A clerk memorizes a coworker's access code, logs into the cash register, and steals cash from the drawer after a single sale. What type of fraud scheme is this?

• A. A register disbursement scheme
• B. An understated sales scheme
• C. A cash larceny scheme
• D. A skimming scheme

Answer: (C)

This is cash larceny. It involves stealing actual cash from the cash drawer after a sale has occurred, typically by someone with access to the cash and register. The key point is that the money is taken from the drawer following a legitimate transaction, so the sale itself isn’t altered and the theft isn’t about disguising a misreported sale.

This differs from skimming, where cash is stolen before the sale is recorded. It’s also not an understated sales scheme, which would require manipulating the recorded sales totals to conceal theft. And it’s not a register disbursement scheme, which would involve a fraudulent, pretextual cash payout from the register (like voids or refunds) rather than simply taking cash after a sale. The scenario fits cash larceny because the cash is illicitly removed from the drawer after a sale has occurred.