The Certified Fraud Examiner Program
Certified Fraud Examiners represent the highest standards
held by the ACFE and are the leaders in the field. CFEs undergo a
rigorous testing and credentialing process. Typically they are employed in
the anti-fraud fields. The Certified Fraud Examiner program is an accrediting process for
individuals who possess the specialized skills required to detect, investigate and deter
fraud. Typical Certified Fraud Examiners include internal and
independent auditors, fraud investigators,
forensic accountants, loss prevention professionals, attorneys, law enforcement
professionals, researchers and academicians.
Qualifications for the Certified Fraud Examiner
If you are interested in becoming a Certified Fraud
Examiner, residents of the US and Canada must first join the Association
at the Associate Member level. Thereafter, if you meet the necessary
requirements and are an Associate Member in good standing, you may apply
separately to become a CFE.
All Certified Fraud Examiners must exemplify the highest moral and
ethical standards, and must agree to abide to the Certified Fraud Examiner Code of
Professional Ethics and the bylaws of the Association. The Board of Regents is responsible
for adjudging individual qualifications and its decisions are final.
Admission Requirements
All Certified Fraud Examiner candidates must meet strict standards of
admission. The Certified Fraud Examiner must demonstrate professional skills in the area
of fraud detection and deterrence. Generally, applicants for CFE have a
minimum of a bachelor's degree (or equivalent) from a recognized
institution of higher learning. No specific field of study is required. If
you do not have a bachelor's degree, you may substitute two years of
fraud-related professional experience for each year of academic study. For
example, if you successfully attended college full-time for only two
years, you would need an additional four years of professional experience
to qualify for the education requirements.
At the time you are certified, you must have at least
two years professional experience in a field related, either directly or
indirectly, to the detection or deterrence of fraud. The Board of Regents
has established the following categories as acceptable related experience:
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accounting and auditing
-
criminology or sociology
-
fraud investigation
-
loss prevention
-
law
Depending on the circumstances, other categories may be
acceptable. If your experience does not clearly fall into on of the above
mentioned professional fields but your responsibilities include the
detection, investigation and deterence of fraud, we encourage you to
submit your application along with a detailed description of your
background. If you are not accepted for membership, your fees will be
refunded in their entirety.
CFE Exam
Residents of the United States and Canada must
successfully pass the CFE Examination. It is a standardized, four-part
computerized test that takes up to ten hours to complete. A minimum of 100
hours of preparation time is recommended. The exam is administered on
CD-ROM, and may be taken at ay time convenient to the examinee. You are
eligible to take the exam once you meet the minimum education requirement.
However, you cannot be certified until you also have the minimum
experience required.
Code of Ethics
Because of the nature of their work, all Certified Fraud
Examiners must agree to adhere to a strict Code of
Professional Ethics. Violations are investigated by the Association's
Board of Review, which recommends appropriate disciplinary action, up to
and including the revocation of certification.
Continuing Professional Education
In addition to periodic payment of Association dues, all
CFEs are required to complete 20 hours of continuing professional
education (CPE) annually. At least 10 hours must relate directly to the
detection or deterrence of fraud.
Additional Information
For additional information please use the following links:
Benefits of
Membership
How to Become a CFE
Membership
Categories
Join the ACFE
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