AML screening checks customers against lists of sanctioned parties, politically exposed persons (PEPs) and adverse media. Certivant powers this with OpenSanctions, an open dataset that consolidates global watchlists into one continuously updated source.
What AML screening covers
- Sanctions — OFAC, EU, UN, UK and other consolidated lists.
- PEPs — government officials and their close associates, who carry higher corruption risk.
- Adverse media — credible negative news tied to financial crime.
Screening obligations derive from the FATF standards adopted by national regulators.
How matching works
Names rarely match exactly across languages and transliterations, so screening uses fuzzy matching to surface likely candidates. Each candidate is scored; strong matches are confirmed and weak ones discarded. Tuning this threshold is the key to cutting false positives without missing true hits. Certivant exposes it through AML screening and risk scoring.
Reducing false positives
- Add secondary identifiers (date of birth, nationality) to disambiguate common names.
- Whitelist previously cleared matches so they do not re-alert.
- Record every decision in an audit trail for the regulator.
Continuous monitoring
Risk is not static. Customers cleared at onboarding can later appear on a sanctions list, so they should be re-screened automatically — wire this into automation workflows.
Frequently asked questions
What is a PEP?
A Politically Exposed Person holds a prominent public function, which raises the risk of bribery or corruption and warrants enhanced due diligence.
How often should I screen?
Screen at onboarding and continuously thereafter; many firms re-screen daily against list updates.
See screening in action. Start free or talk to us.
