CPE course study guides

Study guide for Fraud Investigation

The study guide is provided to guide you through the course material in a step by step format.

Reading assignments are for Forensic Accounting and Fraud Investigation for Non-Experts.

1) Fraud in society

Reading Assignment: Chapter 1 <<>> Review Questions: # 1 - 5

The learning objectives for this lesson are to gain an understanding of:

• What is fraud?
• Types of fraud
• What the numbers tell us about fraud
• The social consequences of economic crime
• Suggested readings

2) Understanding the basics of financial accounting

Reading Assignment: Chapter 2 <<>> Review Questions: # 6 - 7

The learning objectives for this lesson are to gain an understanding of:

• The five accounting cycles
• Journals
• Tying the thread

3) The entities

Reading Assignment: Chapter 3 <<>> Review Question: # 8 - 9

The learning objectives for this lesson are to gain an understanding of:

• Proprietorships
• Partnerships
• Corporations
• Business enterprises in the global environment

4) Fundamental principles of analysis

Reading Assignment: Chapter 4 <<>> Review Questions: # 10- 12

The learning objectives for this lesson are to gain an understanding of:

• Good analysis=due dilibence?
• Why do it?
• Other factors to consider
• Analysis for the non-expert
• To the future

5) The role of the accounting professional

Reading Assignment: Chapter 5 <<>> Review Questions: # 13 - 14

The learning objectives for this lesson are to gain an understanding of:

• The importance of accounting professionals in the investigation
• The audit process
• Internal controls

6) Business as a victim

Reading Assignment: Chapter 6 <<>> Review Questions: # 15 - 18

The learning objectives for this lesson are to gain an understanding of:

• Employee thefts
• Payroll fraud
• Fraudulent billing schemes
• Fraud committed by outsiders
• Management thefts
• Corporate thefts
• Identity theft

7) Business villains

Reading Assignment: Chapter 7 <<>>Review Question: # 19 - 21

The learning objectives for this lesson are to gain an understanding of:

• Organized crime and business
• Money laundering

8) The investigative process

Reading Assignment: Chapter 8  <<>> Review Question: # 22 - 25

The learning objectives for this lesson are to gain an understanding of:

• Case initiation
• Case evaluation
• Goal setting and planning
• Investigation

9)  Interviewing financially sophisticated witnesses

Reading Assignment: Chapter 9 <<>>Review Questions: # 26 - 29

The learning objectives for this lesson are to gain an understanding of:

• The interview
• Concerns in interviewing financially sophisticated witnesses

10) Proving cases through documentary evidence

Reading Assignment: Chapter 10 <<>>Review Questions: # 30 - 36

The learning objectives for this lesson are to gain an understanding of:

• Document collection
• Document organization
• The process of proof
• The logic of argument
• Proof through inference

11)  Analysis tools for investigators

Reading Assignment: Chapter 11 <<>> Review Question: # 37 - 40

The learning objectives for this lesson are to gain an understanding of:

• Why use analysis tools at all?
• Associational analysis
• Temporal analysis

12)  Inferential analysis

Reading Assignment: Chapter 12 <<>> Review Question: # 41 - 45

The learning objectives for this lesson are to gain an understanding of:

• How inferential analysis helps
• What is an inference network?
• Investigative inference analysis
• The key list
• Constructing an investigative inference chart
• Some tips for charting success
• Applying the chart to the investigative process

13) Documenting and presenting the case

Reading Assignment: Chapter 13 <<>> Review Question: # 46 - 50

The learning objectives for this lesson are to gain an understanding of:

• Creating a system
• The casebook system
• Report writing
• Testifying as a financial expert