The incremental value of the triangle of fraud action is that it represents specific actions that
can be documented with evidence as well as control points where the fraud or potential fraud may
be prevented, detected, or remediated. That is, anti-fraud professionals may develop certain
measures or controls, or structure their audits to illuminate the act, the concealment, or the
conversion. While the Cressey (1953) fraud triangle points investigators to why people might
commit fraud, the evidentiary trail might be weak or nonexistent. For example, the financial
pressure and rationalization elements of the fraud triangle are not directly observable and
accountants are not psychologists. By comparison, evidence of the act, concealment, and
conversion is more readily available and is observable in forms generally examined by accountants
and auditors (e.g., journal entries and documents). Regulators and the accounting profession could
potentially improve their fraud detection mechanisms by focusing more on trying to detect
fraudulent acts, concealment efforts, and conversion, in addition to considering the red flags
mentioned in SAS No. 99 that highlight pressure (incentives), opportunity, and rationalization
(attitude). For example, it may be beneficial to implement training programs that focus auditors’
attention on money laundering schemes to help them better identify concealment and conversion
techniques.