Procurement fraud is an area of white-collar criminal activity that takes place within the purchasing and procurement process in business. It is an umbrella term used to describe intentional acts of deception that are used to unlawfully obtain goods, services or money from the procurement process. Common types of procurement fraud include bid-rigging, kickbacks, bribery, false invoicing and ghost vendors. Procurement fraud can also involve the misuse of company resources, such as diverting resources from one project to another without authorization. Procurement fraud is often difficult to detect as it often goes undetected for a long period of time. The perpetrators can be inside or outside of the organization, and will often use complex schemes to conceal their activities. It is essential for businesses to have effective policies, processes and controls in place to help detect and prevent procurement fraud. Companies should also closely monitor their vendors,