The majority of Internet auction transactions are legitimate. There are many, many agencies whose responsibilities encompass some form of white-collar crime prevention, detection or prosecution. The biggest problem for small business is lack of effective preventive measures. Because small businesses operate informally, and employees are usually trusted more than they are in large companies. Small companies should also be extra cautious about theft of merchandise and false transaction records.
Most employees are essentially honest.
In addition, employers should be extra sensitive to the likelihood of criminal acts against the company by disgruntled employees or employees terminated under negative circumstances. Identity theft is VERY serious. Every year, over 700,000 complaints about identity theft are filed with the Federal Trade Commission. There are many initiatives aimed to get the ID theft problem under control. The U.S. Senate is considering several measures that would give consumers greater control over their personal financial information.