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200+ Free CAMS Practice Questions

Pass your CAMS - Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist exam on the first try — instant access, no signup required.

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What is the purpose of AML metrics and reporting?

A
B
C
D
to track
2026 Statistics

Key Facts: CAMS Exam

120

Exam Questions

ACAMS

3.5 hours

Time Limit

ACAMS

75

Passing Score

ACAMS

40 credits

Eligibility

ACAMS

$2,095

Private Package

ACAMS

3 years

Recertification Cycle

ACAMS

The current CAMS exam has 120 multiple-choice and multiple-selection questions, a 3.5-hour time limit, a passing score of 75, and no penalty for guessing. ACAMS requires active membership plus 40 eligibility credits before candidates can sit. The current official blueprint weights Understanding the Risks and Methods of Financial Crime at 30%, Global AFC Frameworks, Governance, and Regulations at 20%, Building an AFC Compliance Program at 30%, and Tools and Technologies to Fight Financial Crime at 20%.

Sample CAMS Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your CAMS exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 200+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1What are the three stages of money laundering?
A.Placement, Structuring, and Integration
B.Placement, Layering, and Integration
C.Placement, Layering, and Distribution
D.Acquisition, Layering, and Integration
Explanation: The three classic stages of money laundering are: 1) Placement - introducing illicit funds into the financial system; 2) Layering - conducting complex transactions to obscure the source; 3) Integration - reintroducing the laundered funds into the legitimate economy.
2What is the primary purpose of the Wolfsberg Group?
A.To enforce AML laws globally
B.To develop AML guidance for private banks
C.To prosecute money laundering cases
D.To issue sanctions against high-risk jurisdictions
Explanation: The Wolfsberg Group is an association of global banks that develops financial industry guidelines and standards for AML, KYC, and counter-terrorist financing policies, particularly for private banking.
3Under the USA PATRIOT Act, what is the deadline for filing a Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) after discovery?
A.15 calendar days
B.30 calendar days
C.45 calendar days
D.60 calendar days
Explanation: Under the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) and USA PATRIOT Act, financial institutions must file SARs within 30 calendar days of the initial detection of suspicious activity.
4Which technique is most commonly associated with the layering stage of money laundering?
A.Depositing cash in small amounts at multiple branches
B.Converting cash into monetary instruments
C.Using multiple accounts and complex transactions to obscure the audit trail
D.Purchasing real estate with illicit funds
Explanation: Layering involves creating complex layers of financial transactions to obscure the audit trail and disguise the source of funds. This typically includes wire transfers between multiple accounts, shell companies, and jurisdictions.
5What is trade-based money laundering (TBML)?
A.Using physical cash to purchase trade goods
B.Exploiting international trade transactions to move value and disguise proceeds
C.Smuggling goods across borders without declaring them
D.Using cryptocurrency to pay for international shipments
Explanation: TBML involves exploiting international trade transactions to transfer value and disguise the origins of illicit proceeds. Common techniques include mis-invoicing, multiple invoicing, and fictitious transactions.
6Which international organization sets global AML/CFT standards through its 40 Recommendations?
A.World Bank
B.International Monetary Fund (IMF)
C.Financial Action Task Force (FATF)
D.Egmont Group
Explanation: The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is the intergovernmental body that sets international standards for combating money laundering and terrorist financing through its 40 Recommendations.
7A PEP is defined as a person who is or has been entrusted with a prominent public function. What does PEP stand for?
A.Public Economic Person
B.Politically Exposed Person
C.Private Equity Partner
D.Public Enforcement Personnel
Explanation: PEP stands for Politically Exposed Person. This includes current or former senior officials, their family members, and close associates who may pose higher risks due to their position and potential for corruption.
8What is the primary difference between money laundering and terrorist financing?
A.Money laundering involves small amounts while terrorist financing involves large amounts
B.Money laundering disguises the source of funds while terrorist financing disguises the destination
C.Money laundering is always illegal while terrorist financing may involve legitimate funds
D.There is no difference between the two
Explanation: The key difference is that money laundering attempts to disguise the source of illicit funds, while terrorist financing may involve legitimate funds but seeks to conceal how they will be used to support terrorist activities.
9In the context of virtual assets, what is a "wallet"?
A.A physical device that stores cryptocurrency
B.A software program that stores private and public keys and interacts with blockchain
C.A bank account specifically for crypto trading
D.A regulatory filing for virtual asset holdings
Explanation: A cryptocurrency wallet is a software program that stores private and public keys and interacts with various blockchains to enable users to send, receive, and monitor their digital currency balances.
10What is "placement" in the context of money laundering?
A.Moving funds between different financial institutions
B.Introducing illicit cash into the legitimate financial system
C.Hiding funds in offshore accounts
D.Converting cash into precious metals
Explanation: Placement is the first stage of money laundering where illicit cash proceeds are introduced into the legitimate financial system, often through methods like cash deposits, purchasing monetary instruments, or commingling with legitimate business receipts.

About the CAMS Exam

The CAMS certification is ACAMS' specialist-level credential for anti-money laundering and anti-financial-crime professionals. The current exam covers four official domains: financial crime risks and methods, global AFC frameworks and regulations, AFC compliance program design, and tools and technologies used to fight financial crime.

Questions

120 scored questions

Time Limit

3.5 hours

Passing Score

75

Exam Fee

US$2,095 private sector package / US$1,595 public sector package (ACAMS)

CAMS Exam Content Outline

30%

Understanding the Risks and Methods of Financial Crime

Definitions, consequences, predicate crimes, sector risk, high-risk customers, VASPs, real estate, gatekeepers, trusts, accountants, and other high-risk structures.

20%

Global AFC Frameworks, Governance, and Regulations

FATF, UN sanctions, regulators, FIUs, law enforcement, cross-border cooperation, information sharing, de-risking, RFIs, tipping-off, and AFC team responsibilities.

30%

Building an Anti-Financial Crime Compliance Program

Program pillars, three lines of defense, BSA officer or MLRO responsibilities, risk appetite, enterprise risk assessment, risk-based controls, policies, standards, committees, and reporting.

20%

Tools and Technologies to Fight Financial Crime

Customer-lifecycle controls, data quality, taxonomy, digital onboarding, screening, perpetual KYC, transaction monitoring, blockchain screening, AI or machine learning, open-source tools, and automation.

How to Pass the CAMS Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: 75
  • Exam length: 120 questions
  • Time limit: 3.5 hours
  • Exam fee: US$2,095 private sector package / US$1,595 public sector package

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

CAMS Study Tips from Top Performers

1Use the current ACAMS CAMS handbook and official study materials as the source of truth.
2Study the current 30/20/30/20 blueprint rather than older domain weights.
3Practice financial-crime scenarios by naming the risk, control, owner, evidence, and communication boundary.
4Keep the four official domains connected because sector risk, frameworks, program controls, and technology frequently overlap.
5Use the ACAMS simulator and practice questions for representative practice, not as actual exam content.
6Do not treat practice scores as official results or pass-rate statistics.
7Review misses by domain and by decision type: identify, escalate, document, monitor, investigate, or report.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the CAMS exam format?

The current CAMS exam has 120 multiple-choice and multiple-selection questions and a 3.5-hour time limit. ACAMS states that the passing score required to obtain CAMS certification is 75 and that there is no penalty for guessing.

What are the current CAMS domain weights?

The current ACAMS handbook lists four domains: Understanding the Risks and Methods of Financial Crime at 30%, Global AFC Frameworks, Governance, and Regulations at 20%, Building an Anti-Financial Crime Compliance Program at 30%, and Tools and Technologies to Fight Financial Crime at 20%.

Do I need to be an ACAMS member to take the CAMS exam?

Yes. ACAMS requires active membership and 40 eligibility credits. Credits can come from education, work experience, and training. Candidates who pass and want to use the CAMS credential must also maintain active ACAMS membership.

When do CAMS candidates receive results?

Candidates receive pass/fail results immediately at the conclusion of the test. ACAMS states that results are not given over telephone, fax, or email. The score report is available through Pearson VUE.

What is included in the CAMS package?

The current CAMS package includes the study guide PDF, flashcards, four core eLearning courses, two elective eLearning courses, an exam simulator tool, and the certification exam. The simulator is for practice and does not contain actual exam questions.

How should I study for the CAMS?

Study by current blueprint weight and practice scenario application. Spend substantial time on the two 30% domains, but keep frameworks, governance, regulations, and technology in the rotation because exam scenarios often connect risk, controls, evidence, escalation, and communication limits.