ACAMS Opiniones 

The clue is in the name, just get the S to the start. You need to pay hundreds of £s to keep your certification "valid" - imagine losing your degree if you didn't pay a few hundred every year. The training materials are nice, mostly your basic stuff that would be covered by any bank, but the exam is awful. Poorly worded questions designed to trip you up and bad grammar. The questions are also not those covered in any practice simulations. Also had one about red flags where all the answers were red flags and I had to choose two (7+ years experience). Its a joke but nobody will say it, I passed it, not paying for renewal though. Just a tick box on the CV.

To start with:
I had a difficult and very stress full experience with Acams website and the test entity.
I recommend you to do read the policy and term and condition fully, so you know where you stand with exams, and all terms.
Initially I have ask for time to study, and the Acams only give me few extra month, turned out not sufficient time.
I did also have a bad experience during the Exam take, I got interrupted twice. I did FAILED the first attempt, the exam conditions were stress full not friendly.

However, Acams did call me and now they give me an extenuation for me to retake the exam. Thanks

Now I will study and maybe pass the exam, I least I get more time.
Anyway I am with studying with IAPP for Data Protection and they give you unlimited time study, 0 stress.

I took the entry level course from ACAMS and attempted to take the exam a few months ago. I was surprised that most of the questions covered were not on any of the study materials provided. When I contacted customer service they insisted that everything was provided and to try again. Second attempt had the same issue. Not only did they have material not covered, but they worded questions to trick/decieve the test taker instead of testing them on the knoweldge of the material. I ended up wasting over six months of my life on this but don't worry, ACAMS got their $2000 plus in fees, courses, exams retakes and will continue to hustle money out of people in the industry. Heed others warnings about this company and stay far away.

I wrote the ACAMS CGSS and while on the last question, my computer completely shut down so I couldnt get back into my test to submit it. I contacted Pearson and ACAMS customer service. I was helped by Manuella at ACAMS and also Roselyn. They escalated my requested to Pearson to release my test so I could know if I passed or failed. Due to their follow up, my results were released and I am pleased to say I passed the exam.

It was such a stressful experience but they assured me they were doing the best they can to ensure my test results were released. Thanks again ACAMS team !

My wife took this test twice, the first time getting a 61, but then the second time, at the end of the test, the results stated she got 75 right (the passing grade) but that she failed??? This is definitely a scam and we will be reporting ACAMs to the Better Business Bureau as this is fraud.

The attitude of ACAMS towards its members is such a shame. I'm deeply dissatisfied that having paid a significant amount for the most expensive course, having spent hundreds of hours learning and having successfully passed the CAMS exam in 2018, I am currently not considered a graduate on the list on the website (despite the fact that I formally graduated) because I decided not to waste money on annual membership. It's the same as graduating from Harvard and being disqualified for not paying for its alumni Sunday club.

ACAMS test is the scam itself. I had to pay for over $2,000 initially just to sign up for materials (edition 6) eventhough I have edition 5 study book already. After studied for 3 month and took the test, I got 72 score (75 is the passing score). Paid another $320 for exam retake, I got 71 on the second exam. However it was the completely different exam with different questions and different topic. I called ACAMS and they told me there's nothing I can do except taking the exam again. I took the exam for the third time with $320 paid to ACAMS and got 73 after studied for six month. Got another completely different exam with different questions and different topic that I have never seen. When I called the customer service, they said I can't take the questions that I got wrong nor can I take the same exam with same question. I got to take the exam again and pay them another $320. Why would I take the same 6th edition exam over and over again with completely different questions? ACAMS just wants to get your money and let you fail the exam over and over again! They are extremely rude during the exam when asking for bathroom break also. They will terminate the exam if you asked again.t to pay another $320 to take it aga.

Thanks to Trustpilot, I managed to avoid certification.

I done my 5 certifications from ACAMS.. recently I applying for in 15 to 20 companies everyone acams certifications not worth it.. very bad experience… waste of money

Expensive training means valuable content and reactive customer service. That's definetely not the case with Acams. Example: You purchase a training with short timeframe to finish, you encounter an error on the website ->no one will answer your email before a minimum of 5-6 days. This generate frustration and anger. I had to solve the issue by myself.

Their APAC service team is horrible. I sent them an email to apply Singapore AML Regime exam and they took their time reply me with official answer and completed the case. My request was not answered at all! They don't bother to see my request but just reply like a machine and close my case. I emailed them again and again and no reply at all! I have to email with a new post and generate a new case before they bother to answer me. What a smart way of doing things in this well-known organization! Btw, I got the CAMS certificate and they spelled my name all in small letter. They don't even know how to spell a person's name and they are teaching you anti-money laundering. What a joke.

More SCAMS than ACAMS

Very low level courses offered at the beginners level, you literally can have all this info for 15x cheaper with other online course providers. Way too low quality of materials for the price. The most disturbing part is unlike with other online course providers you don't have access to your course that you paid USD 700,- for after your membership expires, literally no other platform I used is so greedy, all courses that I paid for are available at any time. Customer service is absent, You dont pay for knowledge but for the brand name, hope more people will shift away.

If you enquire about a course at ACAMS, you're being bombarded with marketing calls, so-called account managers who are going to help you throughout your journey etc. I paid almost £1500 for the CAMS exam and the membership. Immediately after making the payment, my account manager Tom Frenzel disappeared! No replies to my emails or to phone calls. I emailed two account managers, I emailed the certification department, the Europe team. No response from anyone. Whilst studying for the exam, I realised that the study materials were outdated, full of spelling mistakes and with wrong answers to practice questions. The course is hideously overpriced for what it offers. They charge over £1000 for 294 pages that are of poor quality, not up to standards. I regret having signed up to this course!

Customer service is non-existent. I reached out several times to ACAMS about the CTMA certification but without a response. However, after reading the other reviews, I'm happy that I didn't book the course!

Unbelievable.

I introduced my boss to ACAMS having done mine certification with them. However after paying a 1 thousand plus for membership and 2 online course. No information was sent. No course material or log in to go ahead with the course. Their customer service is so horrible, you stay on the line for almost 30mins and get cut off, no one bothers to call you. I used to think ACAMS was quite respected in this field but it appears the new website and change in logo just made everything worse. after 3 weeks, I am yet to know how to go ahead with the course or refund...no one is calling or emailing back. At least i should be able to get a refund and register with ICA. Pheeewwww

I struggled to pay very expensive fees as the platform to process the payment did not work.
Then, I became a member yeay! But big surprise the course consists in a 311 p pdf, with poor formatting, no dates, we do not know when it was made...
Then they promised online virtual courses, but I received not link to the course, which I paid for. I have been reaching out to their customer service (outsourced with limited budget probably FOR 1 HOUR, with annoying robotic waiting message. TO AVOID !!!!!!! I think ACAMS is actay ASCAM! I will seek a refund immediality.

I booked the basic foundation course for my wife and money got deducted but where is the course and its past 10 days.. wherein the course has expiry date of 4 weeks from the payment date. No one replies over long waited queue over phone or cares to callback or reply back to emails and not even through their contact web form.

Sitting here on hold for over 30 minutes now as their customer service hours are about to come to an end without me getting any help. I’ve already sent two emails with no responses after spending $500 on a certification course. I received an email from them with “instructions to access the course” that contained nothing of the sort—just a link back to their homepage. If this is the typical experience, I will not be taking any additional course. As it is, I may have to request a chargeback through my bank.

I am a certified member of ACAMs. I do appreciate the importance of the certification and awareness on AML and CFT (Counter-terrorist Financing) but This organization needs a lot of work to do in terms of their Syllabus, Examination preparation and resources, training and most of all Customer services. For a new certification body i find them trying to get your money with minimal returns. They get your money but everything is quite substandard.

1) customer services - They are very slow in responding in all queries and troubleshooting. Particular experience I had was when my access to my profile and review materials were lost and I asked for help and trouble shooting. They replied after a month which did not resolve the problem and it took them another month for them to resolve. They have to move my start date as I lost some months till my eligibility. Another issue was when i had questions on the review materials, where I find quite inconsistent and practice questions that have questionable answers... they never come back to me after I followed up again after a month, then they told me "You have an outdated material, please access new one on your profile....Where is the notification??? Do i have to read the study guide again???"

2) training, syllabus and examination prep - Way to expensive with less information. The research and pulling materials outside is the candidate's work. No notification if there were updates (as mentioned above). The Study Guide only has 4 chapters and its just like story telling with some cases. They just drop names or people and organizations and typologies and literatures, Candidate has to pull the typologies and and literatures to numerous sites (even if they have an appendix with all the sites and links, most of them dont work... better google them... (risk is you may miss any updates or you may pull the outdated files). There are only 125 practice questions and the Organization does not even have test banks or maybe a committee that would help candidates to be prepared in terms of practice questions. (Tbh, AML Trainings in my company and questions are way better an challenging). For a very expensive training/certification course, they have to provide more materials than a set 300 page study guide, an audiobook (which cannot be downloaded and only encourages candidate to slack of from the reading) and a PDF version of a flashcard that i didnt even use. The video lectures are not packed with information so better read the study guide. Without practice tests its so hard to guage if you are ready or not. It burns out most candidates with the too much reading then when the exam comes, you laugh at the exams because others questions are common sense answers and others are not even in the scope of the study guide (per my opinion) , and you just have to make your an intelligent answer.

I joined some of the webex trainings and i find it most of them are courses through advertising the organization and its importance instead of technicalities. I gone tired and instead read textbooks and watch AML Documentaries lol

3) Membership, Examination fees and Rescheduling - Very Expensive. Membership is 295USD which i dont see much incentives like discounts to materials, trainings etc (unlike other professional association), Examination rescheduling fees is a whopping 100USD (consider your exchange rates). Clearly, ACAMS is really trying to get your money.

4) Value on your profession - Maybe it adds an additional letters under your name. Is it worth it? You be the judge. Will you be able to use this? Yes, but other certification bodies on compliance such as CIA, CRMA. CFSA would be a better cheaper choice to think AML is just a portion of their work. :)

One more thing I remember, they should have a code of professional ethics,, and include it as part of their curriculum.

I will have to see how the certification will affect me professionally and my bargaining power in getting a new job.

The Recertification cost increase is so dramatic!
It became more than $3000!!
The overall certificate cost is about $2000!

I am so much disappointed 😥