The rising trend of fraud and forgery in Pakistan’s banking industry and precautions taken against

Purpose - This study aims to investigate the involvement of employees in frauds and forgeries in banking industry of Pakistan and precautions taken against it. This research explored the types of frauds prevailing in Pakistan’s banking industry, and the causes of employee involvement in frauds. Design/methodology/approach - In-depth interviews with the officers working in fraud/compliance/risk department at commercial banks as well as the officials working in the inspection and policymaking departments at the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) were conducted. Research questions were developed under the guidance of experts working in the banking industry, so the research possesses internal validity. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings - This study revealed that the SBP has devised many policies and guidelines for commercial banks against fraud management, but these are not properly implemented. These policies also include precautionary measures, which are recommended by the SBP to lessen fraud. Besides this, banks are also taking initiatives of their own to control the rising trend of frauds and forgeries. At the end, brief conclusion and effective recommendations are given to the practitioners, policymakers and management. Originality/value - To the best of the author’s knowledge, this area of management has not been explored by researchers in Pakistan; hence, this research provides valuable information to bank managers, risk management departments, risk avoidance policymakers, bank shareholders, depositors, borrowers and government agencies. This study provides deep insights into the prevalence of frauds in the banking industry of Pakistan.