Skip to main content

Using Bayesian Dialysis and Tetrads to Detect the Persistent Characteristics of Fraud

The Case of Vat and Corporate Tax in Spain

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
  • 1238 Accesses

Part of the book series: Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing ((AISC,volume 1365))

Abstract

In this paper, we propose a methodology combining Bayesian and big data tools designed to optimize the investigation of fraud. This methodology is called Bayesian dialysis. We address three issues: a) Is it possible to capitalize on the evidence provided by data indicating fraud without a parametric model and using an interpretable approach? b) If so, would it be the best solution in any case? c) What is the effect size of all unobservable, even unknown, variables? We prove the viability of a new method using as an exemplary case the selection for VAT control in the Spanish Tax Agency (Agencia Estatal de Administración Tributaria—AEAT). The new method improves fraudster detection precision by 12,29%, which is increased from an average of 82.28% to 94.36%. We also use 2018–2019 corporate tax data to test the scope of this approach. Finally, based on the concept of tetrads, we propose a method to quantify the effect of unknown latent variables on models analysis.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Buying options

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Onwubiko, C.: Fraud matrix: a morphological and analysis-based classification and taxonomy of fraud. Comput. Secur. 96, 101900 (2020)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. CASE: Study and Reports on the VAT Gap in the EU-28 Member States: 2018 Final Report TAXUD/2015/CC/131 (2018). https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/sites/taxation/files/2018_vat_gap_report_en.pdf

  3. REAF- REGAF Asesores fiscales Consejo de Economistas: Reflexiones sobre el fraude fiscal y el problema de las estimaciones:20 propuestas para reducirlo (2017). https://www.reaf-regaf.economistas.es

  4. Stankevicius, E., Leonas, L.: Hybrid approach model for prevention of tax evasion and fraud. Procedia – Soc. Behav. Sci. 213, 383–389 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Baesen, B., Van Vlasselaer, V., Verbecke, W.: Fraud Analytics Using Predictive, and Social Network Techniques. A Guide to Data Science for Fraud Detection. Wiley (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  6. Matos, T., Macedo, J., Lettich, F., Monteiro, J., Renso, C., Perego, R., Nardini, F.: Leveraging feature selection to detect potential tax fraudsters. Expert Syst. Appl. 145, 113128 (2020)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. González, P., Velásquez, J.: Characterization and detection of taxpayers with false invoices using data mining techniques. Expert Syst. Appl. 40(5), 1427–1436 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Martikainen, J.: Data mining in tax administration- using analytics to enhance tax compliance. Aalto University School Business (2012). https://epub.lib.aalto.fi/en/ethesis/id/13054

  9. González, I.: Analytics and big data: the case of AEAT. Tax Administration Review, no. 44, October 2018

    Google Scholar 

  10. González, I., Mateos, A.: Social network analysis tools in the fight against fiscal fraud and money laundering. In: Proceedings of the 15TH International Conference on Modelling Decisions for Artificial Intelligence (MDAI 2018) (2018)

    Google Scholar 

  11. Pearl, J.: Probabilistic Reasoning in Intelligent Systems: Networks of Plausible Inference. Morgan Kauffman, San Francisco (1988)

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  12. Glymour, G., Schines, R., Spirtes, R., Kelly, K.: Discovering Causal Structure: Artificial Intelligence, Philosophy of Science, and Statistical Modelling. Academic Press, Orlando (1987)

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  13. Fratello, M., Tagliaferri, R.: Decision trees and random forests. In: Ranganathan, S., Gribskov, M., Nakai, K., Schönbach, C. (eds.) Encyclopedia of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology. Academic Press, Orlando (2019)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Spearman, C.: General intelligence determined and measured. Am. J. Psychol. 15(201), 93 (1904)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Bollen, K.A., Ting, K.-F.: A tetrad test for causal indicators. Psychol. Methods 5(1), 3–22 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This project has been supported by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. Project MTM2017–86875-C3–3-R.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2021 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

González García, I., Mateos, A. (2021). Using Bayesian Dialysis and Tetrads to Detect the Persistent Characteristics of Fraud. In: Rocha, Á., Adeli, H., Dzemyda, G., Moreira, F., Ramalho Correia, A.M. (eds) Trends and Applications in Information Systems and Technologies. WorldCIST 2021. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, vol 1365. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-72657-7_13

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics