Q & A with Patrick Richers

Patrick Richers became a CFE after attending the CFE Exam Review Course in Washington, DC. When Patrick has downtime, he enjoys running and watching Penn State football games. Patrick is also working toward receiving his pilot license. But recently, Patrick put some time aside to accomplish his goal of obtaining the CFE credential. Being a CFE will strengthen Patrick’s ability to identify common fraud schemes and recognize instances of suspected fraud, thereby allowing him to move such issues to a quicker resolution.

Coach: When did you receive your CFE credential?

Richers: I received my CFE credential in October 2015.

Coach: You attended the CFE Exam Review Course in Washington and following the course you sat for the CFE Exam on-site.  Please describe your experience of participating in the 4-day course and then sitting for the exam immediately after.

Richers: I enjoyed attending the course because each day consisted of an extensive review of the day’s topics, with the option to take the test immediately after the lecture. The days were long, but I felt that I had an advantage because I was able to take the test immediately after reviewing the material.

 
Coach: What did you like most about the CFE Exam Review Course?

Richers: The best part of the course was that the material was applicable to the real world – not just the exam. I was able to take information that I learned during the CFE Exam Review Course and use it on my first day back at work. Additionally, the ability to network with other course attendees was valuable.

Coach: In what ways do you feel that your new CFE credential will be beneficial to you in your current profession?

Richers: The CFE credential will benefit me in several ways. It will allow me to maintain knowledge of common fraud schemes, and it will also give me the opportunity to learn about some of the more specialized topics that I might encounter. In addition to providing continuing education, the opportunity to network with other CFEs will be a great benefit.

Coach: How did you prepare yourself to sit for the exam on-site? Did you spend any additional time studying after class each day?

Richers: I was pretty busy leading up to the exam, so my strategy was to identify my weakest subject and then focus my time on that. One week before the review course, I tested myself on ten percent of the CFE Exam Prep Course practice questions for each subject, identified my weakest area, and then spent a few hours working on that section in the days leading up to the course.

Coach: Would you recommend this course to your colleagues?

Richers: I would definitely recommend this course to my colleagues. I think that the course represents the best route to obtaining the CFE credential because you get to review each topic before you take the test.

Coach: How did you become passionate about fighting fraud?

Richers: During my senior year in college, I was fortunate enough to intern with the United States Secret Service in Washington, DC. While I was there, I was exposed to some of their investigative responsibilities, and I became very interested in financial crime investigations.

Coach: Now that we know what you do professionally, what do you like to do for fun and what do you find enjoyable about it?

Richers: When I’m not working, I like to run and watch Penn State football. I’m also currently working toward getting my private pilot’s license.
 

Coach: Do you have any study tips or suggestions for aspiring CFEs?

Richers: I would suggest a two-part strategy for aspiring CFEs. First, budget your time wisely, understand your strengths and weaknesses, and try to improve those weaknesses. Second, attend the CFE Exam Review Course and sit for the exam directly after so that you can capitalize on the material taught during the course.