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Combating Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing:
BSA High Risk Designations, OCC Alerts, FinCEN Advisories, and OFAC Lists
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OCC Alerts - notify national banks about
fraudulent banking activities. You may provide comments to us or request
additional information on any OCC Alert or fraud related OCC issuance through
the OCC Alert Responses e-mail contact point.
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FinCEN
Advisories - are guidance documents issued to financial
institutions.
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High Risk Money Laundering and Related Financial
Crimes Areas (HIFCAs) - are a means of concentrating law
enforcement efforts at the federal, state, and local levels in high intensity
money laundering zones. HIFCAs may be defined geographically or they can
also be created to address money laundering in an industry sector, a financial
institution, or group of financial institutions. See s list of designated
HIFCAs.
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High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTAs) - HIDTAs are
designated by the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, in
consultation with the Attorney General, Secretary of Treasury, heads of
drug-control agencies, and respective governors. HIDTA regions are comprised of
specific designated counties, based on the drug threat facing that area. See a
list of designated HIDTAs.
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International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR),
published annually by the U.S. State Department identifies major money
laundering countries and jurisdictions
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Institutions of Primary Money Laundering Concerns - Section
5318A of the Bank Secrecy Act, as added by section 311 of the USA PATRIOT Act,
authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to designate a foreign jurisdiction,
institution, class of transaction, or type of account as being of "primary
money-laundering concern," and to impose one or more of five "special
measures." See a listing of current or proposed designations.
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Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) Sanctioned Countries & SDNs
- OFAC is responsible for issuing regulations that restrict transactions by
U.S. persons or entities (including banks) with certain foreign countries,
their nationals, or "specially designated nationals (SDNs)." Violations of
these laws can expose financial institutions to substantial penalties. See a
current list of sanctioned countries and SDNs.
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Section 314(a) Information Requests - FinCEN regularly (generally
bi-weekly) requests financial institutions search records for persons that may
be involved in terrorism or money laundering. Requests are sent to points of
contact (POCs) at financial institutions. If your institution needs to change
its POC, please file an amended Call Report with the updated information. See
OCC Alert 2004-6 for additional information. If your bank is having
problems receiving the 314(a) list from FinCEN, please ensure that your POC
information is correct on the Call Report and file an amended Call Report, if
necessary. Also, ensure that e-mails from FinCEN are not being blocked or
restricted by your institution's software or firewalls.
See more information on the 314(a) requests.
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U. S. Money Laundering Threat Assessment (MLTA) - The MLTA is
the first government-wide analysis of money laundering. This report
investigates money laundering vulnerabilities across a spectrum of techniques
used by criminals. It offers a detailed analysis of thirteen money laundering
methods, ranging from well-established techniques for integrating "dirty money"
into the financial system to modern innovations and emerging industries.
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