# AML Screening Check ### AML Screening Overview ComplyCube’s AML Screening Check helps you meet AML and KYC compliance requirements through real-time customer and business screening. Use it for **sanctions screening**, **watchlist screening**, **PEP (Politically Exposed Person) screening**, **adverse media screening**, and **ongoing AML monitoring**. Powered by a **proprietary graph network**, **entity resolution system**, **multilingual matching engine**, and **global partner network**, AML Screening covers 3,000+ [international, regional, and local lists](/documentation/product-guides/watchlist-pep-and-adverse-media/aml-screening-check/lists-included.md). It can also surface **relatives**, **associates**, and **business relations**, whether they are linked to the matched subject or the listed person connected to that subject. AML Screening supports **real-time screening**, **continuous monitoring**, **instant alerts**, and **KYB screening** for both **individuals** and **businesses**. Choose between two AML Screening variants: [Standard](#service-variants) and [Extensive](#service-variants). {% hint style="info" %} [Learn about the AML Screening Checks API.](/documentation/api-reference/check-types/aml-screening-check.md) {% endhint %} ### Common use cases Use AML screening to reduce compliance risk across key customer journeys: * **KYC and KYB onboarding**: Screen individuals, businesses, directors, shareholders, and beneficial owners against sanctions, watchlists, and PEP lists during account opening. * **Transaction screening**: Screen parties involved in payments and transfers to detect sanctions, watchlist, and financial crime exposure. * **CDD and EDD**: Apply risk-based screening for higher-risk customers, products, jurisdictions, and business relationships. * **Ongoing monitoring**: Rescreen customers continuously and trigger alerts when sanctions, watchlist, PEP, or adverse media status changes. * **Periodic reviews**: Refresh screening results as part of scheduled customer due diligence and risk review workflows. ### How AML screening works AML Screening Check combines a proprietary graph network with a multilingual matching engine to identify potential sanctions, PEP, watchlist, enforcement, and adverse media matches. #### Data sources Screening data comes from **ComplyCube’s own data**, **regulatory publications**, and **leading global data providers**. This includes more than **3,000 data points** across **sanctions lists**, **PEP records**, **watchlists**, **adverse media**, **enforcement datasets**, and **regulatory sources** from **government authorities**, **international organizations**, **trusted commercial partners**, and ComplyCube’s continuously maintained data network. Records are continuously **standardized**, **enriched**, and **maintained** to support consistent AML screening across regions, jurisdictions, and languages. Matched records will also return comprehensive source-backed data, images, and notes to support alert review and investigation.

Sample view of a potential match (full result not displayed)

#### Graph network and entity resolution ComplyCube’s screening data is prepared in advance through a **proprietary graph network** that continuously structures and resolves entity data across global datasets. Before any screening check runs, this process helps to: * Remove **duplicate records** across multiple sources. * Link **aliases** and **alternative identities**. * Normalize inconsistent **formatting** and **naming structures**. * Connect **relatives**, **associates**, **business relations**, and **ownership links**. * Consolidate fragmented records into **unified entity profiles**.

Sample association graph showing how related entities connect to a subject across screening datasets

This means screening runs against cleaner, already-resolved entity data, which reduces **duplicate alerts** and improves the quality of **potential match results**. #### Multilingual matching The matching engine compares **names** and **entity attributes** across **languages**, **scripts**, and **regional naming conventions**. It accounts for: * **Phonetic similarity** * **Transliterations** between scripts * **Linguistic** and **regional spelling variations** * **Cultural** and **regional** naming structures * **Non-Latin scripts** * **Patronymics** and **compound names** * **Honorifics** and **titles** This supports screening across **Latin**, **Arabic**, **Chinese**, **Cyrillic**, **Japanese**, **Korean**, **Thai**, and other major writing systems. {% hint style="info" %} Combining **graph-based entity resolution** with **multilingual matching** helps improve **match consistency** while eliminating **duplicate noise** and **unnecessary false positives**. This allows **compliance teams** to review **cleaner** and more **relevant screening results** across global datasets. {% endhint %} #### Match explainability Screening results include structured match metadata to help compliance teams understand why a potential match was returned and how closely it aligns with the screened entity. Common match signals include: * **Name-based**: Exact, partial, alias, transliteration, former name, and alternative spelling matches. * **Attribute-based**: Date of birth, nationality, country, address, passport, or company registration matches. This supports alert review, investigations, and regulatory reporting.

Placeholder for a match explainability visual — Sample explanation for a match score on hover

#### Ongoing monitoring and alerts AML Screening supports continuous monitoring of individuals and businesses against updated sanctions, PEP, watchlist, and adverse media data. When source data changes or new potential matches are identified, alerts are triggered in real-time. ### Screening configuration {% columns %} {% column %}

{% endcolumn %} {% column %} AML Screening is configurable. Adjust it to your policy, risk appetite, and review capacity. You can configure: * **Scope coverage**: Select which datasets and list types to screen, such as sanctions, PEP, adverse media, and other official lists. * **Continuous monitoring**: Enable ongoing monitoring and real-time alerts when new potential matches are identified. * **Match thresholds**: Define score bands that suppress weak matches, auto-reject lower-confidence matches, and route stronger matches for review. * **Search mode**: Choose between **Precise** and **Fuzzy** matching, depending on how strictly you want names and attributes to match. * **Exclusion rules**: Exclude inactive entities, deceased persons, low-quality aliases, and matches missing key attributes such as date of birth, gender, nationality, or incorporation country. {% endcolumn %} {% endcolumns %} {% hint style="info" %} More granular AML screening controls and settings are available for **Enterprise** customers. {% endhint %} ### Match validation Potential matches can be validated as **confirmed** or **rejected**. This improves ongoing monitoring. Teams can distinguish true exposure changes from previously rejected false positives. It also strengthens auditability and gives you a stronger monitoring posture over time.

### Service variants We offer two levels of AML Screening, **Standard** and **Extensive**, designed to support different risk profiles and compliance requirements. #### Comparison at a glance

Feature	Standard AML Screening	Extensive AML Screening
Sanctions coverage	Sanctions lists Other official lists War crime Sanctions control	Sanctions lists Other official lists War crime Sanctions control Child sexual exploitation Terror Other exclusion lists
PEP coverage	Level 1	Levels 1-4
Adverse media coverage	Not included	Environment & production Social & labor Competitive & financial Regulatory
Other lists	Not included	Organized crime Financial crime Tax crime corruption Trafficking Associated entity

#### PEP levels explained ComplyCube's PEP levels are outlined below.

Level	PEP Coverage
1	Heads and Deputies Heads of State or National Government National Government Ministers Members of the National Legislature
2	Heads and Deputy Heads of Regional Government Senior Civil Servants-National Government Senior Civil Servants-Regional Government Senior Members of the Armed Forces Senior Members of the Police Services Senior Members of the Secret Services Senior Members of the Judiciary Embassy and Consular Staff Regional Government Ministers Religious Leaders
3	State Corporation Executives State Agency Officials Political Party Officials
4	International Organization Officials City Mayors Political Pressure and Labor Group Officials Local Public Officials International Sporting Organization Officials Other

### Sample result The example below shows a representative AML Screening Check result for sanctions, watchlist, PEP, and adverse media screening. Use it to see how potential matches, screening categories, outcomes, and supporting match context may appear in an AML screening report.

{% hint style="info" %} This example is illustrative. Exact fields, values, and layout may vary by workflow, configuration, and result. {% endhint %} ### Check duration An AML Screening Check takes **under 1 second** to complete. ### Frequently asked questions

What information is needed for an AML screening check?

You can run AML screening with a name alone, but match quality improves when you add more identifying data. For individuals, use details like **date of birth**, **nationality**, and **country**. For businesses, use **registered name**, **registration number**, and **incorporation country**.

Can AML screening be used for both KYC and KYB?

Yes. AML Screening supports both **individual screening** and **business screening**. You can screen customers, companies, directors, shareholders, and beneficial owners in the same compliance flow.

How does AML screening reduce false positives?

AML Screening reduces false positives through **entity resolution**, **multilingual matching**, and configurable screening controls. You can tune **match thresholds**, choose **Precise** or **Fuzzy** search, and exclude weak matches missing key attributes.

What happens after a potential sanctions or PEP match is found?

Each potential match includes **match metadata**, **source-backed details**, and supporting context for review. Compliance teams can investigate the alert, then mark it as **confirmed** or **rejected** to improve future monitoring outcomes.

Can I combine AML screening with custom lists and workflows?

Yes. You can extend screening with [Custom Lists](/documentation/product-guides/watchlist-pep-and-adverse-media/custom-lists.md), automate decision flows in [Workflows](/documentation/product-guides/compliance-studio/workflows.md), and add downstream scoring with [AML Risk Scoring](/documentation/product-guides/due-diligence-tools/risk-profile.md). This helps you move from screening results to consistent KYC and KYB decisioning.

### Related checks Combine AML screening with other KYC and fraud checks, such as: * [Document Check](/documentation/product-guides/identity-verification/document-check.md) for ID document verification. * [Identity Check](/documentation/product-guides/biometric-and-liveness-verification/identity-check.md) for biometric liveness verification. * [Multi-Bureau Check](/documentation/product-guides/identity-verification/multi-bureau-check.md) for identity and address verification. * [Device Intelligence](/documentation/product-guides/digital-fraud-intelligence/device-intelligence-check.md) for device-level fraud signals (VPN, emulator, root/jailbreak). ### Related topics Use these to configure screening coverage, run it at scale, and manage outcomes: * [Custom Lists](/documentation/product-guides/watchlist-pep-and-adverse-media/custom-lists.md) to extend screening with your own internal lists. * [Bulk Processing](/documentation/product-guides/watchlist-pep-and-adverse-media/bulk-processing.md) to run screening across many customers. * [AML Risk Scoring](/documentation/product-guides/due-diligence-tools/risk-profile.md) to add risk indicators to your AML decisions. * [Workflows](/documentation/product-guides/compliance-studio/workflows.md) to orchestrate screening inside an onboarding journey. * [Policies](/documentation/product-guides/compliance-studio/policies.md) to apply consistent decision rules across journeys. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.complycube.com/documentation/product-guides/watchlist-pep-and-adverse-media/aml-screening-check.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.