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

    us

    3.227.157.6

    EBA Restricts Diamantaires from Banking Services to Curb ML/TF Risk

    2022-01-12 news2

    Financial institutions restricting diamond dealers from banking services to comply with EU’s 2015 directive aimed to curb money laundering activities.

    According to the European Union regulatory authority, diamond dealers are not getting access to financial services in order to overcome the risk of money laundering. The businesses and individuals associated with this industry are struggling to open bank accounts and avail other services, the European Banking Authority (EBA) stated in its last week’s report.

    Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC), the European Union’s main diamond trading center is under stress and facing difficulties as a result of crumbling relationship with financial institutions. Business dealers have reported multiple times being refused by the banks to open business or personal accounts and seek financial services. This situation has made it challenging for Belgium to compete in Dubai’s diamond market.

    In 2020, the AWDC stated it is “very common” for the diamond dealers to be refused more or less three times when applying for account opening. A new banking law, which is legislated to provide legal rights of opening accounts to these entities, has still not taken effect. However, the bill was approved by the federal parliament last year. However, few businesses have taken legal actions against financial institutions to force them to change their policies.

    The rising concern regarding restricting diamantaires has worsened the situation in Belgium as numerous dealers have left the industry and some have stopped their operations. Following the steps of the Antwerp Diamond Bank in 2015, Standard Chartered and India’s Union Bank also restricted diamond players in 2016 from financial services. 

    The banks are embracing a “de-risking” strategy to comply with the EU 2015 directive, aiming to curb money laundering and terrorist financing. However, while banks’ decisions may be in line with the rules, “de-risking of entire categories of customers, without due consideration of individual customers’ risk profiles, can be unwarranted and a sign of ineffective ML/TF [money laundering and terrorist financing] risk management,” the EBA said.

    The EBA also carried out a consultation program in 2020 to get feedback from the individuals as well as diamond dealers on the impact of the “de-risking” strategy. A major portion of diamantaires claimed that they have been facing denials from financial institutions to open accounts or avail services such as loans, credit cards, and money draft facilities.

    Suggested Read: EU Proposes New AML Agency For Addressing Money Laundering

    Related Posts

    News

    USD 10.4 Billion Paid by Financial Groups in 2020 in Regulatory Fines

    Know Your Customer and Anti-money Laundering non-compliance penalties rose 26% this year. Many pr...

    USD 10.4 Billion Paid by Financial Groups in 2020 in Regulatory Fines Explore More

    News

    Personal Privacy Concerns Raised over FinCEN’s Proposed Crypto Rules

    The advocacy group in their latest comment has disregarded the proposed regulatory requirements b...

    Personal Privacy Concerns Raised over FinCEN’s Proposed Crypto Rules Explore More

    News

    New Zealand Encounters Spike in Online Identity Theft

    Recent research of New Zealand’s financial market has shown a spike of 86 percent in identity fra...

    New Zealand Encounters Spike in Online Identity Theft Explore More

    News

    Germany to Establish New Regulatory Body to Combat Money Laundering

    It has been reported that the German government will create a new regulatory body to combat money...

    Germany to Establish New Regulatory Body to Combat Money Laundering Explore More

    News

    New York State Department Fines Robinhood $30m for Inadequate AML Compliance Measures

    New York’s top financial regulator has fined Robinhood $30 million for failures and shortcomings ...

    New York State Department Fines Robinhood $30m for Inadequate AML Compliance Measures Explore More

    News

    Money Laundering Cases Doubled in the Past Six Years – Eurojust Report

    Eurojust has recorded around 3000 cases of cross-border money laundering over the last six years....

    Money Laundering Cases Doubled in the Past Six Years – Eurojust Report Explore More

    News

    “We Reaffirm Our Full Support for FATF’s Efforts Against Financial Crime” – G20 Leaders

    According to the Rome Declaration, G-20 leaders ensure full support to back FATF recommendations ...

    “We Reaffirm Our Full Support for FATF’s Efforts Against Financial Crime” – G20 Leaders Explore More

    News

    Brazil to Adopt Tougher Penalties to Curb Money Laundering via Digital Currencies

    The fine for digital currency money laundering in Brazil is set to be raised to two-thirds of the...

    Brazil to Adopt Tougher Penalties to Curb Money Laundering via Digital Currencies Explore More

    News

    Turkish President Announces New Crypto Bill to Legalize Virtual Assets

    Turkey’s Parliament to announce the cryptocurrency bill in the coming weeks. Legal framework will...

    Turkish President Announces New Crypto Bill to Legalize Virtual Assets Explore More

    News

    Shufti beats 26 global competitors in the Video KYC challenge at MEFTECH KSA

    Yesterday, February 26, Shufti was announced the winner of the Lulu money’s Video KYC for Cus...

    Shufti beats 26 global competitors in the Video KYC challenge at MEFTECH KSA Explore More

    News

    US DOJ Stresses Disclosure of Beneficial Ownership Information to Curb Illicit Finance

    The US says that it is important for countries and governments to embrace a policy of disclosing ...

    US DOJ Stresses Disclosure of Beneficial Ownership Information to Curb Illicit Finance Explore More

    News

    Travel to Restart as Several Countries Roll out Their Version of Vaccine Passports

    Japan is planning on introducing a vaccine passport to make travelling easy for people. Internati...

    Travel to Restart as Several Countries Roll out Their Version of Vaccine Passports Explore More

    News

    Anti-Money Laundering Assessment of Sri Lanka Expected Shortly by FATF

    In a recent statement, President Ranil Wickremesinghe announced that Sri Lanka will begin its nex...

    Anti-Money Laundering Assessment of Sri Lanka Expected Shortly by FATF Explore More

    News

    PCMLTFA Update: FINTRAC Announces Flexible Compliance Approach

    On May 28, 2021, FINTRAC announced changes in Canada’s anti-money laundering regime under t...

    PCMLTFA Update: FINTRAC Announces Flexible Compliance Approach Explore More

    News

    Coincheck customers fall victim to a data breach

    In 2018, Coincheck, the Japanese firm, fell victim to probably the largest cryptocurrency hack in...

    Coincheck customers fall victim to a data breach Explore More

    News

    FinCEN Proposes Extension in Suspicious Activity Reporting Rules

    The US Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM...

    FinCEN Proposes Extension in Suspicious Activity Reporting Rules Explore More

    News

    Irish Businessmen lost More than €10 Million in Invoice Redirect Fraud

    Sophisticated invoice redirect fraud in Ireland has resulted in the loss of €10 Million for busin...

    Irish Businessmen lost More than €10 Million in Invoice Redirect Fraud Explore More

    News

    UK Regulators Obligates Crypto Firms to Submit Financial Crime Report

    The UK’s financial watchdog, Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has expanded financial regulations...

    UK Regulators Obligates Crypto Firms to Submit Financial Crime Report Explore More

    News

    EU to Investigate Google and Facebook’s Data Collection Practices

    The European Union has begun preliminary investigations into the data collection practices of Goo...

    EU to Investigate Google and Facebook’s Data Collection Practices Explore More

    News

    Bank of Ireland Warns Customers of Rise in Phone Call and Text Scams

    Bank of Ireland has warned clients of a surge in phone calls and text message scams. As per the f...

    Bank of Ireland Warns Customers of Rise in Phone Call and Text Scams Explore More

    News

    MONEYVAL Urges Poland to Improve its AML/CFT Regulatory Framework

    MONEYVAL has called upon Polish authorities to improve their regulatory framework and work on str...

    MONEYVAL Urges Poland to Improve its AML/CFT Regulatory Framework Explore More

    News

    FATF Finalizes Key Working Areas in its Fifth Plenary Meeting

    FATF’s fifth plenary meeting consisting of 206 members of the Global Network and Observer organiz...

    FATF Finalizes Key Working Areas in its Fifth Plenary Meeting Explore More

    News

    T-Mobile Suffers its Second Security Breach within Six Months

    T-mobile US suffered its second data breach between late February and early March, affecting 836 ...

    T-Mobile Suffers its Second Security Breach within Six Months Explore More

    News

    NFT Market Skyrockets to $44 Billion as Money Laundering Increases

    The non-fungible token (NFT) market value has increased from $106 million in 2020 to $44 billion ...

    NFT Market Skyrockets to $44 Billion as Money Laundering Increases Explore More

    News

    US Senator Warns ‘a Run on Crypto’ May Need Federal Bailout

    Elizabeth Warren, US Senator and a longtime bitcoin skeptic has shared her views about the upside...

    US Senator Warns ‘a Run on Crypto’ May Need Federal Bailout Explore More

    News

    New Zealand’s FMA Issues New ID Verification Guideline

    A new explanatory note has been issued by New Zealand identifying the sources of information that...

    New Zealand’s FMA Issues New ID Verification Guideline Explore More

    News

    FIAU Charges ECCM Bank €310,000 for Weak AML Controls

    FIAU charged Silema-based ECCM Bank €310,000 over failings in money laundering controls, revealin...

    FIAU Charges ECCM Bank €310,000 for Weak AML Controls Explore More

    News

    Non-compliant Crypto Accounts will Face Immediate Closure from Banks – Says CBN

    Nigerian banks are ordered to track and freeze non-compliant crypto accounts, while banks that fa...

    Non-compliant Crypto Accounts will Face Immediate Closure from Banks – Says CBN Explore More

    News

    Study Reveals Alabama to be the Center for Identity Theft and Fraud

    According to the latest study, Alabama has become the state with one of the highest rates of iden...

    Study Reveals Alabama to be the Center for Identity Theft and Fraud Explore More

    News

    Iranian Banks in Bahrain to be Prosecuted for Breaching AML Sanctions

    Bahrain’s public prosecutor declared that the 13 Iranian banks, including the Central Bank of Ira...

    Iranian Banks in Bahrain to be Prosecuted for Breaching AML Sanctions Explore More

    News

    UAE Receives Observer Status at APG For Money Laundering

    UAE becomes the first Arab country receive an observer status at the Asia/Pacific Group of Money ...

    UAE Receives Observer Status at APG For Money Laundering Explore More

    News

    Japan to Enforce Strict Anti-Money Laundering Laws on Cryptocurrency

    A stringent set of anti-money laundering measures will be implemented in Japan starting June 1st,...

    Japan to Enforce Strict Anti-Money Laundering Laws on Cryptocurrency Explore More

    News

    U.S Congress Suspects the Use of Bitcoin to Fund Domestic Terrorism

    U.S Congress subcommittee worries that Bitcoin might have been used in funding the Capitol revolt...

    U.S Congress Suspects the Use of Bitcoin to Fund Domestic Terrorism Explore More

    News

    Financial Watchdogs Flags Crypto Mixer Stoking as a Potential Risk For Money Laundering

    Cryptocurrencies are highly criticized by financial watchdogs and governments for potential risk ...

    Financial Watchdogs Flags Crypto Mixer Stoking as a Potential Risk For Money Laundering Explore More

    News

    MGA to Introduce Detailed Player Protection Guidelines for Responsible Gambling

    Malta Gaming Authority is set to introduce player protection guidelines after being placed on the...

    MGA to Introduce Detailed Player Protection Guidelines for Responsible Gambling Explore More

    News

    Mishcon de Reya fined £232,500 for AML Failures

    London’s leading firm, Mishcon De Reya has been fined EUR 232,500 over failing Anti-Money Launder...

    Mishcon de Reya fined £232,500  for AML Failures Explore More

    News

    Canada’s Federal Agencies to Consult on Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Measures

    The Canadian government has launched a public consultation to strengthen the country’s anti...

    Canada’s Federal Agencies to Consult on Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Measures Explore More

    News

    SFC Imposed a HK$9 Fine on RIFA Future for KYC Failings

    RIFA Limited was charged by the domestic regulatory authority of Hong Kong, the Securities and Fu...

    SFC Imposed a HK$9  Fine on RIFA Future for KYC Failings Explore More

    News

    China Warns of Money Laundering Risks Arising from NFTs

    China has warned of the financial risks associated with non-fungible tokens (NFTs) as three indus...

    China Warns of Money Laundering Risks Arising from NFTs Explore More

    News

    Hackers Steal $625 Million from Ronin Network in Largest-Ever Crypto Theft

    Hackers stole approximately $625 million in crypto from the Ronin blockchain and the video game n...

    Hackers Steal $625 Million from Ronin Network in Largest-Ever Crypto Theft Explore More

    News

    UK’s FCA Warns Challenger Banks Over Inadequate AML Measures

    The UK’s main financial regulator has warned challenger banks to improve measures for fighting fi...

    UK’s FCA Warns Challenger Banks Over Inadequate AML Measures Explore More

    News

    The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Introduces Anti-Terrorist Financing, Anti-Money Laundering Laws

    Lawyers in Nigeria are being instructed to follow anti-money laundering and terrorist financing l...

    The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Introduces Anti-Terrorist Financing, Anti-Money Laundering Laws Explore More

    News

    Australian Regulators Oblige Businesses to Report Suspicious Transactions

    The Australian regulatory authorities ordered digital businesses to report cyberattacks and suspi...

    Australian Regulators Oblige Businesses to Report Suspicious Transactions Explore More

    News

    Vietnam Collaborates with UK to Enhance AML Law Enforcement

    The Vietnam Ministry of Public Security delegation, led by Deputy Minister Lieutenant General, Le...

    Vietnam Collaborates with UK to Enhance AML Law Enforcement Explore More

    News

    UAE Central Bank Issues AML/CFT Guidance For Exchange Houses

    The Central Bank of UAE (CBUAE) has issued guidance for Licensed Exchange Houses (LEH), keeping F...

    UAE Central Bank Issues AML/CFT Guidance For Exchange Houses Explore More

    News

    Newsman arrested for credit card theft

    A Newport Newsman was arrested due to credit card and identity theft allegations. The arrest was...

    Newsman arrested for credit card theft Explore More

    News

    Saudi Arabia Uncovers Massive Fraud worth SR11.5 Billion

    Law enforcement authorities in Saudi Arabia arrested at least 32 suspects including businessmen, ...

    Saudi Arabia Uncovers Massive Fraud worth SR11.5 Billion Explore More

    News

    CSSF Imposed a €226,000 Fine on Maitland Over AML Compliance Failure

    Maitland Luxembourg SA received a penalty of €226,000 over anti-money laundering and customer due...

    CSSF Imposed a €226,000 Fine on Maitland Over AML Compliance Failure Explore More

    News

    Social Media Firms May Face Parallel Regulation – Says Data Protection Authority

    Social media platforms approached the I&B ministry citing apprehension that they may face par...

    Social Media Firms May Face Parallel Regulation – Says Data Protection Authority Explore More

    News

    EU Parliament Committee Backs MiCA Deal to Effectively Manage Crypto

    The MiCA deal has been approved by the economic committee of the EU Parliament. The committee has...

    EU Parliament Committee Backs MiCA Deal to Effectively Manage Crypto Explore More

    News

    France to Test Digital Currency in the First Quarter of 2020

    The digital currency race is building up and every country wants to take part in it. Now, Banque ...

    France to Test Digital Currency in the First Quarter of 2020 Explore More

    News

    Swedbank Estonia Reports High-Risk Client for Laundering $2 Billion

    Swedbank Estonia labeled one of its clients a “high-risk” company due to suspicious transactions ...

    Swedbank Estonia Reports High-Risk Client for Laundering $2 Billion Explore More

    News

    Kuwait’s Ministry of Social Affairs to Amend the Executive Law to Fight Money Laundering and Terrorism

    Kuwait’s Ministry of Social Affairs is currently reviewing a proposal to amend the executive regu...

    Kuwait’s Ministry of Social Affairs to Amend the Executive Law to Fight Money Laundering and Terrorism Explore More

    News

    Binance revokes Upbit hackers’ attempt to launder stolen funds

    At just after 16:00 UTC Wednesday, bot Twitter account Whale Alert notified Binance – which has e...

    Binance revokes Upbit hackers’ attempt to launder stolen funds Explore More

    News

    BSP Seeking to Mandate e-KYC For Financial Institutions

    The draft circular suggests obligatory e-KYC processes, including identity verification and custo...

    BSP Seeking to Mandate e-KYC For Financial Institutions Explore More

    News

    Satabank Penalized with €851,000 for Non-Compliance

    Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit (FIAU) on Statabank has decided to fine the bank the sum of ...

    Satabank Penalized with €851,000 for Non-Compliance Explore More

    News

    Netflix ‘Update your payment” phishing scam is bypassing email spam filters

    Phishing scams are taking a new turn as more and more people are using streaming services during ...

    Netflix ‘Update your payment” phishing scam is bypassing email spam filters Explore More

    News

    Money Laundering Concerns Prompt Hong Kong Banks to Reject Crypto Transactions

    Despite the Hong Kong government’s encouragement, two banks have rejected crypto activities...

    Money Laundering Concerns Prompt Hong Kong Banks to Reject Crypto Transactions Explore More

    News

    Macau Police Arrests Cross-border Money Laundering Group for Illicit Financing of HK1.1 Billion

    A group of 22 individuals were arrested by authorities in Macau and HK for suspicions of being in...

    Macau Police Arrests Cross-border Money Laundering Group for Illicit Financing of HK1.1 Billion Explore More

    News

    Lloyds Banking Group Initiates “Pilot Scheme” to Combat Frauds

    Lloyds bank initiates a “pilot scheme” with the London police to counter criminal act...

    Lloyds Banking Group Initiates “Pilot Scheme” to Combat Frauds Explore More

    News

    Shanghai police warn citizens to beware of online romance frauds

    Shanghai police are warning people to be aware of Romantic Internet scams in which victims lose a...

    Shanghai police warn citizens to beware of online romance frauds Explore More

    News

    Shufti is nominated for ‘Oustanding Product/ Service’

    Global business excellence awards nominated Shufti for the category of outstanding product/ s...

    Shufti is nominated for ‘Oustanding Product/ Service’ Explore More

    News

    New Zealand Encounters Spike in Online Identity Theft

    Recent research of New Zealand’s financial market has shown a spike of 86 percent in identity fra...

    New Zealand Encounters Spike in Online Identity Theft Explore More

    News

    Corrupt Countries Tend to Have a Higher Number of Crypto Users, Says IMF

    A recent International Monetary Fund (IMF) study shows that counties that have more corruption ha...

    Corrupt Countries Tend to Have a Higher Number of Crypto Users, Says IMF Explore More

    News

    FBI Warns of Tech Support Scammers Compromising Financial Accounts

    The Boston Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has warned of an increase in num...

    FBI Warns of Tech Support Scammers Compromising Financial Accounts Explore More

    News

    SPP Observes Rapid Increase in Money Laundering Cases Prosecuted Nationwide

    The Supreme People’s Procuratorate (SPP) has observed a rapid increase in money laundering ...

    SPP Observes Rapid Increase in Money Laundering Cases Prosecuted Nationwide Explore More

    News

    German Authorities Shut Down ChipMixer on Suspicion of Laundering $2.9B Worth of Bitcoins

    Law enforcement authorities bring down German-based server ChipMix alleged of laundering $2.9 bil...

    German Authorities Shut Down ChipMixer on Suspicion of Laundering $2.9B Worth of Bitcoins Explore More

    News

    FinCEN Pinpoints Bitzlato as “Primary Money Laundering Concern”

    FinCEN recognises Bitzlato Limited, a Hong-kong based virtual crypto exchange network, as a prima...

    FinCEN Pinpoints Bitzlato as “Primary Money Laundering Concern” Explore More

    News

    Australia to Ban Credit Cards for Online Gambling to Prevent Payment Fraud

    The Australian government will soon ban online gambling with credit cards. The government will in...

    Australia to Ban Credit Cards for Online Gambling to Prevent Payment Fraud Explore More

    News

    Over Dh3 billion Confiscated from Firms violating AML Laws in UAE

    The UAE has plans to take a strict stance on firms operating in the region over money laundering ...

    Over Dh3 billion Confiscated from Firms violating AML Laws in UAE Explore More

    News

    EU Money Laundering Overhaul Should Include NFT Platforms, Lawmakers Say

    The two crypto legislation adopted last week did not include unhosted wallets and decentralised f...

    EU Money Laundering Overhaul Should Include NFT Platforms, Lawmakers Say Explore More

    News

    Panama’s Supreme Court to Declare Cryptocurrency Legislation

    Panama’s Supreme court to decide whether to modify the “crypto bill” or approve it without amendm...

    Panama’s Supreme Court to Declare Cryptocurrency Legislation 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