{"title":"Using data-driven methods to detect financial statement fraud in the real scenario","authors":"Ying Zhou , Zhi Xiao , Ruize Gao , Chang Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.accinf.2024.100693","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study seeks to explore the potential of data-driven methods for developing a financial statement fraud prediction model. We emphasize that building a fraud prediction model that can be used to detect fraud in real-world applications should receive attention from researchers. However, the severe class imbalance issue and the complex nature of fraudulent activities make it a rather challenging task. To address these problems, we apply the combinations of different sampling techniques and tree-based ensemble classifiers to an extensive set of raw financial statement data. The results show that the models using an extensive set of raw financial data, undersampling techniques and boosting tree classifiers are superior in fraud detection. Moreover, several features without a priori knowledge are identified to be important for fraud prediction models by feature importance evaluation. Accordingly, this study provides a methodological guide for designing fraud prediction models for real-world applications and serves as a preliminary step of the knowledge discovery process to complement fraud detection knowledge systems.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":47170,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Accounting Information Systems","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.1000,"publicationDate":"2024-06-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"International Journal of Accounting Information Systems","FirstCategoryId":"91","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1467089524000265","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"BUSINESS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
This study seeks to explore the potential of data-driven methods for developing a financial statement fraud prediction model. We emphasize that building a fraud prediction model that can be used to detect fraud in real-world applications should receive attention from researchers. However, the severe class imbalance issue and the complex nature of fraudulent activities make it a rather challenging task. To address these problems, we apply the combinations of different sampling techniques and tree-based ensemble classifiers to an extensive set of raw financial statement data. The results show that the models using an extensive set of raw financial data, undersampling techniques and boosting tree classifiers are superior in fraud detection. Moreover, several features without a priori knowledge are identified to be important for fraud prediction models by feature importance evaluation. Accordingly, this study provides a methodological guide for designing fraud prediction models for real-world applications and serves as a preliminary step of the knowledge discovery process to complement fraud detection knowledge systems.
期刊介绍:
The International Journal of Accounting Information Systems will publish thoughtful, well developed articles that examine the rapidly evolving relationship between accounting and information technology. Articles may range from empirical to analytical, from practice-based to the development of new techniques, but must be related to problems facing the integration of accounting and information technology. The journal will address (but will not limit itself to) the following specific issues: control and auditability of information systems; management of information technology; artificial intelligence research in accounting; development issues in accounting and information systems; human factors issues related to information technology; development of theories related to information technology; methodological issues in information technology research; information systems validation; human–computer interaction research in accounting information systems. The journal welcomes and encourages articles from both practitioners and academicians.