How to Address Document Fraud in Food Fraud Vulnerability Assessments

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What is document fraud?

Document fraud is a type of white-collar crime that involves the creation, alteration, or use of false or forged documents for the purpose of deceiving others. This can include anything from counterfeit money to fake identification cards or passports. Document fraud can be used for a variety of criminal activities such as identity theft, money laundering, terrorism, and food fraud.

Falsified laboratory reports, fake organic certificates and even fake disposal declarations are all examples of document fraud. 

Image: Romain Dancre on Unsplash

What’s new about document fraud?

Document fraud is nothing new. It is a key element in many types of food fraud. 

What’s new is the idea that food companies need to create document fraud programs as an add-on to their food fraud prevention activities.

I read about this in an article in Food Safety Magazine by two criminology academics, one of whom earns money by providing document fraud consulting services.

Food document fraud can b…