Benford`s Law states that most phenomena in nature begin with `1`s and `2's. The law has been shown to apply very accurately to the amount of money listed on people`s income statements. Investigators have used this fact when investigating financial fraud, and can often determine when people have fabricated numbers, since the perpetrators will choose varying amounts so that the first number in each of those amounts is distributed evenly from `1` to `9`. Proponents of Benford`s Law, therefore, argue that as the technique of applying Benford`s law becomes even more refined, an expert`s ability to determine whether a plaintiff has engaged in financial fraud will become as accurate in determining guilt as a fingerprint is today.
Which of the following, if true, casts the most doubt on the conclusion drawn by proponents of Benford`s Law?