funsec mailing list archives
Re: [privacy] FW: What Is "Structuring" and How Do Banks Detect It?
From: "Richard M. Smith" <rms () computerbytesman com>
Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2008 16:35:56 -0400
I used trick #1 to pay my daughter's college tuition via a debit card. My bank limits me to $1,000 maximum for an single online transaction. So I end having to do multiple transactions to get her tuition paid. The total payments are under $10,000, so I don't think I'm raising any red flags. However the payments are going to Canada which might make a difference. Richard From: Larry Seltzer [mailto:Larry () larryseltzer com] Sent: Wednesday, March 12, 2008 4:24 PM To: privacy () whitestar linuxbox org Subject: [privacy] FW: What Is "Structuring" and How Do Banks Detect It? Just another pitch I got today Larry Seltzer eWEEK.com Security Center Editor http://security.eweek.com/ http://blogs.pcmag.com/securitywatch/ <http://blogs.pcmag.com/securitywatch/Contributing> Contributing Editor, PC Magazine larry.seltzer () ziffdavisenterprise com _____ From: Temin and Company [mailto:news () Teminandco com] Sent: Wednesday, March 12, 2008 4:18 PM To: Temin and Company Subject: What Is "Structuring" and How Do Banks Detect It? Fortent has been getting numerous calls asking for an explanation of "structuring" and how banks detect it. Following is a primer on the form of money laundering called "structuring." If you would like more information about this, or to speak with Fortent experts, please contact Suzanne Oaks or Davia Temin of Temin and Company at 212-588-8788 or <mailto:news () teminandco com> news () teminandco com. A Primer on "Structuring" as a Form of Money Laundering NEW YORK - March 12, 2008 - A commonly-used form of money laundering called "structuring" has recently emerged in the news. Dr. Michael Recce, Chief Scientist at Fortent, the risk and compliance technology and information company, explains: "Structuring is a favorite method used by money launderers to attempt to avoid detection. "Due to the Bank Secrecy Act and the USA PATRIOT Act regulations, banks are required to report customer transactions of $10,000 or more to federal authorities. So in order to get around these requirements, an individual could 'structure' or divide payments into a set of transactions where each individual transaction is below this $10,000 threshold. This maneuver increases the chances that the individual would fly under the radar of banks' compliance departments. "Divided transactions raise suspicion levels, and banks have systems in place to detect just this sort of criminal behavior." Common signs of structuring, says Dr. Recce, include: 1. Movement of cash in multiple transactions under $10,000 - "Obviously, not every transaction of under $10,000 is suspect, but if banks see a pattern of cash movement to the same account when it doesn't seem to make sense, this raises red flags." 2. Attempts to take the sender's name off wire transfers - "If you have nothing to hide, why would you try to conceal your transactions?" 3. Large cash deposits made to ATMs - "Most people deposit checks, not cash, into ATMs, so banks' systems tend to raise red flags for these types of transactions." "To detect structuring," says Dr. Recce, "anti-money laundering systems, such as Fortent's, look for situations in which multiple transactions of slightly under $10,000 are performed within short periods of time, possibly at multiple branches or locations of a bank." About Fortent Fortent provides risk and compliance solutions to financial institutions, government agencies, and individuals in more than 100 countries. With advanced systems endorsed by the American Bankers Association, Fortent's market-leading technology, information, and training businesses help clients fight financial crime and achieve regulatory compliance throughout their global operations. ###
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Current thread:
- [privacy] FW: What Is "Structuring" and How Do Banks Detect It? Larry Seltzer (Mar 12)
- Re: [privacy] FW: What Is "Structuring" and How Do Banks Detect It? Richard M. Smith (Mar 12)
- Re: [privacy] FW: What Is "Structuring" and How Do Banks Detect It? Michael Graham (Mar 12)
- Re: [privacy] FW: What Is "Structuring" and How Do Banks Detect It? Richard M. Smith (Mar 12)