Interviewing Strategies & Reporting Methods Flashcards
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Read the first 7 Interviewing Strategies & Reporting Methods flashcards as text
During an interview of a potential fraud victim, which approach is most appropriate to elicit accurate recall?
Answer: Use the cognitive interview technique to enhance memory retrieval
The cognitive interview technique uses mental reinstatement and open recall to maximize accurate memory retrieval without contaminating accounts with leading questions.
A fraud examiner must interview a subject who is represented by legal counsel. What is the correct protocol?
Answer: Interview the subject only in counsel's presence or with counsel's explicit permission
When a subject has retained counsel, the examiner must coordinate with that attorney before proceeding to avoid ethical violations and protect the integrity of the investigation.
Which of the following is an example of a 'soft' accusation used to transition an interview into its accusatory phase?
Answer: 'The evidence shows that money was taken, and the investigation has focused on you.'
A soft accusation presents the conclusion of the investigation matter-of-factly without aggressive language, reducing defensiveness while signaling the subject is implicated.
When preparing an investigation report that may be used in litigation, which writing standard is most important?
Answer: Maintaining objectivity, factual accuracy, and avoiding conclusions unsupported by evidence
Litigation-ready reports must be objective and fully supported by evidence because they will be scrutinized by opposing counsel and the court.
What is the 'funnel approach' in investigative interviewing?
Answer: Starting with broad, open-ended questions and progressively narrowing to specific details
The funnel approach starts with open general questions to obtain the subject's narrative, then narrows with specific follow-up questions to probe inconsistencies.
Which of the following statements about written confessions in fraud investigations is correct?
Answer: The confession should be in the subject's own words and voluntarily signed
A written confession in the subject's own words, signed voluntarily, is more credible and harder to repudiate than one drafted by the examiner.
An interviewer notices a subject's story becomes more elaborate and detailed when discussing an alibi. What does this behavioral pattern potentially indicate?
Answer: Coaching or fabrication of a rehearsed story
Overly elaborate or scripted-sounding alibi details can indicate coaching or fabrication, as honest accounts tend to include natural gaps and spontaneous corrections.