Certification Program FAQs

The CPFPP certification is the first-ever industry-standard certification of its kind. It provides verified proof of expertise and mastery of specialized knowledge for anyone hoping to advance their career in the payments and fraud prevention field. 

This certification program is designed to allow professionals with various backgrounds to take the exam and earn their CPFPP credential. There are six pathways that satisfy the exam eligibility requirements, some based on experience and some on education. Find your path here.

Preparing for the exam requires considerable time commitment and effort. Start by downloading and reading the CPFPP Candidate Handbook, then check the exam focus areas your knowledge will be tested on and use the study resource reference list containing links to journals, textbooks, and websites with information of significance to the CPFPP exam. In addition, the new CPFPP Study Guide is available free for a limited time with a paid application.

A certified professional can recertify every three years with continuing professional education (CPE) credits or by retaking the exam. Recertifying with CPE credits costs US$150 for MRC members and US$250 for non-members. It also requires earning 60 CPE credits within three years since the last certification was earned. At least 15 CPE credits required for recertification must be earned through the MRC. Find out more about recertifying.

Certificants opting to recertify through continuing education credits must obtain 60 CPE credits within the 3-year recertification cycle. Non-CPE credit hours may be accepted on a case-by-case basis via self-attestation. All credits must be related to the role of the Payments and Fraud Prevention Professional and earned through nationally approved or recognized continuing education organizations, including the MRC. Check additional information on CPE credit distribution and approved CPE sponsoring organizations.

It is the responsibility of each certificant to maintain records documenting CPE credits within the CPFPP certification portal. Certificants must retain documentation for all activities submitted for CPE credit for a period of three years following the submission for recertification. The MRC reserves the right to audit a certificant’s records; any CPE credit that cannot be confirmed with appropriate documentation during the audit process may be disqualified. During any three-year recertification cycle, it is the responsibility of a certificant to maintain a current address and contact information with the MRC.

The exam fee is paid upon submission of the application form. The exam fee is US$500 for MRC members and US$700 for non-members. If, after the application review, it is determined that the applicant does not meet the eligibility requirements, the exam fee will be refunded, minus a US$150 administrative fee.

The first step is creating an account in the MRC Certification Portal and downloading the CPFPP Candidate Handbook. After logging in to the MRC Certification Portal, you will click on “Apply now” and select the “CPFPP Application”. You will then be guided through the application process:

• First, provide your full legal name and contact information and verify your MRC membership status.
• Choose your Eligibility Pathway from the six available options, selecting the one that most closely corresponds with your professional experience and/or educational background. 
• Next upload all supporting documentation proving your eligibility.
• Indicate if you require special accommodation for a documented disability.
• Confirm that you have read and understood the CPFPP Code of Ethics and the Candidate Application and Confidentiality Statement.
• Last, pay the exam fee and submit the application.
• The verification process will take up to 10 business days.
• After the verification process, you will be notified about your approval status. If you are not approved to continue the certification process, you will be informed of any additional documentation you may need to provide or additional requirements you must meet before continuing.
• Once approved, you can schedule your online exam with the proctoring service, ProctorU.

Supporting documentation that proves your exam eligibility may consist of the following:

• Proof of work experience: Provide a supervisor-verified record of your work experience as a payments and fraud prevention professional by submitting the work experience affidavit form.
• Proof of education: Submit a copy of your academic transcripts. Provide translations to English if applicable.
• Proof of training: Submit copies of transcripts, certificates of completion or diplomas.  Provide translations to English if applicable.
• Professional recommendation: Submit an endorsement letter from an MRC Board Member or a Certified Payments and Fraud Prevention Professional.

 

After completing the application process, you will receive a submission confirmation email notifying you that the application was received and the verification process is underway. The verification process may take up to 10 business days, and you will be notified of your approval status after the verification process completion.

Once approved, CPFPP candidates will have a three-month window to take the exam. Exams are administered by the live online proctoring service, ProctorU. ProctorU is available 24/7. However, you will need to schedule your proctoring session at least 72 hours in advance to avoid an additional fee.

To ensure no technical issues arise on the day of your exam, you must check if your equipment meets all the technical requirements and recommendations for your camera, operating system, upload/download speeds, RAM, ports, microphones, and browsers. Find the complete list here. Also note the list of technology not currently supported by the online proctoring service, ProtorU.

We don’t recommend using an employer-provided computer or VPN network due to potential issues with firewall, permissions, and security settings that might not be compatible with the ProctorU application.

On the day of the exam, candidates should expect the following:

• Log in to the MRC Certification Portal 2-3 minutes before your scheduled appointment, navigate to “My exams” and click on the “Launch Exam” button. This button will be enabled one minute before your scheduled exam time.
• Click on "Start Session".
• Pre-checks: If you don’t already have the Guardian browser installed, you’ll be prompted to download it. You’ll be required to accept exam guidelines and terms of service. The browser will prompt you to share your screen, a mandatory part of being proctored online. You’ll be automatically guided through a series of equipment checks to make sure your system meets minimum requirements.
• Photos and authentication: You’ll take a photo of yourself as well as your I.D. for identity verification purposes.
• Chatbox download: You will be prompted to download and run a LogMeIn Rescue applet file that will bring up a chat box allowing you to text with your proctor. If prompted, be sure to click “open” or “allow” to give the file permission to run. When the chat box says “waiting,” it means that you are in the queue waiting for your proctor. TIP: If your status shows “waiting,” do not re-download the applet file, as that will put you back at the end of the queue. If you have issues with this applet file, view these troubleshooting tips.
• Proctor connection and confirmations: Your proctor will greet you and confirm that you passed your identity verification steps. You’ll then review the exam rules with your proctor.
• Remote system check: Your proctor will ask to take remote control of your mouse and keyboard via the LogMeIn Rescue applet to ensure no unpermitted programs are running. You will be able to see everything your proctor is doing during this step, and they can’t access any files without your knowledge.
• Camera pan: Your proctor will ask you to show the four walls of your room and your desk space via your webcam. You may or may not be asked to show your computer monitor using a mirror or cellphone camera. Lastly, your proctor will ensure your cell phone is out of reach.
• Navigating to the exam and password entry: Your proctor will then direct you into your exam delivery system so that they can unlock your exam with the password provided by the MRC.
• Take your exam: Your proctor will release control of your computer, and you’ll begin your exam when you’re ready.

NOTE: Your webcam view and your screen will be recorded throughout the duration of your exam.

You can reschedule or cancel your exam by logging into the MRC Certification Portal.

If you need to cancel the exam, you must provide a cancellation notice at least 24 hours before your appointment to be eligible for a refund, minus a US$150 administrative fee. If you fail to show up for a scheduled exam without prior cancellation notice, you will not be eligible for a refund.

The MRC will provide reasonable accommodations for exam candidates with disabilities covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Accommodations for candidates testing in other jurisdictions will be provided to the extent applicable laws require. Candidates requesting special accommodations must submit the Special Accommodations Request Form with their online application. If the MRC approves the request, the candidate will receive an approval notification via email.

 

 

You should expect the startup process with the proctor to take about 10-15 minutes. However, this time will not affect your exam time. Candidates will have three hours (180 minutes) to complete the exam.

Once you complete the exam, you will be notified of the results via email within 72 hours. Your certification will be valid for three years after the certification issue date. The passing percentage is 65% and above.

Anyone who fails to pass the exam may retake it twice (there is a minimum 30-day waiting period between exams) within one year from their application approval. If all three attempts are unsuccessful, the candidate may reapply one year after the initial application approval. The re-examination fee is US$250 for MRC Members and US$350 for non-members.