Forensic audit & fraud investigation
Suspect fraud? Get the facts before you act.
Independent forensic accountants and investigators who establish what happened, who was involved and how much was lost, with evidence that stands up before auditors, regulators and courts.
- Embezzlement, fund diversion, vendor kickbacks and financial misstatement
- Loss quantified from ledgers, bank records and ERP data
- Evidence suitable for disciplinary action, insurance claims or prosecution
A senior specialist is available immediately to talk your matter through, before any assignment.
Speak to an expert- Investigations for corporates in India and overseas
- 1,250+Investigations for corporates in India and overseas
- Market intelligence assignments
- 500+Market intelligence assignments
- Years investigating corporate misconduct (since 2007)
- 19+Years investigating corporate misconduct (since 2007)
- Countries where we have investigated
- 11+Countries where we have investigated
Exhibit · SF-FA
Forensic audit and fraud investigation
- Handling
- Strictly confidential
- First contact
- Senior specialist
- Evidence
- Chain of custody
- Coverage
- India & 11+ countries
In short
A forensic audit is an independent examination of records, transactions and data to answer a specific question about suspected wrongdoing: what happened, who was involved and how much was lost. Spectra Forensics reconstructs the transactions, quantifies the loss and documents evidence suitable for disciplinary action, insurance claims, civil recovery or prosecution.
Talk it through with a senior specialistWhen clients call us
Matters we investigate
Unexplained losses
Reconciliation gaps, inventory shrinkage or cash that does not add up.
Payments that look wrong
Unfamiliar vendors, changed bank details or split orders below approval limits.
Vendor collusion and kickbacks
Employees and suppliers working together to inflate prices or bill for nothing.
Manipulated accounts
Unusual period-end journals, overridden controls or altered records.
Diversion of funds
Money routed to related parties, shell companies or associates.
Auditor or regulator concerns
A red flag raised by your statutory auditor, lender or regulator.
Guide
What you need to know
What is a forensic audit?
A forensic audit applies accounting, data analysis and investigation techniques to answer a defined question about suspected fraud or misconduct, to a standard that can be relied on in disciplinary, civil or criminal proceedings.
It differs from a statutory audit in purpose and depth. A statutory audit gives reasonable assurance that financial statements are free of material misstatement. A forensic audit follows specific transactions, people and documents until the question is answered.
When should a company commission one?
When there is a credible indication of fraud: unexplained losses, a whistleblower complaint, an auditor’s concern, anomalies found by internal audit, or a lender or regulator asking questions. Acting early matters: records are overwritten, devices are wiped and money moves.
If your statutory auditor has reason to believe a fraud is being committed by officers or employees, section 143(12) of the Companies Act 2013 may require them to report it. An independent investigation helps the board respond on facts.
What should we do in the first 48 hours?
Do not confront the person you suspect: it risks destruction of evidence and movement of funds. Quietly secure accounting data, bank statements, email and devices, and restrict system access if needed. Take legal advice early to preserve privilege, and check whether a fidelity or crime insurance policy has notification deadlines.
How does the investigation work?
We scope the concern (period, entities, transactions), analyse ledgers, payments and vendor masters for anomalies, trace funds through bank records and supporting documents, preserve electronic evidence forensically, and interview witnesses and subjects with the findings to hand. The result is a report that quantifies the loss and sets out the evidence for each finding.
- Forensic investigation report with findings for each question
- Loss quantification
- Evidence pack with documented chain of custody
- Control-gap and remediation recommendations
- Support for disciplinary, insurance, civil or criminal follow-up
What to expect
What happens after you get in touch
- 01
Consult a senior specialist
A senior specialist is available immediately to listen to what has happened and talk through your options, before any assignment. No names or documents are needed at this stage.
- 02
A proportionate scope
We suggest the right next step, from a preliminary review to a full engagement, with the team, approach and fee basis agreed before work starts.
- 03
Evidence first, discreetly
Work starts by securing records, devices and data before anyone connected to the matter is alerted.
- 04
Findings you can act on
A clear, evidence-backed report for your board, lender, counsel or regulator, with support for the next legal, disciplinary or commercial step.
Why Spectra Forensics
Independent, discreet, evidence-led
Frequently asked questions
How is a forensic audit different from a statutory audit?
A statutory audit gives reasonable assurance that financial statements are free of material misstatement. A forensic audit answers specific questions about suspected wrongdoing (what happened, who was involved and how much was lost) to an evidentiary standard.
Should we confront the person we suspect?
Not yet. Confronting a suspect early risks destruction of evidence and movement of funds. Secure records and systems first, and take legal advice.
Can the findings be used in court?
Yes, if evidence is collected and documented properly. We preserve chain of custody and can support legal proceedings with expert reports and testimony.
Can the investigation be kept confidential from employees?
Yes. Most of the work, including data preservation, records review and background research, happens without alerting the people involved. Interviews are planned for when the evidence is secure.
How much does a forensic audit cost?
It depends on the period, the number of entities and the volume of data. We agree a proportionate scope and fee basis after the first conversation, often starting with a preliminary review before a full investigation.
Do you investigate outside India?
Yes. We investigate multi-geography matters and have covered 11+ countries.
Who can do a forensic audit in India?
There is no separate statutory licence for forensic auditors in India. Chartered accountants and specialist forensic firms carry out forensic audits; banks, SEBI and other bodies appoint from their own empanelled panels. What matters is independence, investigative experience and evidence handling that stands up.
Speak to us in confidence