Chapter 01
Introduction to Forensic Accounting and Fraud Examination

Multiple Choice Questions
 
1. Forensic Accounting is defined as: 
a. The practice of applying defined financial ratios to investigate a company’s financial health.
b. The use of law enforcement to subpoena financial records to determine unlawful actions.
C. The application of investigative and analytical skills for the purpose of resolving financial issues in a manner that meets standards required by courts of law.
d. The investigatory arm of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Difficulty: Easy
 
2. If your actions are the result of misleading, intentional actions or inaction (including misleading statements and the omission of relevant information) to gain an advantage, then you have committed: 
a. Perjury.
b. Contempt.
c. Treason.
D. Fraud.

Difficulty: Moderate
 
3. Which of the following does a forensic accountant investigate? 
a. Purchases of Businesses.
b. Valuation of divorce assets.
c. Calculation of lost profits.
D. All of the above.

Difficulty: Easy

4. Which of the following two are types of auditors? 
A. External and Internal
b. Internal and Forensic
c. Forensic and International
d. External and Forensic

Difficulty: Easy
 
5. Forensic accounting can be broken into how many categories? 
A. Two: Investigative and Litigation.
b. Two: Internal and External.
c. Three: Investigative, External, Preventative.
d. Three: Internal, Litigation, Certified.

Difficulty: Moderate
 
6. What is one of the primary differences between a Financial Statement auditor and a Forensic Accountant? 
a. Financial statement auditors are likely to follow leads suggested by immaterial items whereas Forensic Accountants often must restrict their efforts to searching for material misstatements.
B. Forensic Accountants are likely to follow leads suggested by immaterial items whereas financial statement auditors often must restrict their efforts to searching for material misstatements.
c. Forensic Accountants must focus on specific legal areas that produce fraud charges under the courts of law whereas financial statement auditors focus their attention on the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.
d. Forensic Accountants are likely to ask individuals to fix discrepancies found in financial statements whereas financial statement auditors will fail a corporations financial statement certification, therefore having repercussions with the SEC.

Difficulty: Hard

7. Which of the following is not a skill needed by a Forensic Accountant? 
a. Auditing Skills.
b. Criminology.
C. Sociology.
d. Information Technology.

Difficulty: Moderate
 
8. Which of the following events have made the Forensic Accounting industry more popular recently? 
a. Corporate Scandals.
b. Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
c. Crime Dramas on Television.
D. Both a and b.

Difficulty: Easy
 
9. Which is one of the areas that the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 has made CEO's rely on forensic accountants heavily? 
A.CEO’s must now certify their financial statements. 
b. CFO's must become qualified as forensic accountants.
c. To become a CEO in a public company, their personal financial records must be certified by a forensic accountant.
d. Both a and b.

Difficulty: Moderate
 
10. According to the 2002 Report to the Nation on Occupational Fraud and Abuse, what percentage of corporate revenues were lost in that year to fraud? 
a. 2%.
b. 4%.
C. 5%.
d. 8%.

Difficulty: Moderate

11. Which of the following types of organizations typically use Forensic Accountants? 
a. Publicly held corporations.
b. Private/non-profit corporations.
c. Federal/State Agencies.
D. All of the above.

Difficulty: Easy
 
12. What is the most recognized fraud credential? 
A. Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE).
b. Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
c. American Counsel of Accredited Business Accountants (ACABA).
d. Enrolled Agent (EA).

Difficulty: Moderate
 
13. What types of organizations offer credentials to forensic accountants? 
a. Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.
b. American College of Forensic Examiners.
c. Institute of Business Appraisers.
D. All of the above.

Difficulty: Easy
 
14. Who was the founder of the Association of Certified fraud Examiners? 
a. The 187th Congress of the United States.
b. President Bill Clinton.
C. Joseph Wells.
d. All of the above worked together to form the ACFE.

Difficulty: Moderate

15. Which of the following is NOT a way to become a Certified Fraud Specialist (CFS)? 
a. Successfully completing a multipart examination that covers the detection, deterrence, investigation, and prosecution of white-collar crime.
B. A bachelor's degree in business or ten years of accounting-related experience and pass the two parts of the Certified Fraud Specialist examination.
c. Completing the ACFS Academy core courses and taking an examination at the end of each course.
d. Being grandfathered in by means of submitting information on the experience and education.

Difficulty: Hard
 
16. What is the mission of the Association of Certified Fraud Specialists (ACFS)? 
a. To encourage CPAs to report potential areas that a Forensic Accountant should be used within.
b. To pre-screen potential Forensic Accountants who would make good FBI agents.
C. To encourage its members to offer pro-bono service to the communities in which its members reside.
d. All of the above are part of the ACFS's mission.

Difficulty: Moderate
 
17. What is a way to become a CFS? 
a. Complete a multi-part examination that covers the detection, deterrence, investigation, and prosecution of white-collar crime.
b. Complete the ACFS Academy core courses and take an examination at the end of each course.
c. Be grandfathered in by means of submitting information on the experience and education of the candidate.
D. All of the above are ways to become a CFS.

Difficulty: Moderate

18. If you are a CPA and want to become credentialed by the National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts (NACVA), which credential would you be issued? 
A. Certified Valuation Analyst.
b. Accredited Valuation Analyst.
c. Certified Forensic Financial Analyst.
d. National Valuation Analyst.

Difficulty: Moderate
 
19. If you are experienced in the valuation field and want to become credentialed by the National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts (NACVA), which credential would you be issued? 
a. Certified Valuation Analyst.
B. Accredited Valuation Analyst.
c. Certified Forensic Financial Analyst.
d. National Valuation Analyst.

Difficulty: Moderate
 
20. If you are a litigation consultants and want to become credentialed by the National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts (NACVA), which credential would you be issued? 
a. Certified Valuation Analyst.
b. Accredited Valuation Analyst.
C. Certified Forensic Financial Analyst.
d. National Valuation Analyst.

Difficulty: Moderate
 
21. The National Litigation Support Services Association (NLSSA) allows only one CPA firm into its membership: 
A. In each Metropolitan Statistical Area.
b. In each Megalopolis.
c. Per million residents in the city it resides.
d. Each four year presidential cycle.

Difficulty: Moderate

22. The Institute of Business Appraisers (IBA) supports the valuating of which type of businesses? 
a. Public Corporations.
b. Private Corporations.
C. Closely-held Businesses.
d. Non-Profit Organizations.

Difficulty: Moderate
 
23. The Institute of Business Appraisers offers which certification? 
a. CPA.
B. CBA.
c. AICPA.
d. EA.

Difficulty: Easy
 
24. In which way does the AICPA support Forensic Accountants? 
a. Through its Forensic Accountants division.
B. Through its Business Valuation and Forensic & Litigation Services section.
c. Through its credentialing of Forensic Accountants.
d. The AICPA does not support Forensic Accountants.

Difficulty: Moderate
 
25. What credential does the AICPA offer? 
A. Accredited in Business Valuation.
b. Accredited Business Accountant.
c. Forensic Accountant Accreditation.
d. Accounting for Forensic and Litigation.

Difficulty: Moderate

26. How does forensic accounting differs from other types of accounting? 
a. It is a separate field that has no relation to accounting.
b. Forensic Accountants require at least an masters in accounting.
C. Forensic Accountants are more likely to be found dissecting these statements and obtaining evidence from other sources.
d. General Accountants must hold to subjective evidence whereas forensic accountants must use objective evidence.

Difficulty: Moderate
 
27. What is Defalcation? 
a. The ruling of a judge to restore the assets wrongfully taken to their rightful owner.
b. The act of conspiring to commit perjury.
c. The process of finding stolen assets through financial statement analysis.
D. The appropriation of assets for the benefit of those who do not rightfully deserve them.

Difficulty: Moderate
 
28. What are litigation services? 
a. It is another term for a law firm.
b. It is a specialized branch of forensic accounting.
C. It is the service provided to the courts to determine an equitable judgment.
d. It is an out of court settlement service for corporations.

Difficulty: Moderate
 
29. You are attempting to get two parties to compromise on a situation. This means that you are engaged in: 
a. Litigation.
B. Mediation.
c. Plea Bargaining.
d. Grand Jury testimony.

Difficulty: Easy

30. Misrepresentation is the act of presenting oneself in a manner that does not agree with reality. What does "presenting" mean? 
A. Actions, statements, or omissions.
b. Words, court judgments or opinions.
c. Appearance, style or function.
d. Both a and b.

Difficulty: Moderate

True / False Questions
 
31. Forensic Accounting is a part of Fraud investigation. 
FALSE

Difficulty: Moderate
 
32. Forensic Accounting does not greatly differ from traditional accounting. 
FALSE

Difficulty: Easy
 
33. Some forensic accountants perform investigations much like financial private investigators. 
TRUE

Difficulty: Moderate
 
34. Internal Auditors are individuals from outside CPA firms that come into your business to perform an audit. 
FALSE

Difficulty: Easy

35. Investigative services that may or may not lead to courtroom testimony. 
TRUE

Difficulty: Moderate
 
36. Errors are always an indication of intentional fraud. 
FALSE

Difficulty: Moderate
 
37. Due to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, CEO's no longer have to sign their financial statements. 
FALSE

Difficulty: Easy
 
38. Governmental agencies never use forensic accountants. 
FALSE

Difficulty: Easy
 
39. To date, there are only two forensic accounting organizations in the world. 
FALSE

Difficulty: Moderate
 
40. It is possible to hold credentials as a forensic accountant. 
TRUE

Difficulty: Easy

Essay Questions
 
41. Describe how a forensic accountant would employ his or her skills? 
Forensic accounting is the application of investigative and analytical skills for the purpose of resolving financial issues in a manner that meets standards required by courts of law. Notice that forensic accounting is not limited to the use of financial investigations that result in legal prosecution; the investigation and analysis must, however, meet the standards required in the court of law that has jurisdiction.

Difficulty: Moderate
 
42. Compare and contrast the usage of internal versus external auditors. 
Internal auditing is the process by which a company's operations are verified by employees of the company known as internal auditors. Internal auditors may also be involved in collecting and evaluating information to assist in determining whether operations should be changed. Conversely, External auditors are not employees of the company; they are auditors (licensed by the state in which they practice who have passed the Certified Public Accountant examination or, if a Chartered Accountants, have passed the Chartered Accountant examination and are licensed by the country in which they practice) hired to determine whether the financial statements of the company fairly present, in all material respects, financial position, results of operations, and cash flows in accordance with specified criteria (usually generally accepted accounting principles).

Difficulty: Moderate
 
43. How is defalcation different from misrepresentation? 
The appropriation of assets for the benefit of those who do not rightfully deserve them, whereas the act of presenting oneself in a manner that does not agree with reality.

Difficulty: Hard

44. What are some of the special skills that a forensic accountant might use in their trade? 
Forensic accountants apply special skills in accounting, auditing, finance, quantitative methods, certain areas of the law, research, and investigative skills to collect, analyze, and evaluate evidential matter and to interpret and communicate findings.

Difficulty: Moderate
 
45. What are some of the areas a forensic accountant should be knowledgeable in? 
Auditing, Investigative, Criminology, Accounting, Legal, Information technology (IT) and Communication.

Difficulty: Moderate
 
46. In what sectors of our economy can forensic accountants find work? 
Forensic accountants can be employed in all types of businesses including: Public/private corporations, closely held businesses, non-profits and Federal, State, County and Local governments.

Difficulty: Easy
 
47. Even if a case does not go to court, a forensic accountant might be called upon to assist during what two types of situations (define both)? 
Mediation and arbitration. Mediation is assisting parties with differing perspectives to arrive at a compromise. Arbitration is a hearing and deciding a case that involves parties that have taken different positions.

Difficulty: Hard

48. Name some of the organizations that support forensic accounting: 
The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, the American College of Forensic Examiners, the Association of Certified Fraud Specialists, the National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts, the National Litigation Support Services Association, the Institute of Business Appraisers, and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Difficulty: Easy
 
49. What does credentialing mean? 
Some of the organizations that support forensic accounting will evaluate the forensic accountant’s knowledge and experience based upon education, time in the field and written examinations. These organizations will then issue a credential based upon these criteria. This is similar to the CPA credential.

Difficulty: Moderate
 
50. What was one of the biggest changes in the SOX of 2002 that increased the usage of forensic accountants? 
CEO's now had to personally sign the financial statements and could personally be held liable for any fraud within those statements.

Difficulty: Easy