CAMS Exam Dumps - Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (the 6th edition)

The first thing the anti-money laundering specialist should do is to conduct a risk assessment of the bank’s international electronic fund transfer activity. This is to identify and measure the potential money laundering and terrorist financing risks associated with the bank’s products, services, customers, and geographic locations. A risk assessment can help the anti-money laundering specialist to:

Understand the nature and extent of the bank’s exposure to money laundering and terrorist financing threats and vulnerabilities.

Establish a risk-based approach to the design and implementation of the anti-money laundering compliance program, including policies, procedures, controls, monitoring, reporting, and training.

Allocate appropriate resources and prioritize actions to mitigate the identified risks and enhance the effectiveness of the anti-money laundering compliance program.

Demonstrate to the regulators and auditors that the bank has a sound and comprehensive anti-money laundering compliance program that is commensurate with its risk profile and business activities.

CAMS Study Guide - 6th Edition, Chapter 6, pages 167-168

CAMS Certification Exam Outline, Domain 3, Task 3.1, Skill 3.1.1

Anti-Money Laundering Bulletin November 2021 - Central Bank of Ireland, pages 4-5

Money Laundering through Money Remittance and Currency Exchange Providers, FATF, June 2010, pages 7-8

REGULATIONS - FIU, Part III, Regulation 9, pages 9-10

 According to the ACAMS study guide, one of the insurance products that is particularly vulnerable to money laundering is annuity, which is “a contract that provides a series of payments over a specified period of time, usually for the life of the annuitant” (p. 223). Annuities can be used by money launderers to deposit large sums of illicit funds in a single transaction, or to receive regular payments from a legitimate source after paying the premiums with dirty money. Annuities can also be surrendered or transferred to third parties, making it difficult to trace the origin and destination of funds.

ACAMS. (2020). Study Guide for the Certification Examination for Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (6th ed.). Miami, FL: ACAMS.

ComplyAdvantage. (2023)AML in Insurance: How to Detect & Combat Money Laundering 1. Retrieved from https://complyadvantage.com

Financial Crime Academy. (2023)Anti Money Laundering (AML) In Insurance Industry In 2021 2. Retrieved from https://financialcrimeacademy.org

"Increasingly, countries are using economic sanctions instead of military force as an instrument of foreign policy"

According to the ACAMS study guide, one of the red flags for money laundering in cash-intensive businesses is “the presence of privately-owned ATMs on the premises” (p. 222). This could indicate that the business is using the ATM to deposit or withdraw large amounts of cash from illicit sources, or to facilitate the movement of funds across borders. The other options are not necessarily indicative of money laundering risk, as they could be explained by legitimate factors such as the change in customer preferences, the economic situation, or the expansion of the business.

ACAMS. (2020). Study Guide for the Certification Examination for Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (6th ed.). Miami, FL: ACAMS.

CFI. (2023)Money Laundering - Overview, How It Works, Example 1. Retrieved from https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com

CALERT. (2016)How Do Criminals Launder Money Through a Restaurant? 2. Retrieved from https://calert.info

Havens for money laundering and terrorist financing are jurisdictions that offer a high degree of anonymity, secrecy, and protection to criminals who seek to conceal or move their illicit funds. These havens typically have the following three attributes12:

Limited types of institutions and persons covered by money laundering laws and regulations. This means that only a narrow range of financial activities or entities are subject to anti-money laundering (AML) and combatting the financing of terrorism (CFT) obligations, such as customer due diligence, record-keeping, reporting, and supervision. For example, some havens may exclude lawyers, accountants, trust and company service providers, or non-bank financial institutions from AML/CFT requirements.

Little enforcement of the laws, weak penalties or provisions that make it difficult to confiscate or freeze assets related to money laundering. This means that the authorities in these havens lack the political will, resources, or capacity to effectively implement and enforce the AML/CFT laws and regulations. They may also impose low sanctions or fines for non-compliance, or create legal barriers or obstacles for the confiscation or freezing of assets that are the proceeds of, or used in, or intended or allocated for use in, money laundering, terrorist financing, or other crimes.

Absence of an effective FIU. This means that these havens do not have a central agency that is responsible for receiving, analyzing, and disseminating financial intelligence related to money laundering, terrorist financing, and other crimes. An effective FIU is essential for facilitating domestic and international cooperation and information exchange, as well as for supporting investigations and prosecutions of money laundering and terrorist financing cases.

1: The IMF and the Fight Against Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing, 1 2: IX Special Recommendations, 2

 A U.S. bank must block or reject an international funds transfer when there is an OFAC designated party to the transaction, regardless of the beneficiary or the correspondent bank. This is because the U.S. bank is prohibited from dealing with any person or entity that is on the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List) or subject to any other OFAC sanctions program1. The SDN List includes individuals, groups, and entities, such as terrorists and narcotics traffickers, that are designated under programs that are not country-specific2. The U.S. bank must also report any blocked or rejected transactions to OFAC within 10 business days3.

 1: FFIEC BSA/AML Office of Foreign Assets Control - Office of Foreign … 2: Specially Designated Nationals And Blocked Persons List (SDN) Human … 3: [Reporting Blocked Transactions | Office of Foreign Assets Control]

 Having inadequate privacy policies and procedures can expose an organization to legal risks such as industry or regulatory sanctions and charges of deceptive business practices. Industry or regulatory sanctions can result from violating the laws and regulations that govern data privacy and protection, such as the GDPR, the CCPA, or the GLBA.These sanctions can include fines, penalties, injunctions, or revocation of licenses. Charges of deceptive business practices can arise from misleading or false statements about how the organization collects, uses, or discloses personal data, or from failing to comply with its own privacy policies and procedures. These charges can lead to lawsuits, settlements, or enforcement actions by authorities such as the FTC or the state attorneys general.

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The 4 Biggest Risks of Non-Compliance With Data Privacy Regulations

Security and privacy laws, regulations, and compliance: The complete guide

An Ethical Approach to Data Privacy Protection

According to the guidance issued by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) and the federal banking agencies, a financial institution is legally permitted to discuss any aspects of the reported activity with the law enforcement officer who contacts them about the suspicious transaction report (SAR), as long as the officer provides appropriate credentials and a written request for the information. The financialinstitution is also legally permitted to send the deposit documents referenced in the SAR, as they are part of the supporting documentation that may be requested by law enforcement1

However, the financial institution is not legally permitted to provide copies of the customer’s loan documents or explain the customer’s loan payment history, as they are not directly related to the reported activity and may contain confidential information that is protected by privacy laws or contractual agreements. The financial institution should only disclose the minimum amount of information necessary to respond to the law enforcement request and should not volunteer any information that is not relevant or requested12

1: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Suspicious Activity Reporting and Other Anti-Money Laundering Considerations, FinCEN and Federal Banking Agencies, 2021, Question 1

2: The best practices for effective Suspicious Activity Reporting, The Payments Association, 2020