The Top 10  Most Difficult Countries for Identity Verification

The Top 10  Most Difficult Countries for Identity Verification

Download Report

    n-img-roi-cross

    Before You Go, Schedule Your Free Demo Today

    Valid Invalid number


    Note: Fields marked with an asterisk(*) are mandatory.

    n-exit-img-roi-cross

    Thank you for your demo request

    We appreciate your interest and look forward to discussing how our solution can meet your needs. Expect to hear from us shortly with scheduling details.

    Close

    ca

    51.222.253.11

    UK’s FIU Issues New Guidelines for Suspicious Activity Reporting

    blog check

    The UK’s Financial Intelligence Unit (UKFIU) has issued new guidance in August 2021. The latest issue discusses how law enforcing agencies are using Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) to combat criminal activities. The report aims at demonstrating the best practices for filing a suspicious activity report and what action is taken by the relevant authorities. 

    Did you know more than 500,000 suspicious activity reports are filed to the UKFIU every year?

    The new report by UKFIU has summarized real-world case studies to elaborate on updated requirements for reporting suspicious activities. Money laundering, romance scams, drug trafficking, employment fraud, and discrepancies in details of beneficial owners have been discussed to provide a clearer view to financial institutions (FIs) about the possible situations where suspicious activity reporting is necessary. 

    Suspicious Activity Reporting (SARs) is a valuable tool for identifying sex offenders, money launderers, murderers, and tracing terror financing activities. While some SARs help in taking immediate steps to stop a crime, some reports uncover potential offences that must be investigated. 

    SARs include contact details, investment activities, alias identities, and any other assets that can enhance ongoing operations or lead to new investigations. 

    When is an SAR Filed?

    In the late 1900s, regulatory bodies across the globe made it compulsory for financial institutions to report any suspicious transactions before the problem gets worse. Every law highlights the following three situations where SAR submission is mandatory for FIs:

    • Transactions that exceed the predefined threshold 
    • International transactions above the said amount 
    • Unusual activity is observed in any account 

    For instance, a customer making frequent transactions of $10,000 (that is above the limit set by law) will trigger suspicious activity reporting. 

    Suggested: High-Risk Transactions – How Can Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) Help? 

    blog

    SARs Filing in the United Kingdom

    The National Crime Agency (NCA) deals with suspicious activity reports in the United Kingdom. The financial institution nominates an officer who is responsible for filing the report and the report can be submitted online or in physical format depending upon the convenience of the business. However, the SAR Online system is recommended for faster and more efficient reporting. 

    “The number of SARs filed were 264% higher in 2019 – 2020 than in 2018 – 2019 and 75% of these reports came from banks.” 

    Real-world Scenarios Highlighted by UKFIU for SARs

    Head of the United Kingdom’s Financial Intelligence Unit, Vince O’Brien said, 

    “SARs are a critical intelligence resource for law enforcement – they provide information like phone numbers, addresses, company details, investment activity, bank accounts and details of other assets. They have been have been instrumental in identifying sex offenders, fraud victims, murder suspects, missing persons, people traffickers, fugitives and terrorist financing.”

    Here is a short summary of the case studies discussed in the August booklet.  

    Money Laundering 

    Any high-risk entity who is being investigated for money laundering and has access to fake identity documents must be considered for reporting. The case quoted by the UKFIU mentions that an offender was being investigated and had opened several bank accounts with fake names. SARs alerted the officials and revealed that more than £200,000 worth of funds were moved through these accounts. 

    Suggested Read: AML Screening – How it might infiltrate Your Business 

    Fraud 

    A reporter was auditing an account and submitted a Defence Against Money Laundering (DAML) request for suspected money laundering. The account was receiving large sums of money for months and none of the transactions were verified. Later, the funds were transferred to crypto platforms. Consequently, the Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) were able to acquire an Account Freezing Order (AFO) for over £20,000. 

    Vulnerable Person/ Romance Scams

    Over the years, many SARs have been submitted for so-called romance scams. Recently, a report was submitted to the financial intelligence unit where the subject was involved in a romance scam. The subject defrauded a number of elderly people and acquired more than £150,000 from the victims. The interesting part is, the criminal used associate accounts for receiving the funds and later on transferred money to his personal account. 

    Drugs 

    A report filed this year identified a subject (criminal) who’s personal profile did not match with the banking profile. Unexplained deposits were recorded from third parties and the money was immediately transferred to other linked accounts. After investigations by the LEA, the suspect’s house was searched and large quantities of drugs were found. The subject was arrested for on suspicion of possessing Class A drugs and possibly supplying them. 

    blog

    Others 

    The FIU received a DAML due to differences in beneficiary details of transactions into a subject’s account. Various other accounts with the same nationality had the same issue and the SARs submitted. This was suspected to be a possible case of employment fraud. The DAML resulted in a LEA investigation that led to freezing of this account as well as all the linked accounts. 

    Key Takeaways

    In a nutshell, reporting any suspicious activities is mandatory for all financial institutions. Money laundering and terror financing activities are on the rise and with sophisticated techniques available for facilitatingFinCrime, perpetrators must be identified on time. The August edition of suspicious activity reporting by the National Crime Agency has summarized real-world scenarios related to drug trafficking, money laundering and terror financing, fraud, and employment and romance scams. Submitting a SAR has been helping law enforcement bodies in combating criminal activities like terror financing for a long time and with regular updates, there is a high probability that any threats to the country can be brought down on time. 

    Get more information about suspicious activity reporting from our experts.

    Related Posts

    Blog

    Navigating the Changing Digital Finance Landscape 2023

    The financial services sector has witnessed a rapid surge in the adoption of digital technologies...

    Navigating the Changing Digital Finance Landscape 2023 Explore More

    Blog

    Keeping AI Bias Out of the IDV Game with Shufti

    Consider this: 85% of financial institutions today use some form of AI in their products. The tec...

    Keeping AI Bias Out of the IDV Game with Shufti Explore More

    Blog, Fraud Prevention

    6 Steps of Online Fraud Prevention for Businesses

    With the rapid development in the online retail industry and banking industry, there is an increa...

    6 Steps of Online Fraud Prevention for Businesses Explore More

    Blog

    Impact of California Consumer Privacy Act on Online Businesses

    California consumer privacy act has been revolutionizing consumer data regulations. The act was p...

    Impact of California Consumer Privacy Act on Online Businesses Explore More

    Blog

    Biometrics Bucking the Trend of KYP in Healthcare

    Over the last few years, biometric technology is deeply entrenched in various commercial marketpl...

    Biometrics Bucking the Trend of KYP in Healthcare Explore More

    Blog

    Forensic Document Verification Solutions – A Key Step in Eliminating Identity Fraud

    With emerging technologies, the demand for online services and products is skyrocketing, raising ...

    Forensic Document Verification Solutions – A Key Step in Eliminating Identity Fraud Explore More

    Blog, Identity & KYC, Online Marketplace

    Why 2 Factor Authentication is vital for Online Identity Risk Management?

    Online identity risk management is becoming harder and harder on cyberspace. It is a headache for...

    Why 2 Factor Authentication is vital for Online Identity Risk Management? Explore More

    Blog

    The State of KYC/AML Compliance in Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Region

    Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is among the largest regions of the world with numerous ...

    The State of KYC/AML Compliance in Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Region Explore More

    Blog

    Shufti to Revamp Customer Experience with Enhanced Video KYC UX

    Would you ever want to use a product that is hard to understand? A McKinsey Report revealed that ...

    Shufti to Revamp Customer Experience with Enhanced Video KYC UX Explore More

    Blog, Identity & KYC

    What are the Different Types and Solutions of ID Verification?

    Customer identification is not an option for some businesses, it’s a must. Ignoring due diligence...

    What are the Different Types and Solutions of ID Verification? Explore More

    Blog

    NFC Verification – Making Digital Payments Mainstream from Alternative

    With time, payment methods have evolved from coins to paper-based money, then plastic, and now sm...

    NFC Verification – Making Digital Payments Mainstream from Alternative Explore More

    Blog

    Corporate Transparency Act – The Road to Better AML Compliance

    According to the latest reports, the United States ranked number 1 for not complying with the ant...

    Corporate Transparency Act – The Road to Better AML Compliance Explore More

    Blog

    A Brief Insight into Netherlands’ Cryptocurrency Regulations

    Just like other European countries, the Netherlands is also a notable financial center making it ...

    A Brief Insight into Netherlands’ Cryptocurrency Regulations Explore More

    Blog

    The 10 Biggest DeFi Hacks of 2022 and How Can KYC/AML Compliance Help

    The crypto industry witnessed a challenging year in 2022, marked by numerous hacks and scams, hig...

    The 10 Biggest DeFi Hacks of 2022 and How Can KYC/AML Compliance Help Explore More

    Blog

    Forensic Document Verification Solutions – A Key Step in Eliminating Identity Fraud

    With emerging technologies, the demand for online services and products is skyrocketing, raising ...

    Forensic Document Verification Solutions – A Key Step in Eliminating Identity Fraud Explore More

    Blog

    Age verification regulations demanding better compliance from businesses

    “Youth is the hope of our future.” Jose Rizal  It is no secret that the youth is a valuable asse...

    Age verification regulations demanding better compliance from businesses Explore More

    Blog

    AML compliance checklist for efficient AML screening in 2020

    2019 brought a plethora of AML regulations for businesses and non-compliance is no more an option...

    AML compliance checklist for efficient AML screening in 2020 Explore More

    Blog

    International ID Day – An Overview of the 2021 Identity Landscape

    The International ID Day is not marked on everybody’s calendar but is of significant value for ma...

    International ID Day – An Overview of the 2021 Identity Landscape Explore More

    Blog

    KYC and AML For Fintech | A Comprehensive Guide to Fraud Prevention

    Since governments worldwide are increasing the pressure to regulate, compliance has become a key ...

    KYC and AML For Fintech | A Comprehensive Guide to Fraud Prevention Explore More

    Blog

    KYC Checklist: A Comprehensive Guide for Businesses and Financial Institutions

    In the ever-evolving landscape of finance, having a solid defence against financial crime is cruc...

    KYC Checklist: A Comprehensive Guide for Businesses and Financial Institutions Explore More

    Blog

    Art Market in the Frame of Money Laundering

    The highly volatile finance and crypto sector is not appealing for many investors, so they turn t...

    Art Market in the Frame of Money Laundering Explore More

    Blog

    How to Combat Document Forgery in 2023 and Beyond

    As digitisation continues to change our world and daily practices at an exponential rate, crimina...

    How to Combat Document Forgery in 2023 and Beyond Explore More

    Blog

    How Transaction Monitoring Can Ensure Secure Online Services

    A safe and comprehensive transaction monitoring system is increasingly important in an era charac...

    How Transaction Monitoring Can Ensure Secure Online Services Explore More

    Blog

    AUSTRAC’s ML/TF Risk Assessment 2021 – Other Domestic Banks Report [Part 2]

    Australia is an important member of the Financial Action Task Force and plays a substantial role ...

    AUSTRAC’s ML/TF Risk Assessment 2021 – Other Domestic Banks Report [Part 2] Explore More

    Blog

    KYC Identity Verification – Building Customer Trust in Ride-Hailing Services

    The transportation industry is in the phase of significant disruption, redefining its services an...

    KYC Identity Verification – Building Customer Trust in Ride-Hailing Services Explore More

    Blog

    High-Risk Customers in Banking and How EDD Can Help Identify Them

    In this age of digitisation, banks and other financial institutions face a high risk of money lau...

    High-Risk Customers in Banking and How EDD Can Help Identify Them Explore More

    Blog

    Securing Digital Payments and Mitigating Financial Crimes Through AML Screening Solutions

    The promise of payments technologies is being realized. Consumers are executing frictionless paym...

    Securing Digital Payments and Mitigating Financial Crimes Through AML Screening Solutions Explore More

    Blog

    KYC Checks in Crypto | A Key to Secure Digital Assets

    In the last thirteen years, the crypto industry has redefined the financial sector. At the same t...

    KYC Checks in Crypto | A Key to Secure Digital Assets Explore More

    Blog

    Is NFC Really the Future? The Mystery Solved!

    We arguably live in a world that is now dependent on technology. From online payments to online e...

    Is NFC Really the Future? The Mystery Solved! Explore More

    Blog

    Understanding Digital Identity

    What is Digital Identity? In the digital world, your identity is made up of your p...

    Understanding Digital Identity Explore More

    Blog

    Digital KYC to Trace and Tackle High-Risk Customers

    Customers are the assets and building blocks of any business. Customers are responsible for takin...

    Digital KYC to Trace and Tackle High-Risk Customers Explore More

    Blog

    Regulatory Compliance | The Importance of Age Verification on Betting Sites

    Online betting sites and gambling platforms frequently face significant challenges in adhering to...

    Regulatory Compliance | The Importance of Age Verification on Betting Sites Explore More

    Blog

    The Definitive Guide to Anti-Money Laundering & Countering of Terrorist Financing

    In this modern globalized era, money launderers, terrorist financiers and other criminal elements...

    The Definitive Guide to Anti-Money Laundering & Countering of Terrorist Financing Explore More

    Blog

    Transaction Screening: The Benefits and Challenges

    Financial crimes are rising, wreaking havoc on organisations and individuals. The fraud rate has ...

    Transaction Screening: The Benefits and Challenges Explore More

    Blog

    How to Protect Yourself From Cyber Crime in the Holiday Season?

    Most people around the world do the majority of their shopping during the holiday season. Accordi...

    How to Protect Yourself From Cyber Crime in the Holiday Season? Explore More

    Blog

    What is KYC and Why is it Important for Crypto Exchanges?

     Cryptocurrencies are causing significant disruptions in the financial world. Cryptograp...

    What is KYC and Why is it Important for Crypto Exchanges? Explore More

    Blog

    Covid Test Verification To Facilitate Tourism Worldwide

    Due to the coronavirus pandemic, tourism has been adversely affected and the entire travel sector...

    Covid Test Verification To Facilitate Tourism Worldwide Explore More

    Blog, Financial Crime / AML, Fraud Prevention, Identity & KYC

    Facial Recognition: Worries About the Use of Synthetic Media

    In 2019, 4.4 billion internet users were connected to the internet worldwide, a rise of 9% from l...

    Facial Recognition: Worries About the Use of Synthetic Media Explore More

    Blog

    AML Screening – Combating Money Laundering in Luxury Vehicle Dealings

    Financial criminals usually look for priceless items like art, antiquities, as well as luxury veh...

    AML Screening – Combating Money Laundering in Luxury Vehicle Dealings Explore More

    Blog, Identity & KYC

    7 Ways to Protect Your Children from Identity Theft

    Living in the digital world, the word “Identity theft” makes us more than a little nervous. Knowi...

    7 Ways to Protect Your Children from Identity Theft Explore More

    Blog

    Digital KYC to Trace and Tackle High-Risk Customers

    Customers are the assets and building blocks of any business. Customers are responsible for takin...

    Digital KYC to Trace and Tackle High-Risk Customers Explore More

    Blog

    Healthcare is Under Attack: Strengthening Security with Biometric Verification

    Healthcare scams cost our economy tens of billions of dollars every year and the lowest value of ...

    Healthcare is Under Attack: Strengthening Security with Biometric Verification Explore More

    Blog

    Video-KYC – The ‘New Normal’ for Digital Customer Verification

    The KYC requirements all over the world are getting stringent. ID document verification is a norm...

    Video-KYC – The ‘New Normal’ for Digital Customer Verification Explore More

    Blog

    Age Verification Laws and Regulations Worldwide

    The world has become increasingly digital, making it easier to access age-restricted products, se...

    Age Verification Laws and Regulations Worldwide Explore More

    Blog

    Top 5 Technologies Disrupting the Healthcare Sector

    Within the next five years, experts are anticipating major technological disruption in the 808 bi...

    Top 5 Technologies Disrupting the Healthcare Sector Explore More

    Blog

    A Brief Insight into Safe Havens for Russian Oligarchs

    The recent Russia-Ukraine conflict has sparked the West to impose sanctions targeting the Russian...

    A Brief Insight into Safe Havens for Russian Oligarchs Explore More

    Blog

    How FinTech can Leverage on FINMA Blockchain Initiative?

    Swiss Financial Markets Supervisory Authority (FINMA) has taken a revolutionary step in the histo...

    How FinTech can Leverage on FINMA Blockchain Initiative? Explore More

    Blog, Identity & KYC

    4 Ways KYC Banking Regulations are Shaping the Future

    Know Your Customer (KYC) regulations are vital for the banking system. Money laundering, depositi...

    4 Ways KYC Banking Regulations are Shaping the Future Explore More

    Blog

    Secure Ride-Hailing Services – Building Trust Through NFC Verification

    Despite the fact that modern ridesharing has only been operating for approximately a decade, it h...

    Secure Ride-Hailing Services – Building Trust Through NFC Verification Explore More

    Blog

    Post-pandemic eCommerce Landscape Calling for Robust ID Verification Solution

    During the coronavirus pandemic, the e-commerce industry has witnessed a significant increase in ...

    Post-pandemic eCommerce Landscape Calling for Robust ID Verification Solution Explore More

    Blog

    Simplify Payment Processes with Biometric Authentication

    A developing trend that is altering how customers handle their money is the use of biometric auth...

    Simplify Payment Processes with Biometric Authentication Explore More

    Blog

    Anti-Money Laundering Solutions | Helping Businesses Fight Against Financial Crimes

    In today’s digital world, increased financial crimes adversely impact global industries, mainly t...

    Anti-Money Laundering Solutions | Helping Businesses Fight Against Financial Crimes Explore More

    Blog

    Facial Recognition KYC Services | Helping Businesses Fight Fraud with Unparalleled Biometric Checks

    The AI revolution has enabled businesses to leverage the power of technology in KYC verification....

    Facial Recognition KYC Services | Helping Businesses Fight Fraud with Unparalleled Biometric Checks Explore More

    Blog

    6 Ways Identity Verification Will Unlock Digital Transformation in Airlines

    Airlines were particularly negatively impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, and the situation was fu...

    6 Ways Identity Verification Will Unlock Digital Transformation in Airlines Explore More

    Blog, Identity & KYC

    GDPR versus Identity Verification – Are you Ready?

    If you are an organisation that is based in the EU or are doing business with companies in the EU...

    GDPR versus Identity Verification – Are you Ready? Explore More

    Blog

    The Future Of the Financial Sector in the Gulf Region

    Digital transformation, that has undoubtedly disrupted numerous industries worldwide, has reached...

    The Future Of the Financial Sector in the Gulf Region Explore More

    Blog

    Surging Crimes in NFT Marketplaces – Setting New Security Standards Using Shufti’s AML Solution

    The emergence of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) has created new investment opportunities for business...

    Surging Crimes in NFT Marketplaces – Setting New Security Standards Using Shufti’s AML Solution Explore More

    Blog

    Forex Market – Are there Enough KYC/AML Regulations to Keep Perpetrators at Bay?

    Regulatory pressure, hefty penalties and increasing criminal instances are some risks associated ...

    Forex Market – Are there Enough KYC/AML Regulations to Keep Perpetrators at Bay? Explore More

    Blog

    Cryptocurrency Exchanges and negative KYC Compliance

    KYC & AML Compliances are not being upheld by almost 68% of the cryptocurrency exchanges arou...

    Cryptocurrency Exchanges and negative KYC Compliance Explore More

    Blog

    Is Your Company Safe? The Importance of Document Verification to Strengthen KYC Checks

    Businesses across the globe are still vulnerable to threats like money laundering, terrorist fina...

    Is Your Company Safe? The Importance of Document Verification to Strengthen KYC Checks Explore More

    Blog

    Effective Sanctions Screening | A Guide for Compliance Professionals

    Sanctions are crucial in combating financial crimes and maintaining national and international se...

    Effective Sanctions Screening | A Guide for Compliance Professionals Explore More

    Blog

    Record-Breaking Fines on Banks for KYC/AML Non-Compliance

    Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) compliance have been structured to make ...

    Record-Breaking Fines on Banks for KYC/AML Non-Compliance Explore More

    Blog

    Designing for the World: UX, Automation & Inclusivity with Lisa Kleinman

    About Lisa Kleinman Dr. Lisa Kleinman, Ph.D. is a UX leader, researcher and design strategist who...

    Designing for the World: UX, Automation & Inclusivity with Lisa Kleinman Explore More

    Blog, Online Marketplace

    Fraud Protection services for Online Retail Businesses

    Online Marketplace faces Chargeback issues Fraud Protection Services are an integral part of reta...

    Fraud Protection services for Online Retail Businesses Explore More

    Blog

    Digital Identity Verification for Open Finance & FinTech Platforms

    Financial applications in the modern world have been sub-categorized into open and closed banking...

    Digital Identity Verification for Open Finance & FinTech Platforms Explore More

    Blog

    How Will Simplified Due Diligence SDD Help Industries in 2024?

    For businesses, the due diligence process is an integral part of the Know Your Customer programme...

    How Will Simplified Due Diligence SDD Help Industries in 2024? Explore More

    Blog

    Real Estate Industry Crimes and Strict AML Regulations – How Shufti Can Help

    The real estate industry has long provided a safe way for fraudsters to secretly launder or inves...

    Real Estate Industry Crimes and Strict AML Regulations – How Shufti Can Help Explore More

    Blog

    Telehealth Services and Sophisticated Crimes – How Shufti Can Help Health Centers

     The speed of innovation has never been faster. Re-emerging from a global pandemic, busi...

    Telehealth Services and Sophisticated Crimes – How Shufti Can Help Health Centers Explore More

    Blog

    How Optical Character Recognition is Changing the Financial Industry

    Banking and other financial services are the world’s most closely watched and strictly gove...

    How Optical Character Recognition is Changing the Financial Industry Explore More

    Blog

    Anti-Smurfing Solutions | Safeguard Your Business Against Money Laundering Risks

    Businesses are under constant threat of financial damage. This is primarily because cybercriminal...

    Anti-Smurfing Solutions | Safeguard Your Business Against Money Laundering Risks Explore More

    Blog

    AML Compliance for Money Service Businesses (MSBs) – How Shufti’s AML Screening Helps

    Money laundering has spread like a virus in today’s globalized society. Banks and other fin...

    AML Compliance for Money Service Businesses (MSBs) – How Shufti’s AML Screening Helps Explore More

    Blog, Financial Crime / AML, Fraud Prevention, Identity & KYC

    Data Breaches – Types, Sources, and Preventive Measures

    A large number of well-renowned companies are under the threat of high-scale data breaches. After...

    Data Breaches – Types, Sources, and Preventive Measures Explore More

    Take the next steps to better security.

    Contact us

    Get in touch with our experts. We'll help you find the perfect solution for your compliance and security needs.

    Contact us

    Request demo

    Get free access to our platform and try our products today.

    Get started