Which three ethical standards are essential for CFEs?

Which three ethical standards are essential for CFEs?

• A. Integrity, Objectivity, Professional Competence
• B. Integrity, Objectivity, Confidentiality
• C. Independence, Objectivity, Integrity
• D. Confidentiality, Independence, Professional Competence

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is that CFEs rely on a small set of core ethical standards to keep investigations credible and trustworthy. The three essential standards are integrity, objectivity, and professional competence.

Integrity means being honest and truthful in every step of the work—accurate reporting, avoiding deceit, and resisting pressure to misrepresent findings. Without integrity, the results cannot be trusted, no matter how solid the evidence is.

Objectivity is about keeping personal biases, conflicts of interest, and external influences from shaping conclusions. It ensures judgments are based on the evidence and not on preferred outcomes or relationships.

Professional competence is having the right knowledge, skills, and diligence to perform fraud examinations properly. It requires up-to-date methods, appropriate training, and applying standards correctly. Without competence, even well-intentioned work can produce flawed conclusions.

Confidentiality, while important in protecting information, and independence, often overlapping with objectivity, don’t by themselves guarantee credible conclusions. The combination of integrity, objectivity, and professional competence provides the strongest foundation for trustworthy CFEs.