Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE)

The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) is the world’s largest anti-fraud organization. By delivering best-in-class training, offering the CFE credential and fostering a dynamic, global community of anti-fraud professionals, the ACFE is reducing fraud and corruption worldwide.

Our Story
The conversation that sparked the formation of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) occurred in 1985 on an office porch in downtown Austin, Texas. During a casual exchange between ACFE founder and Chairman Dr. Joseph T. Wells, CFE, CPA, an accountant turned FBI agent, and the foremost criminologist in the country, Dr. Donald Cressey, the ACFE began to take shape. 
At that time, fraud detection and deterrence were handled by two different groups: accountants who didn’t know anything about investigating fraud and investigators who didn’t know anything about accounting.

“What you need to do is combine these disciplines,” Cressey suggested matter-of-factly.
A few years later, Wells did just that. The culmination of these insights led to the formation of a common body of knowledge known today as fraud examination and has since bridged a gap in disciplines.
Still based out of its original headquarters in Austin, Texas, the ACFE supports more than 90,000 members in over 180 countries. Members include CPAs, auditors, lawyers, investigators, law enforcement officers, security professionals, executives, managers and anyone whose job involves preventing, detecting or deterring fraud.