ACFE CFE - Financial Transactions and Fraud Schemes (Certified Fraud Examiner - Financial Transactions and Fraud Schemes) Practice Test 109

Question 1080

The review team observes the following: Delivery addresses and item uses do not match legitimate organizational needs. It seeks one targeted detection step and one preventive measure that address the same underlying vulnerability. Which pairing is best?

  1. Diagnostic: Corroborate contract deliverables with employees and independent project evidence; safeguard: Require competitive bids and disclosure of employee beneficial interests.
  2. Diagnostic: Compare invoices, delivery locations and asset registers with authorized requisitions; safeguard: Enforce purchase-order approval tied to documented business purpose and receiving.
  3. Diagnostic: Run normalized duplicate-payment checks across invoice number, amount and payee; safeguard: Enforce purchase-order approval tied to documented business purpose and receiving.
  4. Diagnostic: Compare invoices, delivery locations and asset registers with authorized requisitions; safeguard: Tie service payments to verifiable milestones and independent acceptance.

Explanation

Correct Answer

B:

The test addresses Personal purchases billed as business by targeting this observation: Delivery addresses and item uses do not match legitimate organizational needs. The accompanying safeguard—enforce purchase-order approval tied to documented business purpose and receiving—counters the same opportunity, so both checking and prevention concern one cause.

Incorrect Answers

A:

The evidence test relates to Phantom consulting fees, whereas the proposed safeguard protects against Pass-through purchasing scheme; neither directly resolves Personal purchases billed as business. Unlike the Phantom consulting fees test and Pass-through purchasing scheme safeguard, the investigation of Personal purchases billed as business requires reviewers to compare invoices, delivery locations and asset registers with authorized requisitions, followed by assessment of the matching control point.

C:

The proposed safeguard is relevant to Personal purchases billed as business, but the diagnostic tests Duplicate vendor-invoice payment rather than the identified anomaly. That test is aimed at records involving similar amounts, dates and vendors appear under multiple invoice references; the specified case instead calls for reviewers to compare invoices, delivery locations and asset registers with authorized requisitions.

D:

The diagnostic correctly examines Personal purchases billed as business by having reviewers compare invoices, delivery locations and asset registers with authorized requisitions, but the safeguard is for Phantom consulting fees. That prevention step responds to a different mechanism: Fabricated intangible services can be billed without the physical receiving evidence used for goods.

Question 1081

Control designers are focusing on the mechanism behind forged check endorsement: The authorized check is diverted at the endorsement stage, not created by a false invoice. Which measure best limits that opportunity?

  1. Have a reviewer independent of disbursements compare payees and vouchers.
  2. Use secure positive pay with payee validation where supported.
  3. Require tiered markdown approvals and independent discount-exception review.
  4. Secure outgoing checks and independently resolve vendor nonreceipt.
  5. Require second-party approval for payments benefiting an authorized signer.
  6. Secure blank check stock and segregate check preparation from signing.

Explanation

Correct Answer

D:

The control directly addresses the failure point in Forged check endorsement, since the authorized check is diverted at the endorsement stage, not created by a false invoice. A subsequent independent review could compare cleared check endorsements with vendor confirmations and depositary data to identify exceptions that bypassed the safeguard.

Incorrect Answers

A:

This safeguard is directed primarily at Concealed check diversion rather than Forged check endorsement, because the cash leaves via an unauthorized payment camouflaged by accounting classification. Unlike the control for Concealed check diversion, the more direct design for Forged check endorsement is to secure outgoing checks and independently resolve vendor nonreceipt; a different safeguard cannot substitute for it.

B:

This safeguard is directed primarily at Altered check payee rather than Forged check endorsement, because an otherwise authorized check is redirected by changing who can receive the proceeds. Unlike the control for Altered check payee, the more direct design for Forged check endorsement is to secure outgoing checks and independently resolve vendor nonreceipt; a different safeguard cannot substitute for it.

C:

This safeguard is directed primarily at Collusive price markdown rather than Forged check endorsement, because sale-price manipulation improperly transfers value to an accomplice through undercharging. Unlike the control for Collusive price markdown, the more direct design for Forged check endorsement is to secure outgoing checks and independently resolve vendor nonreceipt; a different safeguard cannot substitute for it.

E:

This safeguard is directed primarily at Authorized-maker self-payment rather than Forged check endorsement, because authority to sign does not confer permission to take company funds for personal use. Unlike the control for Authorized-maker self-payment, the more direct design for Forged check endorsement is to secure outgoing checks and independently resolve vendor nonreceipt; a different safeguard cannot substitute for it.

F:

This safeguard is directed primarily at Forged check-maker signature rather than Forged check endorsement, because the perpetrator creates a payment instrument without the genuine drawer authorization. Unlike the control for Forged check-maker signature, the more direct design for Forged check endorsement is to secure outgoing checks and independently resolve vendor nonreceipt; a different safeguard cannot substitute for it.

Question 1082

An examination of altered check payee begins with this observation: Cleared check images show payee alterations inconsistent with the payment voucher. Which follow-up procedure gives the most direct evidence?

  1. Compare signers and beneficiaries with employee conflict declarations and contracts.
  2. Compare approved payee records with front and back images of paid checks.
  3. Compare cleared check endorsements with vendor confirmations and depositary data.
  4. Trace ledger entries and check numbers to cleared bank images and approvals.

Explanation

Correct Answer

B:

For the Altered check payee concern, the procedure tests source evidence behind this observation: Cleared check images show payee alterations inconsistent with the payment voucher. This matters because an otherwise authorized check is redirected by changing who can receive the proceeds; independent corroboration is necessary before accepting any conclusion.

Incorrect Answers

A:

This comparison primarily addresses Authorized-maker self-payment, in which authority to sign does not confer permission to take company funds for personal use; because the present question instead concerns Altered check payee, reviewers should compare approved payee records with front and back images of paid checks rather than apply a check designed for Authorized-maker self-payment.

C:

This comparison primarily addresses Forged check endorsement, in which the authorized check is diverted at the endorsement stage, not created by a false invoice; because the present question instead concerns Altered check payee, reviewers should compare approved payee records with front and back images of paid checks rather than apply a check designed for Forged check endorsement.

D:

This comparison primarily addresses Concealed check diversion, in which the cash leaves via an unauthorized payment camouflaged by accounting classification; because the present question instead concerns Altered check payee, reviewers should compare approved payee records with front and back images of paid checks rather than apply a check designed for Concealed check diversion.

Question 1083

The review team observes the following: Suspicious sign-ins follow a spoofed message and precede drawing downloads. It seeks one targeted detection step and one preventive measure that address the same underlying vulnerability. Which pairing is best?

  1. Diagnostic: Correlate identity-provider login records, phishing artifacts and file access; safeguard: Time-limit vendor credentials and enforce scoped access with periodic recertification.
  2. Diagnostic: Join database audit trails with approved work orders and outbound data transfers; safeguard: Use phishing-resistant authentication and validate external file requests.
  3. Diagnostic: Correlate identity-provider login records, phishing artifacts and file access; safeguard: Use phishing-resistant authentication and validate external file requests.
  4. Diagnostic: Review vendor access entitlements, download activity and contract work scope; safeguard: Train researchers to use lawful public sources and respect access restrictions.

Explanation

Correct Answer

C:

The test addresses Spear-phishing product drawings by targeting this observation: Suspicious sign-ins follow a spoofed message and precede drawing downloads. The accompanying safeguard—use phishing-resistant authentication and validate external file requests—counters the same opportunity, so both checking and prevention concern one cause.

Incorrect Answers

A:

The diagnostic correctly examines Spear-phishing product drawings by having reviewers correlate identity-provider login records, phishing artifacts and file access, but the safeguard is for Supplier-access data theft. That prevention step responds to a different mechanism: Compromised or misused partner access can become a route for proprietary-data loss.

B:

The proposed safeguard is relevant to Spear-phishing product drawings, but the diagnostic tests Privileged bulk data export rather than the identified anomaly. That test is aimed at records involving privileged queries and large exports lack authorized change tickets; the specified case instead calls for reviewers to correlate identity-provider login records, phishing artifacts and file access.

D:

The evidence test relates to Supplier-access data theft, whereas the proposed safeguard protects against Lawful public competitive intelligence; neither directly resolves Spear-phishing product drawings. Unlike the Supplier-access data theft test and Lawful public competitive intelligence safeguard, the investigation of Spear-phishing product drawings requires reviewers to correlate identity-provider login records, phishing artifacts and file access, followed by assessment of the matching control point.

Question 1084

Two separate review files raise different issues. File A: A staff member changes the named recipient after an approved check is issued. File B: A bookkeeper issues an unauthorized check and codes it to a routine expense to hide the payment. Which pairing accurately classifies both files?

  1. File A: Altered check payee; File B: Concealed check diversion.
  2. File A: Authorized-maker self-payment; File B: Concealed check diversion.
  3. File A: Altered check payee; File B: Forged check endorsement.
  4. File A: Concealed check diversion; File B: Altered check payee.

Explanation

Correct Answer

A:

File A is Altered check payee because an otherwise authorized check is redirected by changing who can receive the proceeds, while File B is Concealed check diversion because the cash leaves via an unauthorized payment camouflaged by accounting classification. The evidence chains differ: for File A, reviewers should compare approved payee records with front and back images of paid checks; for File B, they should trace ledger entries and check numbers to cleared bank images and approvals.

Incorrect Answers

B:

File A is misidentified as Authorized-maker self-payment instead of Altered check payee. With the proposed pairing Authorized-maker self-payment / Concealed check diversion, the distinction is substantive: File A shows that cleared check images show payee alterations inconsistent with the payment voucher, whereas File B shows that bank images identify a different beneficiary than the expense ledger suggests. For these Altered check payee and Concealed check diversion files, choosing the pair Authorized-maker self-payment / Concealed check diversion would misdirect the review away from at least one of these mechanisms.

C:

File B is misidentified as Forged check endorsement instead of Concealed check diversion. With the proposed pairing Altered check payee / Forged check endorsement, the distinction is substantive: File A shows that cleared check images show payee alterations inconsistent with the payment voucher, whereas File B shows that bank images identify a different beneficiary than the expense ledger suggests. For these Altered check payee and Concealed check diversion files, choosing the pair Altered check payee / Forged check endorsement would misdirect the review away from at least one of these mechanisms.

D:

File A is misidentified as Concealed check diversion instead of Altered check payee; File B is misidentified as Altered check payee instead of Concealed check diversion. With the proposed pairing Concealed check diversion / Altered check payee, the distinction is substantive: File A shows that cleared check images show payee alterations inconsistent with the payment voucher, whereas File B shows that bank images identify a different beneficiary than the expense ledger suggests. For these Altered check payee and Concealed check diversion files, choosing the pair Concealed check diversion / Altered check payee would misdirect the review away from at least one of these mechanisms.

Question 1085

The review team observes the following: Observed foot traffic and inventory movement exceed recorded sales. It seeks one targeted detection step and one preventive measure that address the same underlying vulnerability. Which pairing is best?

  1. Diagnostic: Reconcile turnstile counts and ticket ranges to till reports and banked cash; safeguard: Use numbered sales receipts and independent inventory-to-sales reconciliation.
  2. Diagnostic: Confirm customer remittances against cash receipts and subsequent write-offs; safeguard: Require independent approval and physical-return evidence for cash refunds.
  3. Diagnostic: Compare independent unit movement and customer receipts with posted till transactions; safeguard: Separate receipt custody from receivable posting and review all write-off authorizations.
  4. Diagnostic: Compare independent unit movement and customer receipts with posted till transactions; safeguard: Use numbered sales receipts and independent inventory-to-sales reconciliation.

Explanation

Correct Answer

D:

The test addresses Off-register retail skimming by targeting this observation: Observed foot traffic and inventory movement exceed recorded sales. The accompanying safeguard—use numbered sales receipts and independent inventory-to-sales reconciliation—counters the same opportunity, so both checking and prevention concern one cause.

Incorrect Answers

A:

The proposed safeguard is relevant to Off-register retail skimming, but the diagnostic tests Unrecorded admission-fee skimming rather than the identified anomaly. That test is aimed at records involving gate headcounts exceed issued ticket counts and corresponding deposits; the specified case instead calls for reviewers to compare independent unit movement and customer receipts with posted till transactions.

B:

The evidence test relates to Accounts-receivable skimming, whereas the proposed safeguard protects against Concealment through false refunds; neither directly resolves Off-register retail skimming. Unlike the Accounts-receivable skimming test and Concealment through false refunds safeguard, the investigation of Off-register retail skimming requires reviewers to compare independent unit movement and customer receipts with posted till transactions, followed by assessment of the matching control point.

C:

The diagnostic correctly examines Off-register retail skimming by having reviewers compare independent unit movement and customer receipts with posted till transactions, but the safeguard is for Accounts-receivable skimming. That prevention step responds to a different mechanism: The employee captures incoming funds and conceals the missing credit to the customer's balance.

Question 1086

Two separate review files raise different issues. File A: A borrower seeks simultaneous unsecured loans from several lenders while concealing the others. File B: A bank employee transfers money from a dormant customer account to an account under personal control. Which pairing accurately classifies both files?

  1. File A: Financial-account takeover; File B: Insider customer-account embezzlement.
  2. File A: Loan-stacking applications; File B: Insider customer-account embezzlement.
  3. File A: Loan-stacking applications; File B: Inflated real estate appraisal.
  4. File A: Insider customer-account embezzlement; File B: Loan-stacking applications.

Explanation

Correct Answer

B:

File A is Loan-stacking applications because hidden parallel borrowing makes the applicant's repayment capacity appear stronger than it is, while File B is Insider customer-account embezzlement because an insider exploits entrusted bank access to misappropriate depositor funds. The evidence chains differ: for File A, reviewers should check updated credit-bureau information and simultaneous application patterns; for File B, they should review dormant-account transactions, access logs and beneficiary links.

Incorrect Answers

A:

File A is misidentified as Financial-account takeover instead of Loan-stacking applications. With the proposed pairing Financial-account takeover / Insider customer-account embezzlement, the distinction is substantive: File A shows that multiple recent inquiries and fresh obligations exceed declared indebtedness, whereas File B shows that dormant-account access and transfers are concentrated under one staff identifier. For these Loan-stacking applications and Insider customer-account embezzlement files, choosing the pair Financial-account takeover / Insider customer-account embezzlement would misdirect the review away from at least one of these mechanisms.

C:

File B is misidentified as Inflated real estate appraisal instead of Insider customer-account embezzlement. With the proposed pairing Loan-stacking applications / Inflated real estate appraisal, the distinction is substantive: File A shows that multiple recent inquiries and fresh obligations exceed declared indebtedness, whereas File B shows that dormant-account access and transfers are concentrated under one staff identifier. For these Loan-stacking applications and Insider customer-account embezzlement files, choosing the pair Loan-stacking applications / Inflated real estate appraisal would misdirect the review away from at least one of these mechanisms.

D:

File A is misidentified as Insider customer-account embezzlement instead of Loan-stacking applications; File B is misidentified as Loan-stacking applications instead of Insider customer-account embezzlement. With the proposed pairing Insider customer-account embezzlement / Loan-stacking applications, the distinction is substantive: File A shows that multiple recent inquiries and fresh obligations exceed declared indebtedness, whereas File B shows that dormant-account access and transfers are concentrated under one staff identifier. For these Loan-stacking applications and Insider customer-account embezzlement files, choosing the pair Insider customer-account embezzlement / Loan-stacking applications would misdirect the review away from at least one of these mechanisms.

Question 1087

The case file describes the following: A fraudster forges a life-policy beneficiary amendment to redirect death benefits away from the rightful recipient. Which classification best explains the events?

  1. Staged vehicle collision claim
  2. Fictitious beneficiary change
  3. Duplicate casualty claims
  4. Inflated auto repair estimate

Explanation

Correct Answer

B:

Fictitious beneficiary change fits the facts because the scheme tampers with policy entitlement rather than misrepresenting the insured event; the distinguishing observation is that beneficiary forms fail signature or authentication checks and appear near claim filing. To test this interpretation, a reviewer should review policy change history, consent evidence and beneficiary identities.

Incorrect Answers

A:

Staged vehicle collision claim would involve a different sequence from Fictitious beneficiary change: a staged loss creates the insured event rather than merely exaggerating a genuine accident. Unlike the rejected Staged vehicle collision claim label, the evidence concerns Fictitious beneficiary change, since beneficiary forms fail signature or authentication checks and appear near claim filing; reviewers should review policy change history, consent evidence and beneficiary identities.

C:

Duplicate casualty claims would involve a different sequence from Fictitious beneficiary change: multiple recoveries for one loss can exceed the legitimate indemnifiable damage. Unlike the rejected Duplicate casualty claims label, the evidence concerns Fictitious beneficiary change, since beneficiary forms fail signature or authentication checks and appear near claim filing; reviewers should review policy change history, consent evidence and beneficiary identities.

D:

Inflated auto repair estimate would involve a different sequence from Fictitious beneficiary change: a real covered loss is enlarged through fictitious repair costs. Unlike the rejected Inflated auto repair estimate label, the evidence concerns Fictitious beneficiary change, since beneficiary forms fail signature or authentication checks and appear near claim filing; reviewers should review policy change history, consent evidence and beneficiary identities.

Question 1088

The review team observes the following: Many denied push prompts precede an approved login from an unfamiliar device. It seeks one targeted detection step and one preventive measure that address the same underlying vulnerability. Which pairing is best?

  1. Diagnostic: Decode reported QR destinations and correlate with identity-provider events; safeguard: Restrict extensions to reviewed software and apply least-privilege browser policies.
  2. Diagnostic: Compare remote session logs, privileged access records and transfer activity; safeguard: Use number matching or phishing-resistant factors and alert on excessive prompts.
  3. Diagnostic: Correlate challenge frequency and user responses with session details; safeguard: Use number matching or phishing-resistant factors and alert on excessive prompts.
  4. Diagnostic: Correlate challenge frequency and user responses with session details; safeguard: Train staff to verify links and protect approved workplace posters against substitution.

Explanation

Correct Answer

C:

The test addresses MFA-push fatigue attack by targeting this observation: Many denied push prompts precede an approved login from an unfamiliar device. The accompanying safeguard—use number matching or phishing-resistant factors and alert on excessive prompts—counters the same opportunity, so both checking and prevention concern one cause.

Incorrect Answers

A:

The evidence test relates to QR-code phishing campaign, whereas the proposed safeguard protects against Malicious browser extension; neither directly resolves MFA-push fatigue attack. Unlike the QR-code phishing campaign test and Malicious browser extension safeguard, the investigation of MFA-push fatigue attack requires reviewers to correlate challenge frequency and user responses with session details, followed by assessment of the matching control point.

B:

The proposed safeguard is relevant to MFA-push fatigue attack, but the diagnostic tests Remote desktop credential intrusion rather than the identified anomaly. That test is aimed at records involving remote access occurs outside approved support windows from unusual source networks; the specified case instead calls for reviewers to correlate challenge frequency and user responses with session details.

D:

The diagnostic correctly examines MFA-push fatigue attack by having reviewers correlate challenge frequency and user responses with session details, but the safeguard is for QR-code phishing campaign. That prevention step responds to a different mechanism: QR phishing hides a malicious URL within an image instead of a visible hyperlink.

Question 1089

The review team observes the following: Business registration, tax and payroll records fail to support the claimed operation. It seeks one targeted detection step and one preventive measure that address the same underlying vulnerability. Which pairing is best?

  1. Diagnostic: Verify existence and pre-disaster activity using independent authoritative records; safeguard: Cross-check emergency aid eligibility without eliminating rapid legitimate access.
  2. Diagnostic: Cross-match beneficiary status with authorized registries and payment destinations; safeguard: Cross-check emergency aid eligibility without eliminating rapid legitimate access.
  3. Diagnostic: Verify existence and pre-disaster activity using independent authoritative records; safeguard: Enforce unique cost allocation records and duplicate-charge analytics.
  4. Diagnostic: Reconcile employee time allocation and invoice support across grants; safeguard: Release grant tranches against independently verified deliverables.

Explanation

Correct Answer

A:

The test addresses Fictitious disaster relief business by targeting this observation: Business registration, tax and payroll records fail to support the claimed operation. The accompanying safeguard—cross-check emergency aid eligibility without eliminating rapid legitimate access—counters the same opportunity, so both checking and prevention concern one cause.

Incorrect Answers

B:

The proposed safeguard is relevant to Fictitious disaster relief business, but the diagnostic tests Ghost public-assistance beneficiaries rather than the identified anomaly. That test is aimed at records involving benefit rolls conflict with independent vital records and eligibility updates; the specified case instead calls for reviewers to verify existence and pre-disaster activity using independent authoritative records.

C:

The diagnostic correctly examines Fictitious disaster relief business by having reviewers verify existence and pre-disaster activity using independent authoritative records, but the safeguard is for Double-charged public grant costs. That prevention step responds to a different mechanism: A real cost becomes fraudulent when recovered more than once from restricted funding sources.

D:

The evidence test relates to Double-charged public grant costs, whereas the proposed safeguard protects against False government grant deliverables; neither directly resolves Fictitious disaster relief business. Unlike the Double-charged public grant costs test and False government grant deliverables safeguard, the investigation of Fictitious disaster relief business requires reviewers to verify existence and pre-disaster activity using independent authoritative records, followed by assessment of the matching control point.

Question 1090

Control designers are focusing on the mechanism behind unauthorized ach debit: The debit exploits the payment rail without the payer's required consent. Which measure best limits that opportunity?

  1. Validate direct-debit authorizations and monitor abnormal return rates.
  2. Monitor load velocity and impose appropriate risk controls on suspicious funding.
  3. Apply applicable contactless transaction protections and device anomaly monitoring.
  4. Require callback verification for payment instruction changes regardless of email familiarity.

Explanation

Correct Answer

A:

The control directly addresses the failure point in Unauthorized ACH debit, since the debit exploits the payment rail without the payer's required consent. A subsequent independent review could match debit mandates with customer consents and originating entity identifiers to identify exceptions that bypassed the safeguard.

Incorrect Answers

B:

This safeguard is directed primarily at Prepaid card load-and-drain rather than Unauthorized ACH debit, because prepaid value can be used to convert unauthorized payments into quickly transferable balances. Unlike the control for Prepaid card load-and-drain, the more direct design for Unauthorized ACH debit is to validate direct-debit authorizations and monitor abnormal return rates; a different safeguard cannot substitute for it.

C:

This safeguard is directed primarily at Contactless payment relay rather than Unauthorized ACH debit, because relay attacks extend a credential's communication path rather than physically duplicating the card. Unlike the control for Contactless payment relay, the more direct design for Unauthorized ACH debit is to validate direct-debit authorizations and monitor abnormal return rates; a different safeguard cannot substitute for it.

D:

This safeguard is directed primarily at Business email payment diversion rather than Unauthorized ACH debit, because the payment is authorized for a real invoice but settlement instructions are fraudulently replaced. Unlike the control for Business email payment diversion, the more direct design for Unauthorized ACH debit is to validate direct-debit authorizations and monitor abnormal return rates; a different safeguard cannot substitute for it.

Certified Fraud Examiner - Financial Transactions and Fraud Schemes (CFE - Financial Transactions and Fraud Schemes) Practice Tests