ACFE SA Fact Sheet

About the ACFE International

The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) is the world’s largest anti-fraud organisation and premier provider of anti-fraud training and education. Together with more than 85,000 members, the ACFE is reducing business fraud worldwide and inspiring public confidence in the integrity and objectivity within the profession.
As fraud becomes increasingly more prevalent and complicated, the ACFE is continually researching and developing new publications, self-study products, and cutting-edge fraud training conferences designed to educate and prepare fraud examiners for the challenges they face.

As an ACFE member, you receive many valuable benefits that help to promote your professional and career development. These benefits include access to member’s only services and resources as well as discounts on many of ACFE’s valuable products. Membership is open to any person who qualifies and is interested in, or engaged in, the practice or teaching of preventing, detecting or deterring fraud.
There is no better time than today to enhance your career and invest in your future by becoming a Member of the Association

About The South African Chapter

The need to raise the standard of fraud examination in Southern Africa and for a Professional Body not limited to a specific profession such as accounting or law, resulted in the establishment of a local chapter in 1998 with the mission to provide a community environment in which local forensic examination practitioners can associate. This chapter is a collection of individuals from all industries and professions, all with a single goal in mind; the reduction of white-collar crime in South Africa.

While an official chapter of the International Association, it is important to note that membership of the local chapter is optional and separate from that of the Association. We have Interest Groups in different regions and neighboring countries to increase service delivery to our members. These groups meet regularly to promote network and training opportunities in their regions.

Chapter participation gives you the opportunity to meet other anti-fraud professionals in your area who are facing the same challenges you are. Sharing insights, techniques and experience, in addition to promoting fraud awareness in your community, is invaluable to the global fight against fraud.

The ACFE Mission

The mission of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners is to reduce the incidence of fraud and white-collar crime and to assist the Membership in fraud detection and deterrence.

To accomplish our mission, the ACFE:

Recognition and Representation:

• ACFE SA is registered by SAQA as a professional body, per the requirements set out in the National Qualifications Framework Act, Act 67 of 2008. This Act defines what a professional body is, what a professional designation is, and thereby also stipulate who will be regarded as a professional and an expert in South Africa. A Professional body is defined as any body of expert practitioners in an occupational field, and includes an occupational body. Professional designation is defined as a title or status conferred by a professional body in recognition of a person’s expertise and/or right to practice in an occupational field. This officially affords professional status to everybody with the CFE qualification, and recognises the ACFE SA as constituted to represent and/or regulate a recognized community of experts.
• ACFE SA has a proud history and track record. ACFE SA was established in South Africa in 1998, while the ACFE International has been operating since 1988. As such the ACFE is a well established and internationally recognised organisation.
• On the International and local level, the CFE Designation is recognised by Government, Courts, Academic Institutions. Most Companies and the Industry, in general, recognise and accept ACFE membership and the CFE Designation as a premier qualification.
• ACFE has a significant footprint and membership base. We have more than 6000 registered individual members in South Africa, representing approximately  600 companies. On the International level the ACFE has more than 85 000 members, over 250 chapters and are represented in 180 countries.
• ACFE SA provides the premier forum and platform for Forensic Practitioners to network and interact, as can be seen at our well attended events and our Imbizo - an unique forum for leaders of the Industry to participate in an interactive process aimed at improving our industry through agreed resolutions and action points.
• ACFE SA promotes our members’ services through our website, and Career Centres.
• Our members, and specifically CFE’s, are in high demand in the job market.

Career paths, Qualification, Standards and Training:

• ACFE SA have registered the CFE (international) exam as a NQF Level 7 qualification with SAQA. This makes the CFE an unique qualification seeing as it's backed by a well-established, international association (ACFE) with an impressive track record, and therefore enjoys not only local but international recognition. A core objective for the ACFE is to provide the worldwide market with credible and competent anti-fraud professionals. The key to the ACFE’s value is a single benchmark for all, a common pool of knowledge, a common set of principles and a united body.
• CFEs can work globally and locally: Since 2008, ACFE members have been able to write a CFE exam based on an international curriculum, which prepares professionals to work globally. This is only possible because fraud professionals worldwide have largely common core knowledge, skills and experience requirements. Local Chapters help members adapt their international qualification to the local market.
• ACFE offers various training and education meetings at below market costs on the international and local level, providing approximately 120 CPE points per annum;
• ACFE training courses are bench-marked to the highest local and international standards, and recognised as such as proven by the high attendance rates at all our events. Furthermore, Learning Institutions increasingly look to use ACFE material to assist on their courses (University of Pretoria, NWU, UNISA)
• ACFE SA developed a South African Law Manual which is complimentary to the ACFE International Fraud manual;
• ACFE SA has a registered learnership for the practical experience requirements relating to the CFE designation;
• ACFE SA, in recognition of the need expressed by members, are pursuing creation of further specialist qualifications.
• The ACFE Research and Knowledge base is of the highest standard, and continually being updated.
• The ACFE Code of Ethics and Professional Standards are internationally accepted.

Legal

The ACFE SA has, for many years, been operating as a legal entity:

• We are a registered Non-Profit Organisation, NPO: 061-312
• VAT registration number 4280242217
• Art 21 Registration: 1999/014 890/ 08
• Income tax no  9423146647