Exam CFE-Investigation Topic 1 Question 138 Discussion
Actual exam question for ACFE's CFE-Investigation exam
Question #: 138
Topic #: 1
Question #: 138
Topic #: 1
Caroline, a fraud examiner, is conducting an admission-seeking interview with John, an employee suspected of stealing cash. Which of the following is the MOST effective phrasing for Caroline to use when posing an admission-seeking question to John?
Suggested Answer: A Vote an answer
The Fraud Examiners Manual states that admission-seeking interviews should avoid yes/no questions like
"Did you steal the money?"because they encourage denials. Instead, the question should be phrased as if guilt has already been established. The Manual explicitly warns:
* "The accusation should be made in the form of a statement; it should not be made in the form of a question... Avoid emotive words such as steal, fraud, and crime... Example:'It is not so much a question of what you did, but why you did it.'" Thus, the most effective admission-seeking phrasing is:"Why did you take the money?"because it presumes involvement and encourages explanation rather than denial.
"Did you steal the money?"because they encourage denials. Instead, the question should be phrased as if guilt has already been established. The Manual explicitly warns:
* "The accusation should be made in the form of a statement; it should not be made in the form of a question... Avoid emotive words such as steal, fraud, and crime... Example:'It is not so much a question of what you did, but why you did it.'" Thus, the most effective admission-seeking phrasing is:"Why did you take the money?"because it presumes involvement and encourages explanation rather than denial.
by Bonnie at Jun 21, 2026, 12:44 PM
0
0
0
10
Comments
Upvoting a comment with a selected answer will also increase the vote count towards that answer by one. So if you see a comment that you already agree with, you can upvote it instead of posting a new comment.
Report Comment
Commenting
You can sign-up / login (it's free).