The Fraud Prevention Programs chapter states that management's handling of known fraud incidents is an important part of the organization's anti-fraud program. The manual explains that a company must make clear it has zero tolerance for fraud and that failing to punish perpetrators consistently makes the fraud prevention program less effective, if not useless. It further notes that having a public record of the incident can be important and specifically says that reporting known incidents of fraud to law enforcement can be an effective step in making the organization's zero- tolerance stance clear. This approach reinforces deterrence, demonstrates seriousness, and supports consistent consequences. Therefore, among the listed choices, reporting known incidents of fraud to law enforcement is the most effective response.

Pressure often arises from financial expectations, performance goals, compensation incentives, or market demands. The desire to meet earnings targets is a common motivator behind financial statement fraud schemes.