ACFE Privacy Policy

The ACFE is committed to protecting personal information that it collects and uses regarding our members, customers, website users and other respective parties. This privacy policy notifies you of the following: 

• Purposes for which we process information 
• The information we collect and how we use it 
• Parties we share information with 
• Your rights concerning your personal data 
• Our contact information 

Purposes for which we process information 

To manage your membership and provide you with educational opportunities, we need to collect various types of data. We use your personal information to identify when you joined or left the ACFE, whether you have passed the Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) Exam and met the qualifications to obtain the CFE credential, whether you have met your Continuing Professional Education (CPE) requirements and for similar membership management practices. The CFE credential is an achievement that the public relies on to identify a person with anti-fraud experience, knowledge and professionalism, so we also have a duty to the public to verify whether you are a CFE in good standing. 

Additionally, we provide a host of live and virtual trainings, conferences, online learning and other anti-fraud educational materials. We collect your information to process purchases, fulfill orders, issue refunds and provide other customer service functions. It is also necessary to collect transactional data to meet our accounting, tax and regulatory requirements. We also send you communications about the products and services we offer. We understand that communicating with you is a privilege, not a right, and we work hard to be efficient and only send such messages that we think you will be interested in. 

The information we collect and how we use it 

Most of the data we collect comes from what you provide to us directly. This may include name, contact information (phone, email, physical address, phone number, etc.), payment information, employer, job title and professional interests. When necessary, we also collect information from you to verify that you meet the qualifications set by the Board of Regents to become an associate member or a Certified Fraud Examiner, which can include work and educational history, professional references and character information. 

In addition to the personal information we gather directly from you, we also use some or all of the following sources to collect information about you. 

Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics, a third-party service, to collect standard internet log information and behavior patterns of our website visitors. For instance, this data allows us to see the number of visitors to various pages on our websites, and helps us understand what content our members and customers are most interested in. This information is only processed in the aggregate and we do not use it to identify the people who visit our website. 

Website and email navigational behavior 

We use a third-party email service to collect information on how you interact with communications we send you, such as whether you click on a link in an email or how you navigate on our website. We use this navigational data, along with information that you have provided about your professional interests, to build a user profile. The purpose of this profile is to help us send useful information that is tailored to your professional field and interests while eliminating unwanted or unhelpful messages. This helps us be efficient in how we communicate with you and limit the number of messages you receive from us. This information is collected through the use of cookies and you can choose to block these cookies if you wish (see below). 

Cookies

Cookies are small text files placed on your computer by websites that you visit to provide certain website functionality and provide information to the site owners. We use cookies to improve our marketing, including tracking activity to/from other websites. We also use cookies to improve technical administration of our website. You can choose to have your computer warn you each time a cookie is placed on your computer, or you can choose to block all cookies. This is done through your internet browser settings. Each browser is different, so refer to your browser's help menu to learn how to modify cookies. 

Our website does not support Do Not Track signals. 

CFE Exam proctoring data 

To secure the integrity of the online CFE Exam, the ACFE may use various proctoring tools, including access to examinees' webcams and computer screens, recording audio/video of the examination, storing your ID card images, keystroke biometric data and data on your exam answers. This information is only used to ensure that the CFE Exam is administered fairly. 

Search engine logging 

We use a third-party service to provide search functions on our website. This service allows us to analyze search traffic on our website to improve its functionality. This information does not identify individual users. 

IP address logging and geolocation 

We use services that log internet traffic to our website and email servers as a security and website performance measure. We also use IP address data to identify the geographic location of website users, and we use this data to improve site functionality and provide relevant content and products to users. 

Online course management 

Many of our online courses are offered through third-party services that collect your name and email address when you register. These services also provide both you and us with confirmation that courses have been successfully completed. 

ACFE Community

Members have access to the ACFE Community forum, which is run by a third-party service. We share your member status, email, and city/country with this community service provider so they can identify you, and you can also choose to share your contact information, educational history, company name and professional interests to help you connect to anti-fraud professionals with similar interests. You can control what is displayed to others. Access to the Community is included with membership, but you may opt out at any time by selecting your directory preferences. 

Call traffic data 

We use a third-party phone service that logs the phone numbers and the duration of calls made to or from us. We also record calls made or received by our Member Services team. This information is used to provide metrics to evaluate and improve our customer services and for employee training.

Record retention and destruction 

We have a record retention and destruction schedule that is designed to retain information for only as long as we need it to fulfill purchase orders; manage membership status; and comply with accounting standards, tax requirements, lawful court orders and other applicable laws. If you are a Certified Fraud Examiner, we need to keep some information permanently to be able to verify your certification dates, status with the organization, CFE application information and disciplinary record. This is necessary to ensure that we can enforce our professional standards and rules, and to accurately inform the public about those who are or have been certified by us as CFEs. 

Parties we share information with 

Our general policy is that we do not share personal data with third parties unless you ask us to. There are, however, certain limited exceptions that are described below. 

Public inquiries 

When asked by any member of the public, we will confirm your ACFE membership status, including dates of membership and certification, whether you are a Certified Fraud Examiner and whether you are a member in good standing. 

ACFE local chapters 

One of the benefits of ACFE membership is the ability to join your local chapter. We provide members' contact information to the ACFE local chapter in their region so you can learn about educational and networking opportunities with other ACFE members in your area. You may choose to remove yourself from the list of local ACFE members we send to our chapters at any time by adjusting your settings on the communications preferences page. 

Service providers 

We use third parties to perform services on our behalf, including package delivery, printing, payment processing (including credit card processing), marketing, advertising and customer service. If you register to attend an ACFE event, we may share your registration information with the conference center or facility that is hosting the event for the purposes of registration and communications. These service providers are only allowed to process your personal information for the purposes requested by us or required by law. 

Customers' employers and funders

When an employer pays for its employee(s) to attend or use our courses or trainings, we will respond to reasonable requests from the employer to confirm the employee's attendance. Additionally, when an employer or a funding agency (such as a government program that reimburses expenses for qualifying individuals’ professional development) pays for an individual’s CFE Exam fee, the ACFE will respond to reasonable requests from the funding party to verify the individual’s pass/fail status. This pass/fail status verification will not contain number of attempts or specific exam scores.

ACFE Authorised Trainers 

The ACFE's Authorised Trainer program allows certain third parties to offer the live or virtual CFE Exam Review Course and other seminars so that you can have access to these resources in a convenient location. If you register for a course with an Authorised Trainer, we provide the trainer with information you have provided to us that is necessary to complete the course registration process. The ACFE also shares aggregated CFE Exam pass rate data with its Authorised Trainers for the purpose of evaluating and improving the CFE Exam Review Course. This pass rate data does not include individuals’ scores.   

Sponsors and exhibitors 

When we host conferences, we provide the exhibitor/sponsor with attendees' physical mailing address (where permissible to do so). The exhibitor/sponsor is allowed to send two direct mailings to attendees (one before the conference and one after the conference), and does not receive attendees' emails or phone numbers. We also provide access to free sponsored webinars, and if you register for these events, the contact information you enter on the webinar registration page is provided to the sponsor. The webinar sponsor can then contact you with information about their services (where permissible by law). 

Mobile app developers 

We contract with third parties to provide mobile applications that correspond to certain conferences and publications. If you register for a conference, we provide the app developer with your registration information so that you can activate the app on your device, organize your schedule, access information about the event and connect with other attendees. You can choose what information is available to other app users. 

International information transfers 

We are located in the United States and collect and store information here. As described above, we provide members' location and contact information to the ACFE local chapter in their region. We also have a customer service center located in the Philippines that helps us provide round-the-clock international customer service coverage and support. At this time, neither the United States nor the Philippines have received an adequacy decision by the European Commission. 

Law enforcement and regulatory authorities

We may disclose your personal information to law enforcement authorities and regulatory agencies if we determine that the disclosure is necessary to comply with a lawful court order or a request related to a legitimate government investigation.  

Your rights concerning your personal data 

We take your privacy rights seriously and are committed to the transparent collection and use of your information. The following information pertains to your rights to your personal information: 

Right to access personal information 

Our goal is to be transparent about the information we store about you. Many jurisdictions provide individuals with a right to require organizations holding their personal information to provide them access to it. In addition to complying with those requirements in specific jurisdictions, we will do our best to honor any request for access to personal information. Upon request, we will describe the information we have about you, explain the purpose for which we hold it, explain what parties we disclose it to, and let you have a copy in an intelligible form. To request access to all information we hold about you, you must submit your request in writing using the contact information at the bottom of this page. 

Withdrawing consent 

In instances where our ability to process your personal information is based on consent, including marketing purposes, you have the right to revoke that consent at any time. You may make such a request in writing to the address at the bottom of this page, by changing your settings on our communications preferences page or by calling our Member Services Department. 

Erasure or "right to be forgotten" 

Some jurisdictions provide individuals with a right to require organizations holding their personal data to erase it. In addition to complying with such requirements in specific jurisdictions, we will do our best to comply with any request to delete information we have collected about you at your request. Note that some information, such as litigation records or personal information required to verify whether an individual has ever been a CFE, must be retained. Additionally, exercising your right to be forgotten may mean that we are no longer able to provide you with certain benefits or services that you have requested. Please submit your request in writing using contact information at the bottom of this page. 

Changing or correcting data 

If you are a member or have a user account on our website, you can log in to ACFE.com to edit your account information. If you believe that any information we have about you is incorrect or incomplete, you may contact us using the phone number or email address at the bottom of this page. 

Objecting to processing 

If you believe that we are improperly processing your personal information, you may submit a request to change it using the contact information at the bottom of this page. We will review the request and respond to you promptly. 

Making a complaint against us 

If you would like to make a complaint against us, some jurisdictions have regulatory bodies to receive and review such complaints, such as the Federal Trade Commission in the United States. Individuals within the European Union have the right to lodge a complaint about a violation regarding their personal data with a supervisory authority in the EU Member State of their residence, place of work or place of the alleged violation. See the bottom of this page for the contact information of our EU representative. 

Your California privacy rights

The California "Shine the Light" law permits California residents who visit our website to request and obtain from us, once a year and free of charge, details regarding their personal information (if any) that we disclosed to third parties for direct marketing purposes within the previous calendar year. If applicable, our response to this request will include a list of categories of personal information that we shared and the names and addresses of the third parties. Additionally, you have the right not to be subjected to discrimination for exercise of your California data privacy rights. 

If you are a California resident and would like to make such a request, please submit your request in writing to the address below. 

Contact information 
Association of Certified Fraud Examiners 
716 West Ave. 
Austin, TX 78701 
United States of America 
(800) 245-3321 (USA & Canada only) 
+1 (512) 478-9000 
[email protected] 

European Union and United Kingdom Data Protection Representative

The ACFE has appointed DataRep as its Data Protection Representative for purposes of the General Data Protection Regulation in the EU/EEA and the Data Protection Act in the UK. Click here for additional information about your privacy rights, including instructions on how to contact DataRep.

Policy effective April 3, 2023