Which of the following statements is MOST ACCURATE regarding covert operations?

Covert operations can be useful, but they are among the riskiest investigative techniques. They require careful planning, legal review, and appropriate precautions. The Fraud Examiners Manual warns that mistakes in covert work can cause irreparable damage to the investigation, physical harm to the investigator, and reputational, financial, or legal consequences. Therefore, option B is the most accurate statement. Option A is incorrect because poor planning can seriously damage the investigation. Option C is too broad because investigators are not automatically protected from legal or reputational consequences. Option D is also incorrect because covert operations should generally be used with extreme care and often as a last resort, not automatically alongside conventional methods.