Free Practice Questions for ACFE CFE-Fraud-Schemes-and-Financial-Crimes Exam

Detailed Explanation:

Rationale for Correct Answer: Biometric authentication (fingerprints, facial recognition) is one of the strongest defenses against identity theft. It prevents unauthorized logins even if passwords are compromised.

Analysis of Incorrect Options:

A – Password reuse should be avoided altogether, not just limited.

B – Updates should be installed promptly, not annually.

C – Personal information should rarely, if ever, be transmitted via email, even with reputable companies.

Key Concept: Identity theft prevention through strong authentication.

The correct answer is C because the World Bank Principles recommend that a bankruptcy administrator have broad powers, including the right to cancel fraudulent contracts or transactions entered into by the debtor. The ACFE material states that administrators, trustees, receivers, examiners, or similar insolvency representatives may be granted powers to collect, preserve, and dispose of debtor property, interfere with contracts when necessary to meet insolvency objectives, and compel relevant information from the debtor or other knowledgeable parties. Therefore, options A, B, and D incorrectly restrict the administrator’s recommended authority. Madison’s power is not limited to collection only, and she may compel information or intervene in contracts where the insolvency process requires it.

================

Detailed Explanation:

Rationale for Correct Answer: Net realizable value (NRV) is the estimated selling price of an asset in the ordinary course of business, minus any costs of completion, disposal, or transportation. This is often applied in valuing accounts receivable and inventory.

Analysis of Incorrect Options:

B. Going concern – Assumption of business continuity, not asset valuation.

C. Cost – Historical cost, not future realizable value.

D. Fair value – Current market-based measure, not net proceeds after costs.

Key Concept: Net realizable value — valuation method for receivables and inventory.

The correct answer is D. A kickback scheme occurs when a vendor or contractor provides something of value to an employee or decision-maker in exchange for business or favorable treatment. Here, the restaurant offers David free monthly dinners for his family and friends if he directs ALT Consulting’s catering business to the restaurant. The benefit is tied directly to David’s agreement to steer business, which is the defining feature of a kickback. An illegal gratuity typically involves a reward for an official act without the same negotiated exchange. Economic extortion involves the employee demanding payment from the vendor. A diversion scheme is not the best classification. The ACFE materials identify gifts, travel, entertainment, and other benefits as common methods of making corrupt payments.

================

The correct answer is D. Assigning the duties of an employee who is on vacation to other employees supports mandatory vacation and job rotation controls. These controls help prevent and detect cash larceny by interrupting the fraudster’s control over cash handling and concealment procedures. If a dishonest employee must be absent and another employee performs the same duties, irregularities such as missing cash, altered records, delayed deposits, or unsupported adjustments are more likely to surface. Option A relates more to surprise cash counts, which are useful, but the stronger preventive control in this list is rotation through vacation coverage. Option B weakens accountability because employees should use separate registers or identifiers. Option C violates segregation of duties by combining custody and disbursement authority.

================

Detailed Explanation:

Rationale for Correct Answer: Human intelligence (HUMINT) involves gathering information directly from people, often through deception, elicitation, or impersonation. Georgina’s posing as a customer to obtain confidential details fits this method.

Analysis of Incorrect Options:

B. Baiting – A social engineering tactic using false promises (e.g., malware disguised as freebies).

C. Scavenging – Collecting discarded information (e.g., dumpster diving).

D. Open-source intelligence – Gathering data from public records, news, or websites, not through elicitation.

Key Concept: Methods of competitive intelligence and social engineering.

Detailed Explanation:

Rationale for Correct Answer: Credits decrease assets and expenses while increasing liabilities and equity. They are recorded on the right-hand side of ledger accounts, forming the counterbalance to debits.

Analysis of Incorrect Options:

A. Journal Entries – Too general; not a directional effect.

B. Debit – Opposite effect of credits.

D. None of all – Incorrect because “credit” is the precise answer.

Key Concept: Credit rules in double-entry accounting.

Detailed Explanation:

Rationale for Correct Answer: When a tangible asset is stolen (removed from the books), a debit entry would be missing its corresponding credit, leaving the books out-of-balance . Fraudsters often conceal this imbalance by falsifying entries (e.g., creating fictitious expenses or adjusting asset accounts).

Analysis of Incorrect Options:

A. Journal Entries – Too general; not the condition of the books.

C. False debits – A concealment method, but not the direct result.

D. None of all – Incorrect because “out-of-balance” is accurate.

Key Concept: Concealment of asset theft and impact on accounting records.

Detailed Explanation:

Rationale for Correct Answer: Irregular, low-value, or unpredictable revenue sources such as parking fees, late charges, or vending machine sales are prime skimming targets. Because they are difficult to estimate or reconcile precisely, theft of these funds is less likely to be detected quickly.

Analysis of Incorrect Options:

B. Recorded sales – These are already in the books and easier to reconcile.

C. Internal audits – A control mechanism, not a target.

D. Register manipulations – A method, not the revenue source itself.

Key Concept: Vulnerable revenue streams as skimming targets.

Option A describes a card skimming or shimming scheme. Skimming involves using a hidden device to capture payment card information, often from a magnetic stripe, while shimming commonly involves a device inserted into a card reader to capture chip-card data. A small camera can also be used to record PIN entry. Automated teller machines and point-of-sale terminals are common targets because customers insert or swipe cards and enter authentication data. Option B involves theft or sale of card information but not skimming or shimming through a reader. Option C describes physical card theft or retention. Option D does not clearly show capture of card credentials. The ACFE material discusses ATM fraud, including skimming and shimming, as financial institution fraud risks.

================