What term describes the act of taking stock or cash from a business through deception?

The term that describes the act of taking stock or cash from a business through deception is "fraud." This concept encompasses a range of deceptive practices intended to secure an unfair or unlawful gain. In the context of business, fraud often involves manipulating financial data or falsifying documents to mislead others, which can lead to significant losses for a business.

Fraud can take various forms, such as financial statement fraud or procurement fraud, where individuals may misrepresent their intentions or the financial condition of the company to benefit at its expense. The key aspect of fraud is the deception involved, which distinguishes it from other illegal activities that may not necessarily have a deceitful nature.

In contrast, while embezzlement refers specifically to the misappropriation or theft of funds placed in one’s trust or belonging to one’s employer, it doesn't encompass broader deceptive practices. Theft generally implies taking someone's property without them knowing, and misrepresentation is about misleading or providing false information, which may not ultimately result in appropriation of funds.