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Interviewing skills involve a high-order combination of observation, empathic sensitivity, and intellectual judgment. A good interviewer can structure questions so that the individual being questioned is not even aware of the significance of the information being provided. 

For an interview to be effective, the interviewer needs to understand the interviewee as an individual. This requires having background knowledge about both the individual and the alleged fraud.  Developing a profile of the interviewee can help the investigator determine how to approach the interview.

In terms of interviewing suspects, the types of questions asked and the attitude of the interviewer can have an impact on the success of the interview. The impact of inappropriate questioning can further influence the quality and quantity of information (and therefore evidence) that is generated from the interviewee (Shawyer et al., 2007).  

The interviewer should actively pay attention to both verbal and nonverbal (tone of voice, silences, pacing) aspects of speech. The interviewer should also observe the respondent's body language (posture, movement of hands and feet, facial expressions, and eye movement) and discrepancies between verbal and nonverbal messages. Each response should be recorded and evaluated: Is it relevant, valid, and complete? If a response is inadequate, the interviewer must probe further and improve it (Buckhoff et al., 2001).

There are essentially three types of questions: open, closed, and leading. Each type of question is used in a logical sequence to maximize the development of information.  

Open questions are worded in a way that makes it difficult to answer “yes” or “no.” The typical open question calls for a monologue response and can be answered in several different ways. During the informational phase of the interview, the interviewer should endeavor to ask primarily open questions. This is to stimulate conversation and allow the subject to convey as much information as possible. An open question does not restrict the subject’s response. So instead of asking, “You are in charge of posting expenses, aren’t you?,” which directs the subject’s response to one particular area, the investigator might ask, “Would you tell me about your job?” The latter example allows a broad response that will yield more information. Later, the interviewer can go back and draw out more information about a particular topic (Wells, 2018). 

Closed questions are those that require a precise answer, usually “yes” or “no.” Interviewers use closed questions to deal with specifics, such as amounts, dates, and times. Generally, interviewers should avoid closed questions in the informational part of the interview. They are used extensively in the closing phase (Wells, 2018). 

Leading questions contain the answer as a part of the question. They are usually used to confirm facts that are already known. An example of a leading question is: “There have been no changes in the operation since last year, have there?” This type of question gives the subject much less room to maneuver than an open or closed question. Notice how the leading question directs the subject to answer in a particular way – that there have not been any changes. It implies that the interviewer already knows the answer, and asks the subject to confirm what is already known (Wells, 2018). 

The open question allows more latitude for subjects to make any comments they want about changes in the operation. The closed question narrows the subject’s options a bit, but it still allows the subject to confirm or deny that changes have been made. Leading questions can be particularly effective in obtaining confessions or getting subjects to make unpleasant admissions (Wells, 2018).