ACFE Interview and Interrogation Techniques 4

Question 1

When interviewing multiple witnesses to the same fraud, the examiner should generally:

Accepted Answer

Interview witnesses separately to prevent contamination of accounts

Answer

Separate interviews prevent witnesses from aligning stories, contaminating independent recollections, or being influenced by dominant personalities.

Question 2

The 'Wicklander-Zulawski' interview technique differs from the Reid Technique primarily in that it:

Accepted Answer

Uses a non-accusatory, conversational approach to elicit admissions

Answer

The WZ technique emphasizes a non-confrontational, non-accusatory conversational style to reduce resistance and encourage voluntary disclosures.

Question 3

A fraud examiner discovers mid-interview that the witness is also a suspect. The examiner should:

Accepted Answer

Reassess the interview strategy and consider the subject's legal rights

Answer

When a witness becomes a suspect, the examiner must reassess the approach and ensure the subject's rights are protected before continuing.

Question 4

What is the best use of silence during a fraud interview?

Accepted Answer

Strategic silence after a question encourages the subject to fill the void with more information

Answer

People are uncomfortable with silence and often continue speaking to fill it, sometimes revealing information they had not intended to share.

Question 5

Which of the following is an example of a 'leading question' that should generally be avoided with witnesses?

Accepted Answer

Did you see the defendant sign the check?

Answer

Leading questions like 'Did you see...' suggest the expected answer and can taint witness testimony.

(ACFE) Association of Certified Fraud Examiners Practice Test