Forensic Analytics: Methods and Techniques for Forensic Accounting Investigations

I worked as an auditor for state government for 24 years and issues such as the comprehensive single audit and healthcare fraud were important in my life. In my career I was convinced that using random samples and then basing an audit conclusion on that sample was not the way to go. I believed we should be looking at the patterns in the data and then take it from there.Forensic Analytics is turning out to be an excellent resource in my new position. I've understood most of what is covered even though some sections (like the mantissa arc test) needed to be read more than once. I even lent my book out to a colleague who works exclusively in healthcare auditing.Nigrini does a good job showing some tips and techniques to Access, Excel, and PowerPoint. He then moves from the high-level tests, including Benford's Law, to the focused forensic tests. The final chapter brought it all together with an example related to purchasing card fraud and a summary of the coverage.The companion website has data and templates related to the examples in the book. It seems the author has also prepared end-of-chapter materials (questions and cases)and PowerPoint slides so that the book can be used in a forensic accounting college course.A friend informed me that Nigrini gave a great presentation at the 2012 ACFE conference in Orlando. Be sure to attend his session if he's speaking at a conference that you are attending.Nigrini has a facebook page "Forensic Analytics by Mark Nigrini". I picked up a few tips related to the book.

I regard Dr. Mark Nigrini as thought leader in the field of forensic accounting and his use of Benford's Law is nothing short of true genius. In addition to showing us how to apply it to accounting data sets and how to interpret the results, this book covers eight high level data analyses that can be used in any forensic audit, including screen by screen shots of the tests in Excel and Access. The benefits that can be derived from following the Nigrini cycle will leave your head spinning with possibilities. If you're a forensic auditor, you have to read this book.

I have to admit this is the first math related textbook that I have ever read cover to cover....Ever! It was that interesting! Professor Nigrini does an excellent job explaining the methods and mechanisms involved along with application setups in Excel and Access. Clearly the focus is on the counter-intuitiveness of Benford's Law as a basic forensic tool but the Professor takes it to the next level, plus Much more. Historical topic research references and numerous case applications throughout. I just ordered another copy for a friend as I refused to loan him mine as I'm reading a second time!

This is an excellent book that will give you an incredible set of tools, tests and certainly will give you new ways to look at your work. Dr. Nigrini's writing style is very open, accessible, and often humorous. I recently had the opportunity to spend the day in class with Dr. Nigrini and cannot tell you how impressed I was with his level of detail and passion for this subject. If you ever have the chance to take a class from Dr. Nigrini do not hesitate, you will not regret it.

Great for the subject content

Nigrini explains a multitude of tests that can be applied to virtually any batch of financial data. These tests help to find fraud, errors, bias, and inconsistancies within the data. This book will not only boost your knowledge and ability to evaluate data at a forensic level, but it will also boost your knowledge in Microsoft Access and Excel (as well as a number of other software applications). I strongly reccomend this book for those who are interested in applying their accounting knowledge in an analytical setting.

I took a class on forensic analytics with Mark Nigrini. It was an excellent course taught with an excellent book. The book is very helpful and easy to follow. If you do anything that you need to break down data, this is the book for you. I recommend it wholeheartedly.

He even has a web link so you can practice what he is showing you with excel sheets. If you can get it used, great, if not, and this interests you, it might be worth spending the money for new. He also has another book out which also looks interesting which focuses on benfords law.

I had to stop reading it in the middle, it definitively proved a time waster for several reasons:1) I tried to find the purpose to use Access for analytical and audit review: ACL is much more productive in my view, so why bother? For instance, 4 chapters about Bendford Law can be put in practice in a few minutes using ACL Bendford feature.2) There is no practical description about the Excel new pivot table and statistical features, and it totally misses the new Excel 2010 features (although the book is issued in 2011).3) Examples of analytical review cover "oil consumption in a US State" and "poll results in California"... not really practical for our usual auditing reviews.4) Writing style is confusing and overly academic, totally lacking any humor.Typical university book, not adapted to practical investigations.

Starts with quite good introduction into the subject matter, with decent examples to illustrate. Most certainly valuable material for students of the subject matter and perhaps for experienced professionals as well.

Excellent! Mr. Nigrini who modestly wants to remain a teacher, exposes here great, effective and easy to perform methodologies of forensic analytics. His book is used with great benefits in many countries.

Needed it for class several years ago. Boring af.