Basic Principles of Evidence - Practice and Procedure - Law - CFE Certified
Fraud Examiner Examination Preparation Course questions and answers
2025\2026 A+ Grade
The purpose of the authentication requirement in most common law systems is to ensure that hearsay
is not admitted into evidence.
A. True
B. False
- correct answer B. False
The purpose of Authentication is to ensure that the evidence is what the party claims it is & that it is
genuine, not a forgery
Which of the following scenarios would potentially result in the waiver of a client's legal professional
privilege over confidential communications with the client's legal representative?
A. The client inadvertently forwards an email with privileged information to unrelated third parties who
have no need to know the information
B. The client's legal representative shares privileged communications with an unrelated third party who
has no need to know the information
C. The client intentionally shares privileged communications with an unrelated third party who has no
need to know the information
D. All of the above
- correct answer D. All of the above
While conducting a fraud examination, Black, a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), obtained a document in
Year 1. Since Black obtained the document, several individuals have had it in their possession. In Year 2,
the document was introduced at trial. However, the document's authenticity was questioned because
there was no record of who had possession of it and what they did with it. The question concerning the
document's authenticity is based on a failure to maintain _____________.
A. Who validated the evidence
B. The best form of the evidence
, C. The chain of custody
D. The attorney's evidence records
- correct answer C. The chain of custody
Which of the following is an acceptable way of authenticating digital records in most common law
systems?
A. Accompanying the evidence with a written certification by the custodian of records
B. Having a witness who has personal knowledge of the records offer testimony
C. Providing evidence of distinctive characteristics of the records
D. All of the above
- correct answer D. All of the above
Blue is a defendant on trial for fraud in a common law jurisdiction. One of the key pieces of evidence in
the trial is a handwritten letter written by Blue that indicates his intent to commit the fraud. Before the
letter can be admitted into evidence, Blue's authorship of the letter must be established. Which of the
following statements about establishing the authenticity of the letter is CORRECT?
A. The letter's authenticity can be established by having a witness testify that they saw Blue write the
letter
B. The letter's authenticity can be established by having the jury review the document and vote on its
authenticity
C. Because the letter is self-authenticating, it does not need additional authentication to be admitted
D. None of the above
- correct answer A. The letter's authenticity can be established by having a witness testify that they saw
Blue write the letter
Authentication of a writing consists of establishing who authored the doc. This is done in several ways:
· The author testifies & claims authorship
· A witness testifies to seeing the author write the doc
· With handwritten letters, a witness verifies the author's penmanship
· With machine-written letters, a witness verifies the author's signature; or a witness testifies that the
contents of the doc point decisively to the author
· May require a participation of a doc expert
Fraud Examiner Examination Preparation Course questions and answers
2025\2026 A+ Grade
The purpose of the authentication requirement in most common law systems is to ensure that hearsay
is not admitted into evidence.
A. True
B. False
- correct answer B. False
The purpose of Authentication is to ensure that the evidence is what the party claims it is & that it is
genuine, not a forgery
Which of the following scenarios would potentially result in the waiver of a client's legal professional
privilege over confidential communications with the client's legal representative?
A. The client inadvertently forwards an email with privileged information to unrelated third parties who
have no need to know the information
B. The client's legal representative shares privileged communications with an unrelated third party who
has no need to know the information
C. The client intentionally shares privileged communications with an unrelated third party who has no
need to know the information
D. All of the above
- correct answer D. All of the above
While conducting a fraud examination, Black, a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), obtained a document in
Year 1. Since Black obtained the document, several individuals have had it in their possession. In Year 2,
the document was introduced at trial. However, the document's authenticity was questioned because
there was no record of who had possession of it and what they did with it. The question concerning the
document's authenticity is based on a failure to maintain _____________.
A. Who validated the evidence
B. The best form of the evidence
, C. The chain of custody
D. The attorney's evidence records
- correct answer C. The chain of custody
Which of the following is an acceptable way of authenticating digital records in most common law
systems?
A. Accompanying the evidence with a written certification by the custodian of records
B. Having a witness who has personal knowledge of the records offer testimony
C. Providing evidence of distinctive characteristics of the records
D. All of the above
- correct answer D. All of the above
Blue is a defendant on trial for fraud in a common law jurisdiction. One of the key pieces of evidence in
the trial is a handwritten letter written by Blue that indicates his intent to commit the fraud. Before the
letter can be admitted into evidence, Blue's authorship of the letter must be established. Which of the
following statements about establishing the authenticity of the letter is CORRECT?
A. The letter's authenticity can be established by having a witness testify that they saw Blue write the
letter
B. The letter's authenticity can be established by having the jury review the document and vote on its
authenticity
C. Because the letter is self-authenticating, it does not need additional authentication to be admitted
D. None of the above
- correct answer A. The letter's authenticity can be established by having a witness testify that they saw
Blue write the letter
Authentication of a writing consists of establishing who authored the doc. This is done in several ways:
· The author testifies & claims authorship
· A witness testifies to seeing the author write the doc
· With handwritten letters, a witness verifies the author's penmanship
· With machine-written letters, a witness verifies the author's signature; or a witness testifies that the
contents of the doc point decisively to the author
· May require a participation of a doc expert
