Q&A with Darcey Horejsh, CFE

This past spring, Darcey Horejsh took some time off to pursue her goal of becoming a CFE. Horejsh feels that her new CFE credential allows her to stand out from others un he field. Horejsh feels more confident in her role as she continues her passion of helping others and protecting her company from being victimized by fraud. When Horejsh is not working, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends.

Coach: When did you receive your CFE credential?

Horejsh: I received the official email of congratulations on June 22, 2021.

Coach: Please describe your experience of attending virtual the CFE Exam Review Course, and what did you like most about the Review Course?

Horejsh: I attended the four-day virtual Review Course at the end of May 2021. What I liked best about the course were two things: the fact that it was virtual and I could attend from the comfort of my home.

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

Horejsh: I did a small amount of review prior to attending the course. I did the Pre-Assessment to determine where I was at in each of the various topics and where needed to focus more of my attention/study efforts. My daily routine for the course started in the morning. I logged in, listened to the course speakers, and followed along in the workbooks, . During the lunch break I would take a Practice Exam for that topic, then in the afternoon after lunch, I would finish out the session listening and following along in the workbooks. At the end of the day’s session, I would break for dinner and then review my notes from the day, do some practice questions, and then proceed with the exam on that section. This seemed to work well for me and I was successful! It’s a long four days but very well worth it!

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

Horejsh: I feel that the CFE credential allows me to stand out from others in my department by showing that I have additional education as it relates to the fraud industry. I feel it also helped me learn additional topics related to fraud/exams that I may not have otherwise learned in my current role due to my role responsibilities.

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

Horejsh: Yes, I will recommend the Review Course! Absolutely!

Coach: How did you become passionate about fighting fraud?

Horejsh: I became passionate because I saw the devastation it can do to victims of scams of fraud. I also have a curious mind as to the reason why fraudsters do what they do and how they do it. Fraud is too prevalent in today’s world and it is very scary, and I am passionate about helping others and protecting my company from being a victim.

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?

Horejsh: I like to spend time with family and friends. I am a huge animal/dog lover, so I spend time helping out dog rescues for dogs available for adoption. I enjoy the great Arizona weather and being outdoors, which is a change from growing up in the Midwest and the super cold winters!

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

Horejsh: If you are on the fence about taking the CFE Exam, go for it! Not everyone is aware, but if you fail the test, that is okay. You can take the test again! I was hesitant as I generally get test anxiety, but the way the Review Course was structured really helped with the test taking. It was well worth the time and effort spent to obtain my CFE.

Q&A with Andrew Cook, CFE

Andrew Cook of Pennsylvania recently became a CFE after attending the virtual CFE Exam Review Course. Cook feels that the CFE credential has expanded his knowledge base, skill set, and professional network. Networking with other CFEs has been a great benefit to his career as well. Read more about Cook’s journey to becoming a CFE below.

Coach: When did you receive your CFE credential?

Cook: I received my CFE credential in August 2021.

Coach: Please describe your experience of attending the virtual Review Course, and what did you like most about the course?

Cook: My experience with the Review Course was fantastic. John and Bret were great instructors and shared their knowledge and expertise to help the attendees put the finishing touches on their studying before taking the CFE Exam. My favorite part of the course had to be John and Bret sharing their real-world experiences working in this field. It provided clarity around some more challenging topics and allowed me to just focus on the real-world application of the subject matter without worrying if a certain piece of information was going to be important for the CFE Exam. To that end, I followed the advice of some CFE colleagues and completed the review questions and practice tests prior to attending the Review Course and allowed the course to act as a comprehensive review of the material prior to taking the exam each evening.

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

Cook: I reviewed the Prep Course for about six weeks prior to attending the course. I studied around an hour each night with some longer studies on weekends. I know this seems like a lot, but I found it to be very helpful as it allowed me to retain a lot of the information far beyond my CFE Exam. In m y everyday work, I frequently find myself utilizing information that I studied. My advice is to break it all down and take advantage of the review questions and practice tests.

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

Cook: My role focuses on the detection, investigation, and prevention of business malfeasance and business identity theft, and the CFE credential has allowed me to expand my knowledge base and skill set while also expanding my professional network, so I can stay ahead of new fraud trends. Having a network of CFEs sharing fraud-fighting tips and tricks has already been a great help, and I’ve already seen those learnings pay off in my career.

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

Cook: Absolutely. It was recommended to me by colleagues who have their CFE credential, and I think it’s a fantastic way to tie your CFE studying together. It provided context around the study material that will benefit you long after you take the CFE Exam.

Coach: How did you become passionate about fighting fraud?

Cook: I think that passion developed after a summer internship with what is now my current team. It was really the best of both worlds, it was an intersection of my finance and business background with my lifelong interest in law. I worked in a variety of other business areas in the following years, but I always wanted to return to that team. Fortunately, I was able to rejoin the team just over a year ago due to the hard work that has been put into expanding our firm’s fraud-fighting capabilities.

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?

Cook: I love exploring the local food scene and trying all of the new restaurants that keep popping up. I also spend a lot of time trying to create those recipes at home. As a balance to the food hobby, I’m an avid cyclist and try to spend a lot of time on the local trails. If I’m at home, I’m often reading, watching sports, or relaxing with friends.

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

Cook: My advice is to break it down, acknowledge the progress you’re making, and don’t worry about it. Seeing over one thousand practice questions and four practice exams can seem intimidating, but just keep chipping away at it knowing that if you take your time to do it right, you’ll do great on the CFE Exam and be able to put your new CFE skills to good use.

Q&A with Dr. Tereesha Patterson, CFE

Dr. Tereesha Patterson of Indiana recently became a CFE after attending the virtual CFE Exam Review Course. Patterson intends on creating a platform of the certification for her students as well as teaching them about fraud detection, prevention, and deterrence. Read more about her experience below.

Coach: When did you receive your CFE credential?  

Patterson: I received my CFE certification in May 2021. 

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

Patterson: My experience attending the four-day virtual Review Course was positive and extremely helpful. The things I liked most about the experience were the PowerPoint slides, the ability to listen to the course instructors explain—in live context—details about the subject matter, their breakdown of meaningful information, and the clues provided by them on how to answer certain question.

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

Patterson: The CFE credential will keep me in the loop of professional development when it comes to detecting fraud. As a college professor, I will make a platform of the certification to students and teach fraud detection, prevention, and deterrence. I will also do continuing research around fraud, add to the literature, and work on some side projects with organizations. There is a hope to work on some case studies in the classroom. 

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

Patterson: Yes, I would highly recommend taking the time to attend the Review Course to anyone who wants to understand the material better and finish their studies efficiently. 

Coach: How did you become passionate about fighting fraud? 

Patterson: Working to complete my dissertation that highlights audit and technology and teaching about fraud to upcoming accounting and business professionals are what drive the passion.    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? 

Patterson: Traveling is so important for mental and physical health. It is essential that I set some personal time away from my normal work routine on a regular basis to break away and visit a town, a city, or another state, even if it is just for a weekend. I enjoy the outdoors, walking, hiking, and the beach. 

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

Patterson: My best advice is to attend the Review Course—virtually will suffice if you cannot go live. Upcoming CFEs will not regret the economic sacrifice and time—you will pass. 

Q&A with Carrie Jo Schoenhals, CFE

Carrie Jo Schoenhals of Arizona recently became a CFE after attending an in-person CFE Exam Review Course. Schoenhals has been passionate about fighting fraud for a long time, which helped her achieve her goal of becoming a CFE. Schoenhals believes that the CFE designation gave her immediate credibility and respect with suspects and witnesses. Read more about Schoenhals’ journey to becoming a CFE below.

Coach: When did you receive your CFE credential?

Schoenhals: I received my CFE credential in March 2020.

Coach: You attended the CFE Exam Review Course in Phoenix, and following the course, you sat for the CFE Exam on-site. Please describe your experience of participating in the four-day Review Course and then sitting for the exam immediately afterward.

Schoenhals: I found the four-day Review Course to be invaluable. The classes reinforced what I had learned during the prep work prior to arriving in Phoenix. The instructors were very knowledgeable and helped narrow the scope of information to what was truly critical. I also found that the instructors were able to take some of the more abstract theories and provide practical applications. As for the exams, I won’t lie—they were stressful! However, coming right on the heels of the classes, I was more than adequately prepared. I left a few of the exams thinking I had passed but maybe hadn’t done so well. I was wrong; I did very well on all four exams, and I really believe that was due to all the prep work I had done in combination with the classes.

Coach: What did you like most about the CFE Exam Review Course?

Schoenhals: I liked the four-day Review Course the best. The information and experiences shared by the instructors were my favorite parts. The practical application of theories and information is, for me, the best way to learn and grow.

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

Schoenhals: I have been a mortgage-fraud investigator for nearly 15 years. Studying and preparing for the CFE Exam was a detailed process that taught me more about criminology, aspects of the law, analyzing documentation, and conducting investigations. The CFE designation gave me instant credibility and respect with suspects and witnesses, even if they are unfamiliar with it—being able to say that you are a Certified Fraud Examiner is powerful. The CFE credential allows me to create new business relationships with other like-minded fraud professionals and makes me more marketable as an investigator.

Coach: How did you prepare yourself to sit for the CFE Exam on-site? Did you spend any additional time studying after class each day?

Schoenhals: To prepare for the four-day Review Course, I took advantage of the online CFE Exam Prep Course. I took the Pre-Assessment Test, completed each of the four Review Sessions, and completed the four Practice Exams. I went so far as to write down every question I got wrong and used those notes to study the night prior to the class of each of the sections. After each class, I took a few minutes to go back and just reread the information I had highlighted during that day’s class, as those were areas the instructors stressed, and then I took the CFE Exam.

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

Schoenhals: I would absolutely recommend the Review Course to my colleagues. I think the combination of the online Prep Course and the four-day Review Course was invaluable. Again, there were many topics and theories I could memorize for an exam, but to really understand them and be able to incorporate them into my job took attending the four-day Review Course.

Coach: How did you become passionate about fighting fraud?

Schoenhals: I’ve been passionate about fighting fraud for as long as I can remember. I think I have always wanted to be a “detective.” I grew up watching “Charlie’s Angels” and “Starsky & Hutch” and wanted to be like them. I went on to get my degree in criminal justice and actually worked as a sheriff’s deputy for a few years before moving to the corporate world. I got my start in the mortgage industry as an underwriter. I kept flagging files for red flags and misrepresentations and referring them to the fraud team. It didn’t take long before I was on the fraud team, and I can’t imagine doing anything else. I love finding all the pieces of the fraud puzzle and putting them together. There is nothing quite like that ah-ha moment when you identify the pattern or a suspect.

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?

Schoenhals: One hobby that you might not find surprising is that I love doing jigsaw puzzles—the harder the better! Also, I was able to move back to Colorado recently and live in the mountains. When the weather is nice, I spend a good part of my free time working on the property, chopping wood and clearing slash. I used to spend my money on cute shoes, but now it’s chain saws and wood chippers! I also love all the wildlife I see right outside my home office window: deer, birds, and even some black bears.

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

Schoenhals: As for tips for aspiring CFEs, take advantage of all the study materials provided by the ACFE and take the four-day Review Course. You won’t regret it!

Q&A with Yvonne Jackson, CFE

Yvonne Jackson of Texas recently became a CFE after attending the virtual CFE Exam Review Course. By attending the course, Jackson learned many new aspects about risk and fraud as she felt as though they were covered much more in depth. When Jackson is not working, she enjoys travel and outdoor thrill-seeking activities.

Coach: When did you receive your CFE credential?

Jackson: I was certified on March 26, 2021.

Coach: Please describe your experience of attending the four-day virtual CFE Exam Review Course. What did you like most about the Review Course?

Jackson: I thought the course was very good and thorough in helping me prepare for the CFE Exam. Everything was well presented and covered effectively to give me the knowledge I needed to succeed. Each day, the speakers presented their topics, and we had group discussions throughout the day.

I did practice questions during lunch, and each day after the daily Review Course ended, I took the Practice Exam of that section to see how well I did. If I did well enough, I took the real exam right afterward. This was a long, intense four-day period as the Practice Exams and CFE Exams took between an hour and a half and two hours each, on top of a full study day. However, it was so worth it to not spend weeks of time studying. I would rather go big and get it all done at once.

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

Jackson: Although the course materials arrived around two weeks prior to attending the Review Course, I started reviewing the materials a few days before. I studied twice for about an hour before the Review Course began.

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

Jackson: I work in internal audit for an insurance company. The CFE credential and the knowledge that comes with it will give me better insight into assessing risk and situations where there could be fraud. This new CFE credential will allow me to become a better auditor, and it will open opportunities to grow and advance within my company.

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

Jackson: The Review Course was great at refreshing the basics I learned when studying for my CPA Exam and my FLMI Exams. I also learned many new things about risk and fraud that were covered much more in depth. I would highly recommend the four-day Review Course because it definitely helped me gain the needed knowledge to pass the CFE Exam. The practice questions and exams prepared me for the types of questions to expect. The instructors knew what type of information was required and taught it accordingly.

Coach: How did you become passionate about fighting fraud?

Jackson: I have worked in the insurance industry for almost ten years. Previously, I worked in public accounting and at a bank. In my professional career, I have seen so many reports of people getting arrested or convicted for these high-dollar fraud schemes, which is always hard to see because it means that more and more people are getting defrauded every day. The hardest for me is probably seeing vulnerable people getting conned out of their life savings for trusting the wrong people. The only silver lining is that if I’m reading a conviction report, then it means someone is being held accountable. In college, I originally wanted to be a lawyer and get justice for people. Having my CFE credential and being able to help stop fraud makes me feel like I am doing something worthwhile for the greater good.

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?

Jackson: I love adventure and traveling. Being outdoors and hiking or exploring is just an amazing feeling that I really enjoy. When traveling, I try to eat local cuisines and do things that locals would do. My husband would say that I am a thrill seeker, as I am not afraid to climb to crazy heights, skydive, bungee jump, or do pretty much anything. Really, I just love new experiences; they don’t all have to be high-adrenaline activities for me to enjoy.

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

Jackson: Definitely do the Practice Exams because that was really helpful for me. In addition, I would recommend taking the CFE Exam as soon as possible after each daily session, if you do the four-day Review Course.