Interviewing and Interrogation Flashcards

A Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) is conducting an initial informational interview with an accounts payable clerk who is not a primary suspect but may have knowledge of a billing scheme. Which type of question should the CFE primarily use during this interview?

Answer: Open-ended questions

Open-ended questions, such as 'walk me through the process,' encourage the subject to provide a detailed narrative and reveal more information. They are ideal for informational interviews where the goal is to gather facts and context. Leading and accusatory questions are inappropriate for a witness, and closed-ended questions limit the amount of information received.

During an admission-seeking interview, a suspect's speech patterns change significantly. Which of the following verbal cues is most commonly associated with deception?

Answer: The use of oaths and character testimony, such as 'I swear I didn't do it.'

Deceptive individuals often overuse oaths and character testimony to add credibility to their false statements. Liars may also exhibit changes in speech pace or sentence structure, but over-the-top declarations of honesty are a classic verbal red flag. Consistent pace and direct answers are more indicative of truthfulness.

Which of the following correctly outlines the three general phases of a structured interview process used by fraud examiners?

Answer: Introduction, Informational, and Closing

A standard interview structure consists of three phases: the Introduction, where rapport is built and ground rules are set; the Informational phase, where the core facts are gathered using various question types; and the Closing, where the interview is summarized and future contact is established. The other options describe parts of the overall fraud examination or specific types of interviews, but not the standard three-phase structure of the interview itself.

A fraud examiner is interviewing a purchasing manager about a potential kickback scheme. After gathering initial information, the examiner believes the manager is culpable. The examiner decides to transition to an admission-seeking interview. What is the most critical first step in this transition?

Answer: Making a direct, yet private, accusation of wrongdoing

The transition from an informational interview to an admission-seeking interview typically begins with a direct accusation. This accusation should be made privately and confidently to observe the subject's reaction and shift the tone of the meeting. Presenting all evidence at once gives away leverage, offering leniency is improper and can render a confession inadmissible, and asking about a known lie is a technique used during the interview, not necessarily the first step of the transition itself.

What is the primary objective of an assessment interview?

Answer: To systematically observe the subject's verbal and non-verbal behavior to gauge their truthfulness.

Assessment interviews are designed to establish a baseline of the subject's behavior (norming) and then ask a series of non-threatening questions followed by more targeted questions to observe any changes in verbal and non-verbal cues. This helps the examiner assess the likelihood of the subject's deception before deciding whether to proceed to an admission-seeking interview.

After a lengthy admission-seeking interview, a suspect verbally confesses to embezzling company funds. Which of the following is the most crucial next step for the Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) to take?

Answer: Obtain a voluntary, written statement from the suspect.

A verbal confession should be immediately followed by an effort to obtain a signed, written statement from the subject. This statement is much stronger evidence than a CFE's memorandum of a verbal confession. The statement should be voluntary and, ideally, in the subject's own words to prevent later claims of coercion or misinterpretation. A pre-written confession can be challenged, and notifying law enforcement before the confession is properly documented may be premature.