Heraldry of the ACFS National Emblem


ALL-SEEING EYE
Following in the footsteps of numerous nations of antiquity, our use of this symbol denotes watchfulness. Placed thoughtfully at the center of our national emblem, it represents the critical state of being each Certified Fraud Specialist must maintain.

SCALES OF JUSTICE
This symbol represents that every Certified Fraud Specialist must endeavor to discern truth from deception, for by finding truth, we find justice.

LAMP OF LEARNING
This image symbolizes the obligation of every Certified Fraud Specialist to continue learning and to demonstrate mastery of the skills of their chosen profession.

BOOK OF KNOWLEDGE
The physical embodiment of wisdom, this symbol denotes that every Certified Fraud Specialist must competently carry out the charge(s) with which they are entrusted.

EVERGREEN ACACIA
Denotes the initiation of a member as a Certified Fraud Specialist and their induction into a special profession, one with an unchanging commitment to duty.

IMAGE OF THE SHIELD
Although no shield exists within our national emblem, one can clearly be seen. This occurs because the component parts of the emblem were specifically designed so that when all the parts are together, the eye "sees" a shield. This symbolizes that only through watchfulness, truth, learning, mastery of skills, wisdom, and commitment to duty can a Certified Fraud Specialist truly serve as a "shield" to the public. If any one of these elements is absent, the Certified Fraud Specialists' effectiveness, like the shield, disappears.

CABLE
A heavy cable or rope forms a circle around the perimeter of our national emblem and holds fast together the internal elements so the shield is formed. The cable encircling the emblem symbolizes the Certified Fraud Specialist's commitment to maintaining a shield for the public and, like the circle it forms, it is a commitment that has no end.

MOTTO
Our Founders inscribed on our national emblem the words - Knowledge, Service, Truth. These serve as a constant reminder of the precepts upon which our Association was founded.