What do phrases such as "nobody will find out," "grey area,"and "they owe it to me" have in common?

According to research conducted by Ernst & Young in collaboration with the FBI, these phrases are among the top terms used by employees in emails discussing fraud. E&Y has developed software that companies can use to monitor employees' emails for these phrases and approximately 3,000 other words and phrases that are commonly used in emails by people committing fraud. 

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Rashmi Joshi of Ernst & Young's Fraud Investigation & Disputes Services says that while incriminating email traffic is usually only identified and seized by regulators or investigators after the damage has been done, companies can choose to be proactive in searching emails for red flags using this type of software. Doing so may allow companies to identify and address suspicious behavior before major frauds are perpetrated, according to E&Y.

E&Y says that the top 15 terms used by employees in emails discussing fraud are as follows:

Cover up

Write off

Illegal

Failed investment

Nobody will find out

Grey area

They owe it to me

Do not volunteer information

Not ethical

Off the books

Backdate

No inspection

Pull earnings forward

Special fees

Friendly payments

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