What To Do If Your Business Has Been Wrongfully Accused Of Fraud

If you run an above-board business, it can be absolutely devastating to be accused of carrying out fraudulent activities. Like any disaster, you should be prepared to fight these claims as soon as possible to make sure the least amount of damage is done to your business reputation. Here are the steps you should follow first if your business has been accused of fraud. 

Get Legal Aid

The first thing you need to do is secure some legal help. You ought to have a lawyer on retainer, so approach them first to see if they have someone who can help you. If they don’t, look for a lawyer who specialises in fraud or negligent misrepresentation who will be able to handle the case. 

These lawyers are the experts and who you should listen to if you want the claims to be dropped. They will know what defense should be given, so listen to them and trust their judgement. 

Cooperate

Now is not the time to hide anything. Of course it isn’t pleasant to have your dirty laundry aired in public, but if it does mean that you won’t be caught out later on, then you must be honest. 

This is even more important if any sort of law enforcement body is involved in the case. If a body like this asks for your accounts or papers, you must hand them over in their entirety. You’re innocent, and need to make sure that you aren’t giving away any opportunity that could potentially damage your case later on. The more information that you can supply, the more honest you will appear to be. 

Be The Bigger Person

Once the case has been settled, you might feel very tempted to put together a countersuit and try to claim back some of the damages that you have taken while trying to defend yourself. However, it is much better for you if you can act like a bigger person. 

Remove yourself completely from the situation, and instead put your focus and attention back on your company. It’s likely that things have been disrupted by the legal proceedings and your employees will probably need some guidance to get back on track. Concentrate on rebuilding your business and reputation instead. You will always look better if you do this rather than engaging in a war with the people who originally sued you. 

A fraud claim can be hard to shake off, even if you are proved to be innocent, so you should make sure that you do everything you can to rebuild your reputation. If you are successful, your business will be able to shake off the claim. Be ready to fight back and improve your reputation. 

A wrongful claim of fraudulent activity might feel like the end of your business if they hit. However, if you are ready and willing to fight back against them, with some planning and the right help can dismiss these claims in no time and get you back on track. 

Image credit: https://unsplash.com/photos/EKy2OTRPXdw