ACFE CFE - Financial Transactions and Fraud Schemes (Certified Fraud Examiner - Financial Transactions and Fraud Schemes) Practice Test 80

Question 790

The case file describes the following: A sales contractor repeatedly finances luxury trips for employees who decide tender awards. Which classification best explains the events?

  1. Inflated charitable donation conduit
  2. Economic extortion demand
  3. Lavish hospitality influence
  4. Sham consulting bribe

Explanation

Correct Answer

C:

Lavish hospitality influence fits the facts because material personal entertainment can influence purchasing discretion even without cash transfer; the distinguishing observation is that benefits rise immediately before procurement decisions involving the sponsor. To test this interpretation, a reviewer should compare gift registers, travel records and award dates for decision makers.

Incorrect Answers

A:

Inflated charitable donation conduit would involve a different sequence from Lavish hospitality influence: an apparent donation may disguise a benefit routed to someone able to influence business. Unlike the rejected Inflated charitable donation conduit label, the evidence concerns Lavish hospitality influence, since benefits rise immediately before procurement decisions involving the sponsor; reviewers should compare gift registers, travel records and award dates for decision makers.

B:

Economic extortion demand would involve a different sequence from Lavish hospitality influence: extortion relies on coercive leverage over a decision or entitlement rather than a voluntary gratuity. Unlike the rejected Economic extortion demand label, the evidence concerns Lavish hospitality influence, since benefits rise immediately before procurement decisions involving the sponsor; reviewers should compare gift registers, travel records and award dates for decision makers.

D:

Sham consulting bribe would involve a different sequence from Lavish hospitality influence: a fake service agreement can launder a corrupt payment as a commercial expense. Unlike the rejected Sham consulting bribe label, the evidence concerns Lavish hospitality influence, since benefits rise immediately before procurement decisions involving the sponsor; reviewers should compare gift registers, travel records and award dates for decision makers.

Question 791

The case file describes the following: A production supervisor labels usable components as scrap and sells them privately. Which classification best explains the events?

  1. Unauthorized equipment personal use
  2. False scrap classification
  3. Fictitious outbound shipment
  4. Warehouse stock diversion

Explanation

Correct Answer

B:

False scrap classification fits the facts because misclassification makes valuable inventory appear worthless before it leaves the site; the distinguishing observation is that disposal lists contain items with normal working condition or resale value. To test this interpretation, a reviewer should inspect scrap authorizations against production defects, quantities and recycler receipts.

Incorrect Answers

A:

Unauthorized equipment personal use would involve a different sequence from False scrap classification: temporary unauthorized use is misuse of a noncash asset even where permanent theft is unproven. Unlike the rejected Unauthorized equipment personal use label, the evidence concerns False scrap classification, since disposal lists contain items with normal working condition or resale value; reviewers should inspect scrap authorizations against production defects, quantities and recycler receipts.

C:

Fictitious outbound shipment would involve a different sequence from False scrap classification: false shipment records disguise a physical theft as normal logistics activity. Unlike the rejected Fictitious outbound shipment label, the evidence concerns False scrap classification, since disposal lists contain items with normal working condition or resale value; reviewers should inspect scrap authorizations against production defects, quantities and recycler receipts.

D:

Warehouse stock diversion would involve a different sequence from False scrap classification: the employee converts recorded merchandise to private use by exploiting physical access. Unlike the rejected Warehouse stock diversion label, the evidence concerns False scrap classification, since disposal lists contain items with normal working condition or resale value; reviewers should inspect scrap authorizations against production defects, quantities and recycler receipts.

Question 792

Two separate review files raise different issues. File A: A controller does not disclose a significant transaction with an entity controlled by the chief executive. File B: An executive orders year-end sales invoices to nonexistent customers despite no contracts or deliveries. Which pairing accurately classifies both files?

  1. File A: Omitted related-party disclosure; File B: Fictitious sales entries.
  2. File A: Omitted related-party disclosure; File B: Inflated year-end inventory.
  3. File A: Premature revenue recognition; File B: Fictitious sales entries.
  4. File A: Fictitious sales entries; File B: Omitted related-party disclosure.

Explanation

Correct Answer

A:

File A is Omitted related-party disclosure because even when amounts are recorded, withholding material relationship information can mislead statement users, while File B is Fictitious sales entries because recording invented transactions inflates revenue and assets without an underlying exchange. The evidence chains differ: for File A, reviewers should map beneficial ownership and compare transactions with related-party disclosure requirements; for File B, they should confirm selected receivables independently and match invoices to dispatch records.

Incorrect Answers

B:

File B is misidentified as Inflated year-end inventory instead of Fictitious sales entries. With the proposed pairing Omitted related-party disclosure / Inflated year-end inventory, the distinction is substantive: File A shows that ownership records show links between management and an important counterparty, whereas File B shows that large new receivables lack customer confirmations or shipping support. For these Omitted related-party disclosure and Fictitious sales entries files, choosing the pair Omitted related-party disclosure / Inflated year-end inventory would misdirect the review away from at least one of these mechanisms.

C:

File A is misidentified as Premature revenue recognition instead of Omitted related-party disclosure. With the proposed pairing Premature revenue recognition / Fictitious sales entries, the distinction is substantive: File A shows that ownership records show links between management and an important counterparty, whereas File B shows that large new receivables lack customer confirmations or shipping support. For these Omitted related-party disclosure and Fictitious sales entries files, choosing the pair Premature revenue recognition / Fictitious sales entries would misdirect the review away from at least one of these mechanisms.

D:

File A is misidentified as Fictitious sales entries instead of Omitted related-party disclosure; File B is misidentified as Omitted related-party disclosure instead of Fictitious sales entries. With the proposed pairing Fictitious sales entries / Omitted related-party disclosure, the distinction is substantive: File A shows that ownership records show links between management and an important counterparty, whereas File B shows that large new receivables lack customer confirmations or shipping support. For these Omitted related-party disclosure and Fictitious sales entries files, choosing the pair Fictitious sales entries / Omitted related-party disclosure would misdirect the review away from at least one of these mechanisms.

Question 793

The review team observes the following: Internal legal memoranda identify major risks absent from investor materials. It seeks one targeted detection step and one preventive measure that address the same underlying vulnerability. Which pairing is best?

  1. Diagnostic: Compare recommended product risk with the suitability and client-knowledge records; safeguard: Require comprehensive disclosure diligence and independent review of material risks.
  2. Diagnostic: Compare offering statements with board records, counsel assessments and known liabilities; safeguard: Monitor commission-driven activity and require supervisory review of high-turnover accounts.
  3. Diagnostic: Analyze account turnover, costs, broker control and trading justifications; safeguard: Monitor promotional claims and suspicious trading around low-liquidity securities.
  4. Diagnostic: Compare offering statements with board records, counsel assessments and known liabilities; safeguard: Require comprehensive disclosure diligence and independent review of material risks.

Explanation

Correct Answer

D:

The test addresses Misleading offering prospectus by targeting this observation: Internal legal memoranda identify major risks absent from investor materials. The accompanying safeguard—require comprehensive disclosure diligence and independent review of material risks—counters the same opportunity, so both checking and prevention concern one cause.

Incorrect Answers

A:

The proposed safeguard is relevant to Misleading offering prospectus, but the diagnostic tests Unsuitable securities recommendation rather than the identified anomaly. That test is aimed at records involving recommendation rationale conflicts with the client's recorded objectives and liquidity requirements; the specified case instead calls for reviewers to compare offering statements with board records, counsel assessments and known liabilities.

B:

The diagnostic correctly examines Misleading offering prospectus by having reviewers compare offering statements with board records, counsel assessments and known liabilities, but the safeguard is for Excessive-account churning. That prevention step responds to a different mechanism: Excessive trading for broker compensation can constitute churning when control and other relevant elements are present.

C:

The evidence test relates to Excessive-account churning, whereas the proposed safeguard protects against Pump-and-dump stock promotion; neither directly resolves Misleading offering prospectus. Unlike the Excessive-account churning test and Pump-and-dump stock promotion safeguard, the investigation of Misleading offering prospectus requires reviewers to compare offering statements with board records, counsel assessments and known liabilities, followed by assessment of the matching control point.

Question 794

The case file describes the following: Criminals install a hidden reader on an unattended fuel terminal to copy card-track data. Which classification best explains the events?

  1. Magnetic-stripe card skimming
  2. Chip-card shimming
  3. Check-kiting float abuse
  4. Card-not-present shopping fraud

Explanation

Correct Answer

A:

Magnetic-stripe card skimming fits the facts because skimmers capture card data at a physical payment interface for later unauthorized use; the distinguishing observation is that unrelated card fraud clusters around customers who used the same terminal. To test this interpretation, a reviewer should compare compromised-card common points of purchase and inspect terminals for overlays.

Incorrect Answers

B:

Chip-card shimming would involve a different sequence from Magnetic-stripe card skimming: a shim targets information in the chip-card interface; chip transaction data alone does not necessarily permit cloning a valid chip. Unlike the rejected Chip-card shimming label, the evidence concerns Magnetic-stripe card skimming, since unrelated card fraud clusters around customers who used the same terminal; reviewers should compare compromised-card common points of purchase and inspect terminals for overlays.

C:

Check-kiting float abuse would involve a different sequence from Magnetic-stripe card skimming: kiting exploits settlement timing to inflate apparent funds without a genuine source of money. Unlike the rejected Check-kiting float abuse label, the evidence concerns Magnetic-stripe card skimming, since unrelated card fraud clusters around customers who used the same terminal; reviewers should compare compromised-card common points of purchase and inspect terminals for overlays.

D:

Card-not-present shopping fraud would involve a different sequence from Magnetic-stripe card skimming: remote payment misuse exploits card credentials without requiring face-to-face card presentation. Unlike the rejected Card-not-present shopping fraud label, the evidence concerns Magnetic-stripe card skimming, since unrelated card fraud clusters around customers who used the same terminal; reviewers should compare compromised-card common points of purchase and inspect terminals for overlays.

Question 795

The review team observes the following: Expected active suppliers repeatedly withdraw after contact with the eventual winner. It seeks one targeted detection step and one preventive measure that address the same underlying vulnerability. Which pairing is best?

  1. Diagnostic: Compare bid preparation artifacts, related owners and independent market estimates; safeguard: Apply aggregation rules to linked purchases and independently review threshold exceptions.
  2. Diagnostic: Aggregate same-purpose requisitions and compare total value with policy thresholds; safeguard: Require conflict declarations and investigate shared bid-document fingerprints.
  3. Diagnostic: Trace withdrawal patterns, communications and supplier compensation; safeguard: Apply aggregation rules to linked purchases and independently review threshold exceptions.
  4. Diagnostic: Trace withdrawal patterns, communications and supplier compensation; safeguard: Monitor unexplained participation gaps and report credible collusion indicators.
  5. Diagnostic: Compare restricted-file access and messaging with bid timing; safeguard: Monitor unexplained participation gaps and report credible collusion indicators.

Explanation

Correct Answer

D:

The test addresses Bid suppression agreement by targeting this observation: Expected active suppliers repeatedly withdraw after contact with the eventual winner. The accompanying safeguard—monitor unexplained participation gaps and report credible collusion indicators—counters the same opportunity, so both checking and prevention concern one cause.

Incorrect Answers

A:

The evidence test relates to Complementary cover bidding, whereas the proposed safeguard protects against Split purchases to evade tender threshold; neither directly resolves Bid suppression agreement. Unlike the Complementary cover bidding test and Split purchases to evade tender threshold safeguard, the investigation of Bid suppression agreement requires reviewers to trace withdrawal patterns, communications and supplier compensation, followed by assessment of the matching control point.

B:

The evidence test relates to Split purchases to evade tender threshold, whereas the proposed safeguard protects against Complementary cover bidding; neither directly resolves Bid suppression agreement. Unlike the Split purchases to evade tender threshold test and Complementary cover bidding safeguard, the investigation of Bid suppression agreement requires reviewers to trace withdrawal patterns, communications and supplier compensation, followed by assessment of the matching control point.

C:

The diagnostic correctly examines Bid suppression agreement by having reviewers trace withdrawal patterns, communications and supplier compensation, but the safeguard is for Split purchases to evade tender threshold. That prevention step responds to a different mechanism: Fragmentation bypasses a competitive procedure that would apply to the full requirement.

E:

The proposed safeguard is relevant to Bid suppression agreement, but the diagnostic tests Leaked confidential price estimate rather than the identified anomaly. That test is aimed at records involving the winner's bid narrowly undercuts a nonpublic cost estimate and communications show early access; the specified case instead calls for reviewers to trace withdrawal patterns, communications and supplier compensation.

Question 796

The team is assessing a potential prescribing referral kickback discrepancy. Initial observation: Referral volumes coincide with unexplained consulting payments from the pharmacy. Which verification step is most informative?

  1. Compare documentation and procedure descriptions with claim-code requirements.
  2. Confirm patient identity and compare provider records with genuine insured-person statements.
  3. Compare referral patterns with payment ties and clinical appropriateness.
  4. Review medical records and criteria supporting prescribed devices.

Explanation

Correct Answer

C:

For the Prescribing referral kickback concern, the procedure tests source evidence behind this observation: Referral volumes coincide with unexplained consulting payments from the pharmacy. This matters because financial inducements can corrupt medical decisions even when treatment is actually delivered; independent corroboration is necessary before accepting any conclusion.

Incorrect Answers

A:

This comparison primarily addresses Medical service upcoding, in which upcoding inflates payment by assigning a code for a more expensive service than was delivered; because the present question instead concerns Prescribing referral kickback, reviewers should compare referral patterns with payment ties and clinical appropriateness rather than apply a check designed for Medical service upcoding.

B:

This comparison primarily addresses Medical identity misuse, in which an unauthorized patient exploits a real person's insurance entitlement; because the present question instead concerns Prescribing referral kickback, reviewers should compare referral patterns with payment ties and clinical appropriateness rather than apply a check designed for Medical identity misuse.

D:

This comparison primarily addresses False medical necessity certification, in which claims fraud can arise from false eligibility or necessity rather than nonexistent delivery; because the present question instead concerns Prescribing referral kickback, reviewers should compare referral patterns with payment ties and clinical appropriateness rather than apply a check designed for False medical necessity certification.

Question 797

Control designers are focusing on the mechanism behind terminated worker retained on payroll: Continuing pay to a departed employee produces a disbursement with no current employment basis. Which measure best limits that opportunity?

  1. Separate incentive authorization from payroll entry and payment release.
  2. Base commission eligibility on verified, sustained sale criteria.
  3. Automatically synchronize approved terminations with payroll suspension and reconcile exceptions.
  4. Require strong authentication and separate approval for bank-detail updates.

Explanation

Correct Answer

C:

The control directly addresses the failure point in Terminated worker retained on payroll, since continuing pay to a departed employee produces a disbursement with no current employment basis. A subsequent independent review could compare termination events and exit records to pay runs and account beneficiaries to identify exceptions that bypassed the safeguard.

Incorrect Answers

A:

This safeguard is directed primarily at Unauthorized bonus disbursement rather than Terminated worker retained on payroll, because improper one-off payments exploit weak controls over discretionary compensation. Unlike the control for Unauthorized bonus disbursement, the more direct design for Terminated worker retained on payroll is to automatically synchronize approved terminations with payroll suspension and reconcile exceptions; a different safeguard cannot substitute for it.

B:

This safeguard is directed primarily at Manipulated commission sales rather than Terminated worker retained on payroll, because compensation is extracted through false performance metrics rather than fake employees. Unlike the control for Manipulated commission sales, the more direct design for Terminated worker retained on payroll is to automatically synchronize approved terminations with payroll suspension and reconcile exceptions; a different safeguard cannot substitute for it.

D:

This safeguard is directed primarily at Payroll direct-deposit diversion rather than Terminated worker retained on payroll, because a genuine employee's wages are redirected by altering settlement data. Unlike the control for Payroll direct-deposit diversion, the more direct design for Terminated worker retained on payroll is to automatically synchronize approved terminations with payroll suspension and reconcile exceptions; a different safeguard cannot substitute for it.

Question 798

The case file describes the following: Employees scan posters that display fraudulent QR codes leading to a fake payroll authentication portal. Which classification best explains the events?

  1. QR-code phishing campaign
  2. AI-voice executive impersonation
  3. Vendor-mailbox business email compromise
  4. Remote desktop credential intrusion

Explanation

Correct Answer

A:

QR-code phishing campaign fits the facts because qR phishing hides a malicious URL within an image instead of a visible hyperlink; the distinguishing observation is that the decoded URLs use lookalike domains and precede credential-related alerts. To test this interpretation, a reviewer should decode reported QR destinations and correlate with identity-provider events.

Incorrect Answers

B:

AI-voice executive impersonation would involve a different sequence from QR-code phishing campaign: synthetic voice impersonation can exploit executive authority cues without true authorization. Unlike the rejected AI-voice executive impersonation label, the evidence concerns QR-code phishing campaign, since the decoded URLs use lookalike domains and precede credential-related alerts; reviewers should decode reported QR destinations and correlate with identity-provider events.

C:

Vendor-mailbox business email compromise would involve a different sequence from QR-code phishing campaign: bEC uses trusted business communications to redirect funds without necessarily altering the invoice amount. Unlike the rejected Vendor-mailbox business email compromise label, the evidence concerns QR-code phishing campaign, since the decoded URLs use lookalike domains and precede credential-related alerts; reviewers should decode reported QR destinations and correlate with identity-provider events.

D:

Remote desktop credential intrusion would involve a different sequence from QR-code phishing campaign: valid-looking remote sessions can conceal misuse of stolen administrator access. Unlike the rejected Remote desktop credential intrusion label, the evidence concerns QR-code phishing campaign, since the decoded URLs use lookalike domains and precede credential-related alerts; reviewers should decode reported QR destinations and correlate with identity-provider events.

Question 799

The review team observes the following: Attendance records and participant confirmations contradict reported milestones. It seeks one targeted detection step and one preventive measure that address the same underlying vulnerability. Which pairing is best?

  1. Diagnostic: Confirm milestone completion with independent beneficiaries and time records; safeguard: Periodically revalidate eligibility and segregate payment setup from approval.
  2. Diagnostic: Cross-match beneficiary status with authorized registries and payment destinations; safeguard: Publish objective criteria and require independent conflict-reviewed award decisions.
  3. Diagnostic: Confirm milestone completion with independent beneficiaries and time records; safeguard: Release grant tranches against independently verified deliverables.
  4. Diagnostic: Verify existence and pre-disaster activity using independent authoritative records; safeguard: Release grant tranches against independently verified deliverables.

Explanation

Correct Answer

C:

The test addresses False government grant deliverables by targeting this observation: Attendance records and participant confirmations contradict reported milestones. The accompanying safeguard—release grant tranches against independently verified deliverables—counters the same opportunity, so both checking and prevention concern one cause.

Incorrect Answers

A:

The diagnostic correctly examines False government grant deliverables by having reviewers confirm milestone completion with independent beneficiaries and time records, but the safeguard is for Ghost public-assistance beneficiaries. That prevention step responds to a different mechanism: Public funds continue flowing to people who should not receive benefits.

B:

The evidence test relates to Ghost public-assistance beneficiaries, whereas the proposed safeguard protects against Politically directed benefit awards; neither directly resolves False government grant deliverables. Unlike the Ghost public-assistance beneficiaries test and Politically directed benefit awards safeguard, the investigation of False government grant deliverables requires reviewers to confirm milestone completion with independent beneficiaries and time records, followed by assessment of the matching control point.

D:

The proposed safeguard is relevant to False government grant deliverables, but the diagnostic tests Fictitious disaster relief business rather than the identified anomaly. That test is aimed at records involving business registration, tax and payroll records fail to support the claimed operation; the specified case instead calls for reviewers to confirm milestone completion with independent beneficiaries and time records.

Question 800

Two separate review files raise different issues. File A: A nominee buys an expensive property with illicit proceeds and later presents sale proceeds as legitimate wealth. File B: An importer pays a related exporter far more than the reasonable value of shipped goods. Which pairing accurately classifies both files?

  1. File A: Trade under-invoicing; File B: Trade over-invoicing.
  2. File A: Integration through luxury property; File B: Layering through repeated wires.
  3. File A: Integration through luxury property; File B: Trade over-invoicing.
  4. File A: Trade over-invoicing; File B: Integration through luxury property.

Explanation

Correct Answer

C:

File A is Integration through luxury property because integration converts earlier illicit value into apparently lawful assets or proceeds, while File B is Trade over-invoicing because inflated trade prices can transfer value across borders under cover of legitimate commerce. The evidence chains differ: for File A, reviewers should trace the purchase funds, beneficial owner and later disposition proceeds; for File B, they should compare bills of lading, pricing benchmarks and intercompany settlement flows.

Incorrect Answers

A:

File A is misidentified as Trade under-invoicing instead of Integration through luxury property. With the proposed pairing Trade under-invoicing / Trade over-invoicing, the distinction is substantive: File A shows that purchase funding traces to opaque entities without plausible commercial income, whereas File B shows that customs quantities and market pricing diverge sharply from declared invoice values. For these Integration through luxury property and Trade over-invoicing files, choosing the pair Trade under-invoicing / Trade over-invoicing would misdirect the review away from at least one of these mechanisms.

B:

File B is misidentified as Layering through repeated wires instead of Trade over-invoicing. With the proposed pairing Integration through luxury property / Layering through repeated wires, the distinction is substantive: File A shows that purchase funding traces to opaque entities without plausible commercial income, whereas File B shows that customs quantities and market pricing diverge sharply from declared invoice values. For these Integration through luxury property and Trade over-invoicing files, choosing the pair Integration through luxury property / Layering through repeated wires would misdirect the review away from at least one of these mechanisms.

D:

File A is misidentified as Trade over-invoicing instead of Integration through luxury property; File B is misidentified as Integration through luxury property instead of Trade over-invoicing. With the proposed pairing Trade over-invoicing / Integration through luxury property, the distinction is substantive: File A shows that purchase funding traces to opaque entities without plausible commercial income, whereas File B shows that customs quantities and market pricing diverge sharply from declared invoice values. For these Integration through luxury property and Trade over-invoicing files, choosing the pair Trade over-invoicing / Integration through luxury property would misdirect the review away from at least one of these mechanisms.

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