Home Banking

The object of this dissertation is focused on the study of the home banking service and how the allocation of losses due to computer fraud is processed in the scope of this service. When considering the questions raised by the allocation of losses associated with fraudulent operations, it is important to consider, mainly, the behaviour of the user of the home banking service. In our opinion, courts have been too demanding towards the user when judging his action in the use of this service. In this study, we have concluded that, when the user “falls” into a computer fraud scheme, he should not be liable for gross negligent behaviour, even if, due to the fraud, the user revealed all his access codes to a hacker on a page similar to that of his bank. In general, such facts will not be sufficient to qualify the user’s action as grossly negligent. Therefore, the user, under the terms of the Payment Services’ System, must bear the loss up to a maximum of €150, and the bank will face the remainder of the losses. However, if the user, victim of a fraudulent technique, ignored the safety warnings issued by the bank, one must consider, given the specific case, that he contributed to gross negligence in unauthorised payment transactions. Thus, the user must bear all the losses up to the moment when he notifies the bank about the unauthorised transactions. It is the bank’s responsibility to, given the specific case, adduce evidence of the client’s contribution to the identified losses.

O sigilo bancário e a fraude fiscal

Tax evasion and fraud threaten the economic and social objectives of modern tax systems, precluding the state funding for the satisfaction of collective needs and the fair distribution of wealth, being a violation of basic principles and values of our society. In tax law, to give tax administration the necessary powers to supervise and control the information provided by taxpayers and combat tax evasion and fraud, over the last years the grounds for a derogation of bank secrecy without judicial authorization have been extended, which raises some constitutional compatibility issues. Similarly, this tendency of making this legal regime more flexible and increasing automatic exchange of information has been followed by the European Union and the international community. Banking secrecy, as a professional secrecy, is an instrument to protect the right to privacy but also appears as an anti-abuse and repressive mechanism of evasive and fraudulent behaviors. Because of the conflict of interests will always be necessary to make a practical agreement between them, ensuring the legality and the due guarantees of the taxpayers but also an effective way to combat tax evasion and fraud. Bank secrecy cannot be one method to, behind the right to privacy, taxpayers practice illegal activities. But the practice of these irregular conducts also does not justify a total annihilation of the right to banking secrecy, uncovering all documents and bank information’s. Although considering the legislative changes, the administrative derogation of bank secrecy will always be what the tax administration does of it.

Analyse comparative du concept de malhonnêteté en droit criminel et en droit des sociétés

"Mémoire présenté à la Faculté des études supérieures en vue de l'obtention du grade de maîtrise en droit option droit des affaires". Ce mémoire a été classé parmi les 15% des mémoires de la discipline.

Why should Restrictive Clauses be applicable in Cases of Forced Selling of Limited Liability Company Shares?

In many European countries, one of the most complex and widely discussed issues addressed by legal systems with respect to forced selling of limited liability and public limited company shares is the impact of possible statutory restrictions on transfers . Thus, while some authors deny the applicability of such provisions (as a possible avenue for commission of creditor fraud) , others support their validity (on the basis of prevention of possible fraudulent actions affecting interests protected by restrictive causes). In my opinion, a solution must be found in which prosecution of creditor fraud co-exists with respect for the rights scheme. As a general rule, this solution would call for applicability of restrictive clauses to cases of forced selling, regardless of whether such statutory provisions are viewed in terms of order or alienation.

Investing Online: Concerns about the Evolving Use of the Internet as an Investment Tool in the Secondary Market Context

La croissance dramatique du commerce électronique des titres cache un grand potentiel pour les investisseurs, de même que pour l’industrie des valeurs mobilières en général. Prenant en considération ses risques particuliers, les autorités réglementaires vivent un défi important face à l’Internet en tant que nouveau moyen d’investir. Néanmoins, malgré l’évolution technologique, les objectifs fondamentaux et l’approche des autorités réglementaires restent similaires à ce qui se produit présentement. Cet article analyse l’impact de l’Internet sur le commerce des valeurs mobilières en se concentrant sur les problèmes soulevés par l’utilisation de ce nouveau moyen de communication dans le contexte du marché secondaire. Par conséquent, son objectif est de dresser le portrait des plaintes typiques des investisseurs, de même que celui des activités frauduleuses en valeurs mobilières propres au cyberespace. L’auteur fait une synthèse des développements récents en analysant l’approche des autorités réglementaires, les études doctrinales, la jurisprudence et les cas administratifs. L'auteure désire remercier la professeure Raymonde Crête pour ses précieux commentaires et conseils.

Setilement of motor accidents claims with special reference to Kerala

The accident toll on our road traffic is staggering. Obviously this appalling toll of life and.health represents heavy economic loss in addition to human tragedy. the enormous increase in the number of motor vehicles with its rash, negligent and reckless use by unscrupulous, inexperienced and dangerous drivers in the most miserably managed roads coupled with concomitant hazards would draw our attention that Accident Prevention, and Accident compensation are thoroughly two compatiable aims. Proposed solutions to the traffic Problems abound. Preventive efforts concentrated on each of the variables the driver, the road and the vehicle are all being initiated. Still it is a Will the .Motor Vehicles are not considered as dangerous machines. Motoring activity is found useful.A competent and specially trained police force has to be created to deal with the traffic offences in a more scientific ways.The term ‘legal representative needs to be defined on the constructive aspects of relation and dependence.Services of legal aid and public counsels shall necessarily be extended to the poor Motor Accident victims.Timely reporting and timely investigation of Motor Accidents cases will reduce the number of fraudulent claims. There are instances where cases are taken in to investigation after several months of occurrence.It is hoped that the suggestions made above as a result of the present study, if pwgninto practice, may make a humble contribution to the prevention sssof motor accidents and to a faster and speedier settlement of motor accident compensation claims.

“Documentary Credit Law : An Indian Perspective"

This is a study in international trade law. Documentary credits are the most common method of payment for goods in international trade. In India also these instruments are used both in national and international trade. The law governing these transactions remains haphazard. This study identifies the deficiencies in the regulatory framework for documentary credits in India. It primarily focuses on those areas which exhibits a lack of equality and justice in its operation. An attempt has also been made to identify the rights and duties of parties involved in the transaction. The reasons for the increase of fraudulent activities associated with the documents executed in the documentary credit transactions are also examined. How far the law in India is sufficient to ensure fair business practice in international trade financing is also examined. Methodology adopted for the study is analytical. The statutory provisions, rules and case laws under these provisions have been examined. An empirical study by personal interview with the bankers is also made to ascertain the practice of bankers in India.

Assessment of the food control system in the State of Kuwait

National food control systems are a key element in the protection of consumers from unsafe foods and from other fraudulent practices. International guidance is available and provides a framework for enhancing national systems. However, it is recognized that before reaching decisions on the necessary improvements to a national system, an analysis is required of the current state of key elements in the present system. This paper provides such an analysis for the State of Kuwait. The fragmented nature of the food control system is described. Four key elements of the Kuwaiti system are analyzed: the legal framework, the administrative structures, the enforcement activity and the provision of education and training. It is noted that the country has a dependence on imported foods and that the present national food control system is largely based on an historic approach to food sampling at the point of import and is unsustainable. The paper recommends a more coordinated approach to food safety control in Kuwait with a significant increase in the use of risk analysis methods to target enforcement.

When rules and principles are not enough: insiders’ views and narratives on the global financial crisis

Much has been written about Wall Street and the global financial crisis (GFC). From a fraudulent derivatives market to a contestable culture of banking bonuses, culpability has been examined within the frames of American praxis, namely that of American exceptionalism. This study begins with an exploratory analysis of non-US voices concerning the nature of the causes of the GFC. The analysis provides glimpses of the globalized extent of assumptions shared, but not debated within the globalization convergence of financial markets as the neo-liberal project. Practical and paradigmatic tensions are revealed in the capture of a London-based set of views articulated by senior financial executives of financial service organizations, the outcomes of which are not overly optimistic for any significant change in praxis within the immediate future.

State capitalism and social responsibility in China's banking industry

China’s financial system has experienced a series of major reforms in recent years. Efforts have been made towards introducing the shareholding system in state-owned commercial banks, restructuring of securities firms, re-organising equity of joint venture insurance companies, further improving the corporate governance structure, managing financial risks and ultimately establishing a system to protect investors (Xinhua, 2010). Financial product innovation, with the further opening up of financial markets and the development of the insurance and bond market, has increased liquidity as well as reduced financial risks. The U.S. subprime crisis indicated the benefit of financial innovations for the economy, but without proper control, they may lead to unexpected consequences. Kirkpatrick (2009) argues that failures and weaknesses in corporate governance arrangements and insufficient accounting standards and regulatory requirements attributed to the financial crisis. Similar to the financial crises of the last decade, the global financial crisis which sparked in 2008, surfaced a variety of significant corporate governance failures: the dysfunction of market mechanisms, the lack of transparency and accountability, misaligned compensation arrangements and the late response of government, all which encouraged management short-termism, poor risk management, as well as some fraudulent schemes. The unique characteristics of the Chinese banking system are an interesting point for studying post-crisis corporate governance reform. Considering that China modelled its governance system on the Anglo-American system, this paper examines the impact of the financial crisis on corporate governance reform in developed economies, and particularly, China’s reform of its financial sector. The paper further analyses the Chinese government’s role in bank supervision and risk management. In this regard, the paper contributes to the corporate governance literature within the Chinese context by providing insights into the contributing factors to the corporate governance failure that led to the global financial crisis. It also provides policy recommendations for China’s policy makers to seriously consider. The results suggest a need for the re-examination of corporate governance adequacy and the institutionalisation of business ethics. The paper’s next section provides a review of China’s financial system with reference to the financial crisis, followed by a critical evaluation of a capitalistic system and a review of Anglo-American and Continental European models. It then analyses the need for a new corporate governance model in China by considering the bank failures in developed economies and the potential risks and inefficiencies in a current State controlled system. The paper closes by reflecting the need for Chinese policy makers to continually develop, adapt and rewrite corporate governance practices capable of meeting the new challenge, and to pay attention to business ethics, an issue which goes beyond regulation.

More than Just the Final Straw: Stolen Elections as Revolutionary Triggers

Stolen elections are triggering events that overcome barriers to revolutionary action against electoral authoritarian regimes. They mobilize ordinary citizens, strengthen the opposition, and divide the regime. As neo-institutionalist theories of revolution suggest, the relative openness of electoral authoritarianism inhibits mass protest. But when elections are stolen, regimes undergo “closure,” increasing the probability of protest. The failure of other potential revolutionary precipitants underlines that stolen elections are not merely replaceable final straws. Stolen elections have not only been crucial for the emergence of revolutionary situations, they have shaped outcomes as well. Linking popular mobilization to fraudulent elections has become part of the repertoire of contention of democratic revolutionaries.

O Papel das cooperativas de trabalho no contexto das transformações da sociedade brasileira: um estudo do caso no Município do Rio de Janeiro

The changes that have occurred in the Brazilian work market, mainly due to the opening of the economy in the 90th decade, have caused, as a consequence, the unemployment in the formal sector, with the reduction of posts of work in the industry and the precarization of the laborwork. In order to face these questions, it¿s necessary an analysis of the alternative measures, among them, the creation of the cooperative societies, which have increased about 90,8% in the last years. The purpose of this study is to identify and to analyze the functions of the work cooperatives, just in face of the changes of the Brazilian society. The analysis was directed towards a group of eight work cooperatives that work in lots of areas of professionals in the Municipality of Rio de Janeiro. The study reveals the existence of false work cooperatives, whose sole purpose is to intermediate the handiwork with the intention of benefiting enterprises that intend to decrease their own costs of production, just contributing for the precarization of the relations of work. The structure of the Judicial Power offers solutions that protect the workers who are exploited through fraudulent actions, by the false cooperatives, handiworkers. It can be noticed that this structure is enough to answer the challenges presented. It means that it is too bad to apprehend the revival of the work cooperativism and that it must be combated. Of course, it is maniqueist conception that distorts reality and disdains positive aspects of cooperative system. The results of the search have permitted to point out the main characteristics of the work cooperatives analyzed, the profile of the cooperative workers, and also the main obstacles to the development of the cooperative system in Brazil today . A long the analysis of tributary and labor questions and about the participation of the cooperative workers in the management of the cooperative - the most questionable points - it could be observed the development of real cooperative practices, trying to establish the differences between these and the fraudulent ones, also studied in this work. This study represents a contribution to all those who intend to study new relations of work in a critical away and from experiences in development.

Crimes financeiros e política criminal : estudo de acórdãos do TRF da 3ª Região sobre os crimes de gestão fraudulenta e gestão temerária no período de 2001 a 2010

Este trabalho visa produzir conhecimento sobre como o Tribunal Regional Federal da 3ª Região tem decidido sobre dois dos principais crimes afetos à administração das instituições financeiras: gestão fraudulenta e gestão temerária. Trata-se de delitos criticados pela doutrina em razão das falhas de definição dos tipos, desde a edição da Lei 7.492, em 1986. Além disso, a sua previsão legislativa possui características que os aproximam do paradigma do direito penal do risco, ou seja: são crimes de perigo abstrato, que tutelam bem jurídico supra-individual, praticados por administradores detentores do dever de probidade na condução das instituições frente aos riscos inerentes à dinâmica do sistema financeiro. A adoção desse paradigma é controversa na doutrina penal por implicar a flexibilização de garantias do Estado Democrático de Direito sob a perspectiva do paradigma do direito penal tradicional. Diante disso, adota-se a metodologia de análise de conteúdo de decisões para se responder a dois problemas de pesquisa: (1) Quais os critérios adotados pelo Tribunal para a configuração dos crimes? (2) As decisões aproximam-se de algum paradigma de direito penal? As hipóteses objeto de teste são: (1) que o Tribunal considera principalmente a prática da conduta sem analisar a sua potencialidade lesiva sob uma perspectiva ex ante; e, (2) que esse discurso de imputação de responsabilidade aproxima as decisões do paradigma do direito penal do risco, considerados, em contexto, outros elementos presentes nas decisões. Na primeira parte, é feita uma introdução metodológica; na segunda, estabelece-se o referencial teórico; na terceira e na quarta, realizam-se as análises dos resultados quantitativos e qualitativos obtidos com a sua discussão; por fim, procede-se à conclusão, levantando-se novo problema a ser investigado.

Viagem ao centro da denúncia: explorando as “camadas” que influenciam as denúncias de fraudes nas organizações

As fraudes contábeis representam uma grande perda para a economia global tanto na esfera pública quanto privada, destacando, assim, os prejuízos sociais ocasionados por elas. Nesta perspectiva, diversas pesquisas têm demonstrado que as denúncias são um dos principais mecanismos de detecção de fraudes nas organizações. Inspirado em Taylor e Curtis (2010), o presente trabalho tem como objetivo identificar a influência das “camadas” pessoal, organizacional, profissional na intenção individual em denunciar uma situação fraudulenta que o mesmo tenha conhecimento. Ressalta-se, porém, a inclusão de uma “camada social”, bem como a consideração de aspectos peculiares da cultura brasileira na elaboração e análise das hipóteses. Para operacionalização das camadas foram utilizadas variáveis latentes coletadas por meio de um questionário respondido por 124 contabilistas. Para mensuração da influência na intenção em denunciar foi utilizado um Modelo de Equação Estrutural (SEM) estimado pelo método dos Mínimos Quadrados Parciais (PLS). Os resultados obtidos confirmaram a importância das camadas de influência no comportamento do eventual denunciante. Destaca-se, principalmente, a importância da camada social, a qual, além de influenciar diretamente de forma significativa a Intenção de Denunciar, também media o impacto da camada profissional. A camada organizacional não afeta de forma significante a intenção de denunciar. Nota-se, também o grande impacto causado pela camada pessoal. Tais fatos corroboram alguns dos principais traços da cultura brasileira, como a prevalência de relações informais e pessoais em detrimento de relações formais, além de identificar os traços da ambiguidade moral.

Falsidade ideológica em compras com cartão não presente e comparação entre modelos de prevenção

Em compras realizadas pela internet ou televendas com cartões de crédito, em muitos países como Brasil e EUA, não há apresentação física do cartão em nenhum momento da compra ou entrega da mercadoria ou serviço, tampouco são populares mecanismos como senhas que assegurem a autenticidade do cartão e seu portador. Ao mesmo tempo, a responsabilidade por assumir os custos nessas transações é dos lojistas. Em todos os estudos anteriores presentes na literatura, a detecção de fraudes com cartões de crédito não abrangia somente esses canais nem focava a detecção nos principais interessados nela, os lojistas. Este trabalho apresenta os resultados da utilização de cinco das técnicas de modelagem mais citadas na literatura e analisa o poder do compartilhamento de dados ao comparar os resultados dos modelos quando processados apenas sobre a base da loja ou com ela compartilhando dados com outros lojistas.