The reliability of third-party evidence (e.g., bank statements) is enhanced when it is obtained from a knowledgeable, but unbiased, respondent who is outside the company under audit. The respondent should have little or no motivation to falsify information. In addition, when the response from a third party is direct (that is, the auditor controls both the transmission and receipt of information), it may be considered more reliable than audit evidence derived indirectly or by inference. If evidence exists in documentary form (e.g., paper or electronic media), the evidence is even more reliable. However,responses in the form of faxes and e-mails are considered problematic because of the difficulty of validating their authenticity.