A fraud examiner contacts a witness for an interview regarding a financial statement fraud case,...

The best response is to accommodate the witness’s schedule by offering to conduct the interview after work hours. Fraud examiners should seek cooperation without threats, coercion, or unnecessary pressure. Threatening to document a refusal in a personnel file can create resentment and might raise employment or legal concerns. Assuring the witness that the interview will not take long or will not be difficult might be misleading because the examiner cannot always know how long the interview will take. Mentioning coworkers’ cooperation can be manipulative and might unnecessarily disclose information about the investigation. Offering a reasonable scheduling accommodation maintains goodwill, encourages cooperation, and supports a professional interview environment while preserving the examiner’s ability to obtain relevant information.