22. Internal auditors have been advised to consider red flags to determine whether management is involved in a fraud. Which of the following does not represent a difficulty in using the red flags as fraud indicators?
A. Many common red flags are also associated with situations in which no fraud exists.
B. Some red flags are difficult to quantify or to evaluate.
C. Red flag information is not gathered as a normal part of an engagement.
D. The red flags literature is not well enough established to have a positive impact on internal auditing.
Answer (D) is correct.
REQUIRED: The item not a difficulty in using red flags as fraud indicators.
DISCUSSION: The state of red flags literature is an aid, not a difficulty, in internal auditing. It is well established and will be refined in the future as research is done.
Answer (A) is incorrect. Red flags are developed by correlation analysis, not necessarily by causation analysis.
Answer (B) is incorrect. Many red flags, such as management's attitude, are difficult to quantify.
Answer (C) is incorrect. Internal auditors should be able to identify fraud indicators and should be alert to opportunities that could allow fraud. However, internal auditors do not normally perform procedures specifically to gather red flag information.