Q&A with Carrie Jo Schoenhals, CFE

Carrie Jo Schoenhals of Arizona recently became a CFE after attending an in-person CFE Exam Review Course. Schoenhals has been passionate about fighting fraud for a long time, which helped her achieve her goal of becoming a CFE. Schoenhals believes that the CFE designation gave her immediate credibility and respect with suspects and witnesses. Read more about Schoenhals’ journey to becoming a CFE below.

Coach: When did you receive your CFE credential?

Schoenhals: I received my CFE credential in March 2020.

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

Schoenhals: I found the four-day Review Course to be invaluable. The classes reinforced what I had learned during the prep work prior to arriving in Phoenix. The instructors were very knowledgeable and helped narrow the scope of information to what was truly critical. I also found that the instructors were able to take some of the more abstract theories and provide practical applications. As for the exams, I won’t lie—they were stressful! However, coming right on the heels of the classes, I was more than adequately prepared. I left a few of the exams thinking I had passed but maybe hadn’t done so well. I was wrong; I did very well on all four exams, and I really believe that was due to all the prep work I had done in combination with the classes.

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

Schoenhals: I liked the four-day Review Course the best. The information and experiences shared by the instructors were my favorite parts. The practical application of theories and information is, for me, the best way to learn and grow.

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

Schoenhals: I have been a mortgage-fraud investigator for nearly 15 years. Studying and preparing for the CFE Exam was a detailed process that taught me more about criminology, aspects of the law, analyzing documentation, and conducting investigations. The CFE designation gave me instant credibility and respect with suspects and witnesses, even if they are unfamiliar with it—being able to say that you are a Certified Fraud Examiner is powerful. The CFE credential allows me to create new business relationships with other like-minded fraud professionals and makes me more marketable as an investigator.

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

Schoenhals: To prepare for the four-day Review Course, I took advantage of the online CFE Exam Prep Course. I took the Pre-Assessment Test, completed each of the four Review Sessions, and completed the four Practice Exams. I went so far as to write down every question I got wrong and used those notes to study the night prior to the class of each of the sections. After each class, I took a few minutes to go back and just reread the information I had highlighted during that day’s class, as those were areas the instructors stressed, and then I took the CFE Exam.

Coach: Would you recommend the CFE Exam Review Course to your colleagues?

Schoenhals: I would absolutely recommend the Review Course to my colleagues. I think the combination of the online Prep Course and the four-day Review Course was invaluable. Again, there were many topics and theories I could memorize for an exam, but to really understand them and be able to incorporate them into my job took attending the four-day Review Course.

Coach: How did you become passionate about fighting fraud?

Schoenhals: I’ve been passionate about fighting fraud for as long as I can remember. I think I have always wanted to be a “detective.” I grew up watching “Charlie’s Angels” and “Starsky & Hutch” and wanted to be like them. I went on to get my degree in criminal justice and actually worked as a sheriff’s deputy for a few years before moving to the corporate world. I got my start in the mortgage industry as an underwriter. I kept flagging files for red flags and misrepresentations and referring them to the fraud team. It didn’t take long before I was on the fraud team, and I can’t imagine doing anything else. I love finding all the pieces of the fraud puzzle and putting them together. There is nothing quite like that ah-ha moment when you identify the pattern or a suspect.

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?

Schoenhals: One hobby that you might not find surprising is that I love doing jigsaw puzzles—the harder the better! Also, I was able to move back to Colorado recently and live in the mountains. When the weather is nice, I spend a good part of my free time working on the property, chopping wood and clearing slash. I used to spend my money on cute shoes, but now it’s chain saws and wood chippers! I also love all the wildlife I see right outside my home office window: deer, birds, and even some black bears.

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

Schoenhals: As for tips for aspiring CFEs, take advantage of all the study materials provided by the ACFE and take the four-day Review Course. You won’t regret it!