ACFE Rules of Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures
The ACFE Board of Regents is responsible for establishing and enforcing rules of conduct for ACFE members. All members are expected to adhere to the ACFE Bylaws and the ACFE Code of Ethics, and CFEs are additionally governed by the CFE Code of Professional Standards. If a member is accused of violating these rules, the review process is governed by the ACFE Disciplinary Procedures. Copies of these documents are found on this page.
ACFE Code of Professional Ethics
The work that anti-fraud professionals perform can have a tremendous impact on the lives and livelihoods of people and organizations. It is therefore crucial that members of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) exemplify the highest moral and ethical standards. All ACFE members must agree to abide by the ACFE Code of Professional Ethics.
ACFE Code of Professional Ethics (PDF)CFE Code of Professional Standards
Certified Fraud Examiners (CFEs) must embody the highest standards of ethics and professionalism. All CFEs are expected to follow the Code of Professional Standards at all times. For direction on interpreting the standards, see the Interpretation and Guidance.
ACFE Membership Bylaws
The bylaws establish the fundamental rules of governance for the ACFE.
Bylaws of ACFE Membership, Inc. (PDF)
The Board of Regents recently approved amendments to the ACFE Bylaws. Below is a summary of the updates:
- Enlargement of the Board of Regents and increased minimum number of non-U.S. board members
- Wording consistency, clarity, and modernization updates
- Permitting Regents who fill vacancies on the Board for less than one year to retain eligibility to be nominated and re-elected after their term ends
- Section organization improvements
- Improved clarity of membership expiration and CPE suspension rules
ACFE Disciplinary Procedures
When members are accused of violating ACFE rules of conduct, such matters are reviewed according to the ACFE Disciplinary Procedures.ACFE Disciplinary Procedures (PDF)
Reporting Violations
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Direct Reports to the ACFE
Persons wishing to file a grievance against a member of the ACFE may do so by sending a written statement of their complaint to the attention of the ACFE Legal Department, which is responsible for investigating disciplinary complaints. There is no specific form the complaint must take; a letter to the address below or email is fine. The complaint should include a full explanation of the alleged misconduct along with any documentary evidence available to support the allegations. (See Complaint Template.) The Legal Department’s email address is legal@ACFE.com, or you may mail a complaint to the address below.
The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners
Attn: ACFE Legal Department
716 West Avenue
Austin, TX 78701
United States of America
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Report Concerns Through a 24/7 Third-Party Reporting Service
While the ACFE accepts reports directly, you may also choose to use our third-party reporting service to file a complaint, with the option to do so anonymously. To file a report using this service, you can submit the complaint online, or call the hotline at 1 (877) 647-3335. You will need to use the following Client Code: ACFEMembership.