CFC Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield CFC facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. In a check tampering scheme, an employee intercepts and cashes a company check made out to a vendor. This is best described as: → Forged endorsement scheme
2. Which process can reveal indented writing on a document without damaging it? → Electrostatic Detection Apparatus (ESDA)
3. Which quality assurance standard governs accredited forensic DNA laboratories in the United States? → FBI Quality Assurance Standards (QAS) for Forensic DNA Testing Laboratories
4. Which skeletal element exhibits the greatest sexual dimorphism and is considered most reliable for determining biological sex in adult skeletons? → Pelvis
5. Which cranial feature has traditionally been used to estimate adult age at death, though it is considered a rough indicator with high individual variability? → Cranial suture closure
6. Why is evidence packaging critical? → To maintain evidence condition and avoid contamination
7. What does 'muzzle-to-target distance' determination in gunshot wound analysis primarily rely on? → Gunshot residue stippling, soot deposition, and powder tattooing patterns around the wound
8. A forensic reconstructionist is analyzing a fire scene. Which burn pattern indicates a fire's point of origin? → V-pattern or inverted cone shape on the wall
9. A forensic examiner observes a peak in a capillary electropherogram that is exactly one repeat unit smaller than a true allele. This artifact is called: → Stutter
10. Which bloodstain pattern would most strongly suggest a body was moved after blood had begun to pool? → Drag pattern with smearing and trail
11. A forensic consultant is subpoenaed to testify about a prior engagement for a different client. The most appropriate first step is to: → Notify the prior client and their counsel to allow assertion of applicable privileges
12. Which computer program uses discriminant function analysis of cranial measurements to statistically estimate ancestry from skeletal remains? → FORDISC
13. Which forensic discipline is specifically concerned with the examination of questioned documents? → Forensic document examination
14. Under FinCEN regulations, which financial institution employees are required to file a Suspicious Activity Report (SAR)? → Designated compliance staff after internal review
15. What characteristic distinguishes a 'void pattern' in blood spatter analysis? → An absence of bloodstains in an area that should logically have received spatter
16. In forensic toxicology, 'matrix effects' in mass spectrometry refer to: → Interference from endogenous biological compounds affecting ionization efficiency
17. Which organ is the primary site of drug metabolism in the body? → Liver
18. When interviewing a fraud suspect, the forensic accountant should generally present the most incriminating evidence: → Near the end of the interview
19. A social engineering attack where criminals call employees posing as IT support to obtain credentials is best classified as which type of attack? → Vishing (voice phishing)
20. Hypostasis that is bright cherry-red in color is a classic finding associated with which cause of death? → Both carbon monoxide and cyanide poisoning
21. Which term describes handwriting that has been deliberately changed to prevent identification of the true author? → Disguised writing
22. What is the primary purpose of autopsy in a forensic death investigation? → To determine cause of death, manner of death, and collect evidence
23. What is a key component of professional integrity in forensics? → Truthful and accurate reporting of results
24. Which characteristic of a bullet wound indicates that it is an exit wound rather than an entry wound? → Larger, irregular, and stellate margin without an abrasion collar
25. In forensic entomology, blow fly (Calliphoridae) succession on a corpse is primarily used to estimate: → The minimum postmortem interval
26. In bloodstain pattern analysis, what does a low-velocity impact spatter typically indicate? → Dripping blood or a fall
27. During voir dire, opposing counsel challenges an expert's qualifications. The expert's strongest response to establish competency is to: → Cite specific education, training, publications, and relevant case experience
28. A forensic consultant is pressured by retaining counsel to omit findings that weaken the client's case from the written report. The consultant should: → Include all material findings regardless of how they affect the client's position
29. A Daubert challenge is filed against a forensic accountant's damages calculation. The judge's role during a Daubert hearing is best described as: → Acting as a gatekeeper to assess reliability of the methodology
30. A chain of custody document for digital evidence must include which MINIMUM set of information for each transfer? → Date/time, transferring party, receiving party, and purpose of transfer