Q&A with Yves Well, CFE

Yves Well of Texas recently became a CFE after attending an in-person CFE Exam Review Course in Austin this past fall. Well is in the audit field and feels that the knowledge he gained while working toward his CFE credential has improved his interviewing skills. Read more about Well’s experience below.

Coach: When did you receive your certification?

Well: I received my certification in April 2022.

Coach: Please describe your experience of attending the four-day CFE Exam Review Course in Austin, and what did you like most about the course?

Well: I remember seeing the email about the four-day Review Course, and I was like, “This must be a sign from above that it's my time to take the test.” I started studying for the CFE Exam in October 2020 by myself. I had ordered the studying manual, and every night I would read a few chapters after work. I kept pushing the dates on when I should take the exam until I saw there was a four-day Review Course right in my own backyard in Austin, Texas. When I signed up, I started taking the Practice Exams [in the CFE Exam Prep Course] that were included, testing my knowledge in each section and taking them over and over again. When the classes started, the instructors were very professional and very savvy when it came to the material they were sharing with us. The fact that they had real-life experience was a bonus. I enjoyed the fact that after the end of each day, we had an opportunity to take the exam for the section we had just reviewed. While taking the exam, I could remember all the lessons the instructors reviewed with us, and that made a great difference. I would definitely advise everyone to take the four-day Review Course before taking the CFE Exam.

Coach: Please describe your experience of taking the CFE Exam each day after class.

Well: My whole experience each day while taking the exam was very stress free. I had been studying for over a year and had taken the Practice Exams. With the Review Course, that was just the icing on the cake. I could still recall all the examples we reviewed in class and the advice our instructors gave us. They used a lot of visuals during their presentation, and that helped a lot with memory retention.

Coach: Did you review the Prep Course prior to attending the Review Course? If so, how often did you study?

Well: I did review the Prep Course material before the class. Once I registered, three months before the class I would study three hours every day. Once I finished covering a section, I would take the Practice Exam to see where I stood in terms of readiness.

Coach: In what ways do you feel that your new CFE credential will be beneficial to you in your current profession?

Well: As an auditor, I am always investigating and verifying transactions, and I have to interview individuals. With my CFE credential, I feel that my investigative and interviewing skills have greatly improved, based off what I have learned while preparing for the CFE Exam Review Course.

Coach: Would you recommend the Review Course to your colleagues? 

Well: I would most definitely recommend the Review Course to my colleagues, especially if they are passionate about fraud analysis.

Coach: How did you become passionate about fighting fraud?

Well: I remember when I was a freshman in college walking down the school halls, and I looked up at a poster that said, "Did you know that it was an accountant that put Al Capone in jail?" That fascinated me, so I decided I wanted to study accounting as my major. During my senior year I took a fraud examination course, and our professor invited a guest speaker that worked for the GBI [Georgia Bureau of Investigation] who introduced us to what a career as a CFE can look like and some of the cases the GBI had investigated. We even had a mock criminal case trial at the Marietta Court where the class had to pretend that we were expert witnesses for an insurance fraud scheme that involved arson. I even got to sit on the witness stand and was examined by a real state prosecutor. I had never been so nervous in my life.

Coach: Now that we know what you do professionally, what do you like to do for fun and what do you find enjoyable about it?

Well: I am a big soccer fan. I can't play like I used to but love watching the European leagues and the World Cup games. I do a lot of jogging at the park; it relaxes me. And I love watching Japanese anime during my spare time.

Coach: Do you have any study tips or suggestions for aspiring CFEs?

Well: The advice I would give anyone trying to take the CFE Exam is to purchase the prep manuals that come with the Practice Exam[s]. I felt more confident taking the CFE Exam after taking the Practice Exams and seeing how my scores improved every time.