Assume you are the internal controls expert for your company. Your boss has read about Madoff's Ponzi scheme described in a page 359 of our textbook. Your boss is now worried that your own company, which invests a significant amount of retirement funds for its employees, could fall victim to a similar scheme. He has just sent you a memo asking: "Which specific internal controls should our company adopt to avoid falling for a scheme like this?"

Respond with a memo to your boss detailing at least three internal controls that you would recommend implementing at your company, assuming none are in place right now, to minimize the risk of becoming the victim of an investment fraud. For each internal control you recommend provide:

1. A detailed description of the policy or procedure to be implemented.
2. An explanation of how specifically it would mitigate the risk of being defrauded.
3. A description of any disadvantages the internal control may have.