What would you do if you found $10 on the street?

Have you ever checked Facebook at work?

Have you ever exceeded the speed limit?

“Most of us are inherently honest, but can anyone honestly say they are always truthful, honest and law abiding?” said Donna M. Ingram, CPA, a certified forensic examiner, at the Vicksburg Kiwanis meeting Tuesday.

She cited studies reporting 70 percent of businesses have reported being a victim of fraud, and a business looses an estimated $120,000 annually to fraud and abuse.

“What does that tell us about the other 30 percent? Either they haven’t been a victim or they just don’t know it yet,” she said.

Ingram, who has experience working on fraud investigations, said only an estimated 50 percent of fraudsters are caught, and it takes an average of 18 to 24 months to be detected.

“In many cases, those people (who are caught) are kept in the same job,” she said.

Fraud can take place at a workplace or on a dating or crowd-funding website, she explained.

“Educate yourself and learn ways to protect yourself from fraud,” she said.

What does the typical embezzler look like?

For a fraudster, typical looks like a 36- to 45-year-old male who has been with the company for one to five years, has a college degree and is trusted within the company, Ingram said, noting that “there’s no particular characteristic that’s going to say, ‘Oh, you’re going to steal.’”

She said the number one tell is an employee living above his or her means, and tips are the number one way fraudsters are caught, though dumb luck also plays a role.

Though the elderly are often targeted because “they have assets and little or no debt,” she said millennials are now a target due to their dependence on technology.

“Fraudsters are targeting millennials because of their supposed lax social media habits and their optimistic nature,” she said.

“Think about what would happen if a millennial had their phone stolen. They’re probably going to have passwords on there. They’re probably going to have credit card information and bank accounts.”

Fraudster’s use fear as ammo, she said.

“They know they have to come in quickly and capitalize on it,” she said. “Start protecting your business and personal assets now.

“And remember: Thou shall not steal,’” she said.