesfraudfromerroriswhethertheunderlyingactionthatresultsinthemisstatementofthefinancialstatementsisintentionalorunintentional.ForpurposesoftheStatement,fraudisanintentionalactthatresultsinamaterialmisstatementinfinancialstatementsthatarethesubjectofanaudit.

Intentisoftendifficulttodetermine,particularlyinmattersinvolvingaccountingestimatesandtheapplicationofaccountingprinciples.Forexample,unreasonableaccountingestimatesmaybeunintentionalormaybetheresultofanintentionalattempttomisstatethefinancialstatements.Althoughanauditisnotdesignedtodetermineintent,theauditorhasaresponsibilitytoplanandperformtheaudittoobtainreasonableassuranceaboutwhetherthefinancialstatementsarefreeofmaterialmisstatement,whetherthemisstatementisintentionalornot.

Twotypesofmisstatementsarerelevanttotheauditor'

sconsiderationoffraud—misstatementsarisingfromfraudulentfinancialreportingandmisstatementsarisingfrommisappropriationofassets.

1、Misstatementsarisingfromfraudulentfinancialreportingareintentionalmisstatementsoromissionsofamountsordisclosuresinfinancialstatementsdesignedtodeceivefinancialstatementuserswheretheeffectcausesthefinancialstatementsnottobepresented,inallmaterialrespects,inconformitywithgenerallyacceptedaccountingprinciples（GAAP）.Fraudulentfinancialreportingmaybeaccomplishedbythefollowing:

（1）Manipulation,falsification,oralterationofaccountingrecordsorsupportingdocumentsfromwhichfinancialstatementsareprepared

（2）Misrepresentationinorintentionalomissionfromthefinancialstatementsofevents,transactions,orothersignificantinformation

（3）Intentionalmisapplicationofaccountingprinciplesrelatingtoamounts,classification,mannerofpresentation,ordisclosure

Fraudulentfinancialreportingneednotbetheresultofagrandplanorconspiracy.Itmaybethatmanagementrepresentativesrationalizetheappropriatenessofamaterialmisstatement,forexample,asanaggressiveratherthanindefensibleinterpretationofcomplexaccountingrules,orasatemporarymisstatementoffinancialstatements,includinginterimstatements,expectedtobecorrectedlaterwhenoperationalresultsimprove.

2、Misstatementsarisingfrommisappropriationofassets（sometimesreferredtoastheftordefalcation）involvethetheftofanentity'

sassetswheretheeffectofthetheftcausesthefinancialstatementsnottobepresented,inallmaterialrespects,inconformitywithGAAP.Misappropriationofassetscanbeaccomplishedinvariousways,includingembezzlingreceipts,stealingassets,orcausinganentitytopayforgoodsorservicesthathavenotbeenreceived.Misappropriationofassetsmaybeaccompaniedbyfalseormisleadingrecordsordocuments,possiblycreatedbycircumventingcontrols.ThescopeofthisStatementincludesonlythosemisappropriationsofassetsforwhichtheeffectofthemisappropriationcausesthefinancialstatementsnottobefairlypresented,inallmaterialrespects,inconformitywithGAAP.

Threeconditionsgenerallyarepresentwhenfraudoccurs.First,managementorotheremployeeshaveanincentiveorareunderpressure,whichprovidesareasontocommitfraud.Second,circumstancesexist—forexample,theabsenceofcontrols,ineffectivecontrols,ortheabilityofmanagementtooverridecontrols—thatprovideanopportunityforafraudtobeperpetrated.Third,thoseinvolvedareabletorationalizecommittingafraudulentact.Someindividualspossessanattitude,character,orsetofethicalvaluesthatallowthemtoknowinglyandintentionallycommitadishonestact.However,evenotherwisehonestindividualscancommitfraudinanenvironmentthatimposessufficientpressureonthem.Thegreatertheincentiveorpressure,themorelikelyanindividualwillbeabletorationalizetheacceptabilityofcommittingfraud.

Managementhasauniqueabilitytoperpetratefraudbecauseitfrequentlyisinapositiontodirectlyorindirectlymanipulateaccountingrecordsandpresentfraudulentfinancialinformation.Fraudulentfinancialreportingofteninvolvesmanagementoverrideofcontrolsthatotherwisemayappeartobeoperatingeffectively.6Managementcaneitherdirectemployeestoperpetratefraudorsolicittheirhelpincarryingitout.Inaddition,managementpersonnelatacomponentoftheentitymaybeinapositiontomanipulatetheaccountingrecordsofthecomponentinamannerthatcausesamaterialmisstatementintheconsolidatedfinancialstatementsoftheentity.Managementoverrideofcontrolscanoccurinunpredictableways.

Fraudshavebeencommittedbymanagementoverrideofexistingcontrolsusingsuchtechniquesas（a）recordingfictitiousjournalentries,particularlythoserecordedclosetotheendofanaccountingperiodtomanipulateoperatingresults,（b）intentionallybiasingassumptionsandjudgmentsusedtoestimateaccountbalances,and（c）alteringrecordsandtermsrelatedtosignificantandunusualtransactions.

Typically,managementandemployeesengagedinfraudwilltakestepstoconcealthefraudfromtheauditorsandotherswithinandoutsidetheorganization.Fraudmaybeconcealedbywithholdingevidenceormisrepresentinginformationinresponsetoinquiriesorbyfalsifyingdocumentation.Forexample,managementthatengagesinfraudulentfinancialreportingmightaltershippingdocuments.Employeesormembersofmanagementwhomisappropriatecashmighttrytoconcealtheirtheftsbyforgingsignaturesorfalsifyingelectronicapprovalsondisbursementauthorizations.AnauditconductedinaccordancewithGAASrarelyinvolvestheauthenticationofsuchdocumentation,norareauditorstrainedasorexpectedtobeexpertsinsuchauthentication.Inaddition,anauditormaynotdiscovertheexistenceofamodificationofdocumentationthroughasideagreementthatmanagementorathirdpartyhasnotdisclosed.

Fraudalsomaybeconcealedthroughcollusionamongmanagement,employees,orthirdparties.Collusionmaycausetheauditorwhohasproperlyperformedtheaudittoconcludethatevidenceprovidedispersuasivewhenitis,infact,false.Forexample,throughcollusion,falseevidencethatcontrolshavebeenoperatingeffectivelymaybepresentedtotheauditor,orconsistentmisleadingexplanationsmaybegiventotheauditorbymorethanoneindividualwithintheentitytoexplainanunexpectedresultofananalyticalprocedure.Asanotherexample,theauditormayreceiveafalseconfirmationfromathirdpartythatisincollusionwithmanagement.

Althoughfraudusuallyisconcealedandmanagement’sintentisdifficulttodetermine,thepresenceofcertainconditionsmaysuggesttotheauditorthepossibilitythatfraudmayexist.Forexample,animportantcontractmaybemissing,asubsidiaryledgermaynotbesatisfactorilyreconciledtoitscontrolaccount,ortheresultsofananalyticalprocedureperformedduringtheauditmaynotbeconsistentwithexpectations.However,theseconditionsmaybetheresultofcircumstancesotherthanfraud.Documentsmaylegitimatelyhavebeenlostormisfiled；

thesubsidiaryledgermaybeoutofbalancewithitscontrolaccountbecauseofanunintentionalaccountingerror；

andunexpectedanalyticalrelationshipsmaybetheresultofunanticipatedchangesinunderlyingeconomicfactors.Evenreportsofallegedfraudmaynotalwaysbereliablebecauseanemployeeoroutsidermaybemistakenormaybemotivatedforunknownreasonstomakeafalseallegation.

Asindicatedinparagraph1,theauditorhasaresponsibilitytoplanandperformtheaudittoobtainreasonableassuranceaboutwhetherthefinancialstatementsarefreeofmaterialmisstatement,whethercausedbyfraudorerror.However,absoluteassuranceisnotattainableandthusevenaproperlyplannedandperformedauditmaynotdetectamaterialmisstatementresultingfromfraud.Amaterialmisstatementmaynotbedetectedbecauseofthenatureofauditevidenceorbecausethecharacteristicsoffraudasdiscussedabovemaycausetheauditortorelyunknowinglyonauditevidencethatappearstobevalid,butis,infact,falseandfraudulent.Furthermore,auditproceduresthatareeffectivefordetectinganerrormaybeineffectivefordetectingfraud.

TheImportanceofExercisingProfessionalSkepticism

Dueprofessionalcarerequirestheauditortoexerciseprofessionalskepticism.SeeSASNo.1,CodificationofAuditingStandardsandProcedures（AICPA,ProfessionalStandards,vol.1,AUsec.230.07–.09,“DueProfessionalCareinthePerformanceofWork”）.Becauseofthecharacteristicsoffraud,theauditor’sexerciseofprofessionalskepticismisimportantwhenconsideringtheriskofmaterialmisstatementduetofraud.Professionalskepticismisanattitudethatincludesaquestioningmindandacriticalassessmentofauditevidence.Theauditorshouldconducttheengagementwithamindsetthatrecognizesthepossibilitythatamaterialmisstatementduetofraudcouldbepresent,regardlessofanypastexperiencewiththeentityandregardlessoftheauditor’sbeliefaboutmanagement’shonestyandintegrity.Furthermore,professionalskepticismrequiresanongoingquestioningofwhethertheinformationandevidenceobtainedsuggeststhatamaterialmisstatementduetofraudhasoccurred.Inexercisingprofessionalskep