ACFE Interview and Interrogation Techniques 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A fraud examiner conducting an interview in a private company setting should be aware that Miranda rights:
- Apply to all fraud interviews regardless of who conducts them
- Apply only when government agents conduct custodial interrogations (Correct answer)
- Must be read at the start of every fraud examination interview
- Are waived automatically when the subject signs an employment agreement
Correct answer: Apply only when government agents conduct custodial interrogations
Miranda warnings are constitutionally required only for custodial interrogations conducted by government agents, not private investigators.
Question 2: Which principle of the PEACE model (used in investigative interviewing) emphasizes allowing the subject to provide a full account without interruption?
- Preparation and Planning
- Engage and Explain
- Account (Correct answer)
- Closure
Correct answer: Account
The Account phase of the PEACE model focuses on obtaining the subject's full, uninterrupted narrative before probing for details.
Question 3: What is the significance of 'paralinguistic cues' in fraud interviews?
- They refer to the use of visual aids during the interview
- They include vocal characteristics like tone, pace, and pitch that may indicate deception (Correct answer)
- They are written behavioral assessment tools completed after the interview
- They describe the physical arrangement of the interview room
Correct answer: They include vocal characteristics like tone, pace, and pitch that may indicate deception
Paralinguistic cues such as changes in voice pitch, speaking pace, and hesitations can provide additional context for assessing truthfulness.
Question 4: When is it appropriate to use a polygraph examination in a fraud investigation?
- As the primary evidence to establish guilt in criminal proceedings
- As a voluntary investigative tool when the subject consents and applicable law permits (Correct answer)
- As a mandatory screening tool for all fraud suspects
- As a replacement for witness interviews when documentary evidence is insufficient
Correct answer: As a voluntary investigative tool when the subject consents and applicable law permits
Polygraphs are investigative tools requiring voluntary consent and are generally inadmissible as evidence in US courts but can guide the direction of an investigation.
Question 5: Which approach is most effective when an interview subject provides inconsistent statements?
- Immediately accuse the subject of lying and end the interview
- Ignore inconsistencies to avoid disrupting rapport
- Ask the subject to clarify and explain the inconsistency without accusation (Correct answer)
- Confront the subject with all evidence simultaneously
Correct answer: Ask the subject to clarify and explain the inconsistency without accusation
Asking the subject to clarify inconsistencies without accusation allows them to either correct genuine errors or further implicate themselves.
Question 6: What is the primary legal risk of recording an interview without the subject's knowledge?
- The recording will be too low quality to use as evidence
- Violation of federal or state wiretapping laws that require one or all-party consent (Correct answer)
- The subject can claim the recording was altered or edited
- Recording without consent voids any confession obtained
Correct answer: Violation of federal or state wiretapping laws that require one or all-party consent
Many states require all-party consent to record conversations, and covert recording without legal authority can expose investigators to criminal liability.
Question 7: During a fraud investigation, an examiner suspects that a witness is being untruthful but lacks sufficient evidence to confront them. The best next step is to:
- End the interview immediately and report the witness as a suspect
- Continue gathering information through non-confrontational questioning while documenting inconsistencies (Correct answer)
- Accuse the witness of lying to prompt an emotional reaction
- Share the suspicion with other witnesses to gauge their reaction
Correct answer: Continue gathering information through non-confrontational questioning while documenting inconsistencies
Continuing to gather information through careful questioning allows the examiner to build a stronger evidentiary foundation before any confrontation.
ACFE Interview and Interrogation Techniques 5
A fraud examiner conducting an interview in a private company setting should be aware that Miranda rights: