Certified Anti-Counterfeiting and Forgery Specialist
A cross-sector specialist qualification covering the forgery of electronic documents and records, digital signatures and seals, identity fraud, deepfakes and AI-generated content, cyber-enabled fraud, digital evidence and professional reporting.
What This Certification Covers
The Certified Anti-Counterfeiting and Forgery Specialist certificate responds to the rapid digital transformation taking place across all sectors, which has driven a significant shift in forgery methods from traditional paper-based practices to digital documents, platforms and identities. It also addresses the growing use of artificial intelligence to generate fraudulent documents, images, audio and video that can be increasingly difficult to distinguish from authentic content.
It is a comprehensive professional certificate that is not limited to any single sector. It covers the forgery of electronic documents and records, digital signatures and seals, digital identity and impersonation, deepfakes and machine-generated content, cyber fraud and social engineering, and the manipulation of data and records, with practical applications in the financial, government, education, healthcare, commercial, legal and media sectors, among others.
The certificate focuses on early detection, verification, indicator analysis, the collection and preservation of digital evidence, documenting findings and professional reporting, in compliance with applicable regulations, organisational policies and the laws in force in the relevant jurisdiction.
Like every ACS credential, the CAFS is awarded only after a formal assessment of defined qualification outcomes — evaluating understanding, application and professional judgement, not attendance alone.
What You Will Be Able to Do
- Understand modern methods of electronic and digital counterfeiting and forgery across sectors
- Recognise the indicators of suspicious documents, identities and digital content
- Detect deepfakes and AI-generated content and understand their risks
- Understand cyber fraud, social engineering and identity impersonation techniques
- Apply examination and verification methodologies, and collect digital evidence while preserving its integrity
- Handle suspected cases professionally, document them and report on them
- Support compliance, risk, audit, information security and investigation functions
- Strengthen control, prevention and early-detection systems within the organisation
The CAFS Programme in 10 Modules
01Foundations of Electronic & Digital Forgery7 topics
- Core concepts: counterfeiting, forgery, manipulation, impersonation and fraud, and the differences between them
- The evolution of forgery from paper-based to electronic and digital formats
- Targeted digital assets: documents, images, video, audio, data, identities and websites
- Forgers’ motives and the life cycle of digital forgery
- General indicators of suspicion and red flags
- Financial, operational, legal and reputational impacts on organisations and individuals
- The legal and regulatory framework for electronic forgery offences and the evidential weight of electronic documents
02Electronic Documents & Records8 topics
- Characteristics of authentic electronic documents and the structure of common file formats (PDF, Word, scanned images)
- Metadata and its significance in detecting alterations
- Indicators of manipulation: modification, insertion, deletion, recomposition, and cut-and-paste
- Detecting fake templates and machine-generated documents
- Forgery of scanned documents and documents printed from a digital source
- Verifying QR codes, barcodes, reference numbers and electronic verification links
- Electronic certificates, qualifications and statements: forgery methods and means of verification
- Documenting the findings of an electronic document examination
03E-Signatures, Digital Seals & Authentication6 topics
- The difference between a scanned signature, an electronic signature and a digital signature
- Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and digital certificates: a simplified overview
- Verifying the validity of a digital signature and the integrity of a document after signing
- Electronic seals and timestamps and their role in proof
- Methods of forging signatures and seals in the digital environment, and their indicators
- Electronic signature platforms and the risks of their misuse
04Digital Identity & Identity Fraud6 topics
- The concept of digital identity and levels of assurance in identity verification
- Electronic identity verification (eKYC / remote onboarding) and its weaknesses
- Fake identities and synthetic identities
- Account takeover and credential theft
- Spoofing biometric systems: face, fingerprint, voice and liveness checks
- Indicators of identity impersonation, additional verification procedures and escalation
05Deepfakes & AI-Generated Content7 topics
- Synthetic media and modern generation technologies
- Video and image deepfakes and their fraudulent applications
- Voice cloning and the impersonation of executives and officials
- AI-generated texts and documents
- Visual, audio and contextual indicators of unreliability
- Tools and methodologies for verifying digital content and its origin (content provenance)
- The limits of professional examination, and when to call on specialist technical experts
06Cyber-Enabled Fraud & Social Engineering7 topics
- Social engineering and techniques of psychological manipulation
- Phishing in all its forms: email, SMS, phone calls and social media
- Business email compromise (BEC) and impersonation of organisations and employees
- Fake websites, domains and applications, and indicators for detecting them
- Fraud through accounts, digital platforms and social media
- Manipulation of information, digital data and electronic records
- Prevention, detection and initial response methods
07Sector Applications8 topics
- Financial, banking and insurance: forged documents and statements, financing applications, fictitious claims and transfers
- Government and public services: official documents, licences and electronic transactions
- Education and employment: forged certificates and qualifications, experience letters and candidate verification
- Healthcare: forged prescriptions, medical reports and sick-leave certificates
- E-commerce: counterfeit products, fake online stores, and fake reviews and ratings
- Legal and judicial: fabricated digital evidence and electronic contracts
- Media and corporate communications: misleading news and content, and impersonation of official accounts
- Supply chains and trade: forged invoices, certificates of origin and shipping documents
08Digital Evidence, Examination & Investigation8 topics
- A step-by-step methodology for handling a suspected case
- Collecting digital evidence, preserving its integrity and maintaining the chain of custody
- Digital fingerprinting (hashing) to verify that files have not been altered
- Open-source intelligence (OSINT) verification and reverse image search
- Analysing indicators and clues, and distinguishing between an indicator, evidence and proof
- Preparing the professional examination report and documenting procedures
- When and how to refer a case to experts or the competent authorities
- Professional and ethical principles and privacy protection in examination work
09Governance, Prevention & Response8 topics
- Building an effective control environment to combat digital forgery
- Anti-fraud and anti-forgery policies and the management of their risks
- Verification controls, multi-factor authentication and segregation of duties
- Relevant international reference frameworks for digital identity, digital evidence and information security
- Early-warning indicators and continuous monitoring
- Channels for reporting suspicions and whistleblower protection
- Incident management, organisational response and recovery
- Awareness and building an organisational culture resistant to fraud
10Practical Labs & Case Studies8 topics
- A PDF document whose content and metadata have been manipulated
- A forged academic certificate or experience letter in a recruitment process
- An invalid digital signature on an electronic contract
- An attempt to open an account remotely using a synthetic identity
- A fake video call or voice message impersonating a senior executive
- A fraudulent email requesting a change to a supplier’s details
- A fake online store promoting counterfeit products
- An integrated scenario combining traditional forgery with digital fraud
Built for These Roles
- Compliance and anti-fraud officers in all sectors
- Risk, internal and external audit, control and advisory professionals
- Information security and cybersecurity officers
- Internal investigators and corporate investigation teams
- Identity and document verification and customer onboarding (KYC) staff
- Human resources, recruitment and credential verification staff
- Staff of government, regulatory and supervisory bodies
- Lawyers, legal advisers and legal affairs professionals
- Professionals in banking, insurance, financial services and exchange companies
- Professionals in e-commerce and brand protection
- Journalists and content and news verification teams
- Professionals building a specialised career in combating digital forgery
How the CAFS Is Assessed
- 01
The examination is held electronically at an accredited test centre
- 02
100 multiple-choice questions
- 03
Minimum passing score: 70%
- 04
Examination duration: 3 hours
Unless otherwise stated, candidates must achieve a minimum assessment score of 70%. Full entry requirements and the certification process are listed on the Certifications.
Start the CAFS Certification
Registration opens on a rolling basis through ACS or an authorised ACS centre. Reach out and our team will walk you through eligibility, registration and assessment windows.
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