Enhancing Audit Interviews with FAINT: The Forensic Assessment Interview Technique

• In Event: Auditing Contexts and Issues

Abstract

Auditing standards identify oral inquiry as an important source of evidence to detect misstatements due to error and fraud. However, to what extent should an auditor rely on this type of evidence? This is an important question considering the billions of dollars associated annually with fraud cases and restatements.

The value proposition of personal interviews increases as auditors become more proficient designing questions, assessing verbal cues and evaluating non-verbal behaviors. To assist auditors in increasing their level of interviewing skills, this paper proposes that internal and external audit departments adopt elements of the Forensic Assessment Interview Technique.

FAINT is a valid and highly effective criminal investigation technique. This paper describes how its use could be adapted to audit practice.
To accomplish this, additional training and development will likely become necessary.

Authors

• Robert A Seay, Tennessee Tech University

• Emily Seay Keenan, Ohio University