One in four small businesses have been hit by staff fraud, according to a survey by the Bank of Scotland.
Fraudulent acts by disloyal employees include a range of dishonest practices, many of them in the "petty" category. Losses of more than £5,000 were rare but 11% of firms said they have lost up to £1,000 and 4% have lost amounts ranging from £1,000 to £5,000.
The survey also revealed that 20% of businesses with fewer than 15 employees have suffered from fraud. Meanwhile for companies with more than 36 staff, the proportion more than doubles to 48%.
Bank spokesman Jerry White said: "The research appears to indicate that most instances of theft or fraud perpetrated are small, regardless of the size of the business, but larger companies are probably better at detecting it."
According to the survey, small businesses feel the results do not reflect the way they handle the issue.
One company executive said: "Small businesses face many problems and fraud or theft are among them. But, in the main, staff are loyal and dedicated. I haven't seen any evidence that theft is on the increase."
