Do honest people steal? Our guest, Kelly Paxton investigates and researches low level crimes such as book-keeping fraud; also known as Pink Collar Crime. She discusses how a hostile work environment and the prospect of financial difficulties at home can lead “good” people to rationalize dishonest behavior.

Kelly Paxton is a former federal agent who was used to dealing with “bad guys.” Once she started working embezzlement cases, she quickly realized that honest people steal. 

The term pink-collar crime describes embezzlement type crimes that are typically committed by females. Can a man be a pink collar criminal?  The simple answer is yes.  It's the position not the gender but in these "pink" positions there are just more women than men. 

(4:25) Welcome and speed round questions.

(6:39) Why you should be concerned if your bookkeeper never takes a vacation.

(7:15) What is Pink Collar Crime? 

(10:20) How Kelly’s career and curiosity lead her into investigating Pink Collar Crime.

(14:48) What is The Fraud Triangle?

(19:14) Do women steal differently than men? 

(28:35) What are the common behaviors of people who embezzle? 

(31:17) Who benefits and who takes the blame for embezzlement? 

(37:53) Who should you trust?

(42:39) How people rationalize their dishonesty.

(45:49) What should companies do to prevent pink collar crime? 

(49:49) Kelly's favorite music and playlists.

Join us on our follow-on discussion in Episode 239 where Kurt and Tim have a Grooving Session on what Kelly has brought up in her interview and how we can apply insight from her interview into our own businesses.

© 2021 Behavioral Grooves

Kelly Paxton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellypaxton/

Kelly Paxton, Embezzlement: How to Detect, Prevent, and Investigate Pink-Collar Crime: https://amzn.to/3i57hN1 

Great Women in Fraud: https://greatwomeninfraud.com/ 

Great Women in Fraud Podcast: https://podcast.greatwomeninfraud.com/ 

Dan Ariely: https://danariely.com/ 

The Dishonesty Project: https://www.thedishonestyproject.com/film/ 

Pink Collar Crime: https://pinkcollarcrime.com/what-is-pink-collar-crime 

How to Have a Good Day: Harness the Power of Behavioral Science to Transform Your Working Life by Caroline Webb: https://amzn.to/3eAaNhJ 

Episode 33: Caroline Webb: Having a Good Day: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/caroline-webb-having-a-good-day/

Go Fraud Me: http://gofraudme.com/ 

Rita Crundwell: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rita_Crundwell 

Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know about the People We Don't Know by Malcolm Gladwell: https://amzn.to/3i1sKGw 

Duped: Truth-Default Theory and the Social Science of Lying and Deception by Timothy Levine: https://amzn.to/3ehpWUC 

Big Little Lies: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Little_Lies_(TV_series) 

Episode 86: Christian Hunt: Mitigating Human Risk and The Algorithmic Mind: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/christian-hunt-mitigating-human-risk-and-the-algorithmic-mind/

Behavioral Grooves Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/behavioralgrooves

Foo Fighters “The Pretender”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBjQ9tuuTJQ 

Harold Van Lennep “Liberation”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEzMeDybBG0 

Micheal Kiwanuka “Cold Little Heart”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOubjLM9Cbc&ab_channel=MichaelKiwanukaVEVO