AML Screening API for Faster Compliance Checks
Run real-time sanctions, PEP, adverse media, and criminal watchlist checks directly from your onboarding or compliance system with okID’s AML Screening API. Screen individuals and businesses throughout the customer relationship, without searching each watchlist manually.
Global Screening Coverage, Backed by Bluem
Trusted by businesses worldwide for fast, accurate identity verification across global markets.
Where AML Screening Becomes Difficult
The following challenges can slow AML screening, leaving compliance teams to review more matches by hand while customers wait longer to be onboarded. This also increases the chance of missing genuine risks.
One Name, Two Different Identities
Basic name matching often produces results that look suspicious but belong to someone else, creating unnecessary reviews that slow down the overall screening process.
- Similar names and common surnames
- Aliases, initials, and spelling variations
- Missing birth dates or nationality details
Sanctions Exposure Before Account Approval
A customer or business may appear on a national or international sanctions list. Without timely screening, a possible match could go unnoticed before an account is approved.
- Global and country-specific sanctions restrictions
- New names added to sanctions lists
- Potential matches requiring confirmation
PEP Risk Needs a Closer Look
A customer may hold a prominent public position or become politically exposed later. PEP findings call for a closer risk assessment rather than automatic rejection.
- Current and former politically exposed persons
- Political exposure that may change over time
- Cases requiring enhanced due diligence
How AML Screening Works
AML Screening API connects real-time sanctions and PEP checks to your existing compliance workflow in four steps:
Submit Customer Details
Businesses first submit a person’s or company’s name, including a date of birth, nationality, or business information.
Run AML Screening
The AML Screening API then checks this information against watchlists and uses intelligent matching to rule out unlikely matches.
Evaluate Potential Matches
When a customer’s name matches a watchlist, their birth date helps reviewers check whether it’s the same person. Results also show match scores, source lists, and flagged records.
Return the Screening Result
The API returns the screening result to the business system. Compliance teams can then clear or review a possible match and record their decision under internal risk policies.
Automated Risk Screening
Without Manual Bottlenecks
Businesses using okID’s Screening API have access to the following features:
Sanctions & Watchlist Screening
Individuals and businesses are screened against government sanctions lists, criminal watchlists, law enforcement records, and regulatory sources across 150+ countries and territories.
PEP Checks
PEP screening identifies current and former politically exposed persons to help determine whether enhanced due diligence is needed.
Adverse Media Screening
Adverse media screening searches for negative news about individuals and businesses, including reports of financial crimes, corruption, and fraud.
Intelligent Matching
Fuzzy logic and machine-learning-assisted matching spot aliases and spelling differences.
Match Details for Compliance Review
If a customer’s name matches a watchlist record, the system provides a report with the match score, watchlist source, and record details.
Screening During KYC Onboarding
The REST API connects to KYC onboarding systems and returns screening results without requiring separate manual watchlist searches.
Build a Stronger Customer Authentication Flow
okID combines biometric and OTP authentication products to support secure customer access, account recovery, and sensitive user actions.
Checks the user’s face to identify returning users and match their identity with previously stored information.
Confirms that a real person is completing the authentication process and not using a photo or recorded video.
Uses a one-time code to verify the user’s registered mobile number during login, account recovery, or sensitive actions.
Customize AML Screening to Your Business Needs
okID allows businesses to customize the AML Screening API to their specific needs once they have access to the service.
Businesses can run screening from their own systems through the REST API, using server-side verification and the platform’s authentication and testing tools.
- Server-side verification and status retrieval
- Platform-level token or certificate authentication
- Test, Acceptance, and Production environments
The API supports screening individuals and companies using available identity information. Intelligent matching also considers name variations and different naming conventions.
- Names, dates of birth, and nationality
- Country and company information
- Aliases, initials, and patronymic names
Screening responses provide matching information for internal compliance decisions. The wider API infrastructure supports XML and/or JSON, with the AML response format determined by the service configuration.
- Match status and matching scores
- Source information and detailed hits
- Results for compliance review and approval decisions
A separate Monitor API supports recurring checks of existing customer portfolios against selected risk datasets, with screening frequency aligned to business requirements.
- Sanctions, PEP, and criminal watchlist datasets
- Other supported risk data sources
- Weekly, monthly, quarterly, or risk-based checks
Security Controls for Screening & Compliance Data
Protecting your customers’ information is a priority for us. We use the following security measures to keep your AML screening data safe:
Where Automated AML Screening Adds Value
The following industries can use the AML Screening API to strengthen security, reduce financial crime risks, and support their compliance efforts.
Payment providers screen beneficiaries before transferring funds, while fintechs and investment firms check new customers and business partners before starting a relationship.
Banks check customers for sanctions, PEP, or criminal watchlist matches before opening accounts and investigate alerts that call for further due diligence.
Crypto exchanges and trading platforms screen users before activating accounts and run further checks when withdrawals or transfers raise concerns.
Where AML rules apply, insurers screen policyholders and beneficiaries before issuing policies and check business partners when starting or reviewing a relationship.
Online gaming and betting operators screen players at registration and check names linked to flagged withdrawals before deciding whether to release a payout.
Where Automated AML Screening Adds Value
The following industries can use the AML Screening API to strengthen security, reduce financial crime risks, and support their compliance efforts.
Payment providers screen beneficiaries before transferring funds, while fintechs and investment firms check new customers and business partners before starting a relationship.
Banks check customers for sanctions, PEP, or criminal watchlist matches before opening accounts and investigate alerts that call for further due diligence.
Crypto exchanges and trading platforms screen users before activating accounts and run further checks when withdrawals or transfers raise concerns.
Where AML rules apply, insurers screen policyholders and beneficiaries before issuing policies and check business partners when starting or reviewing a relationship.
Online gaming and betting operators screen players at registration and check names linked to flagged withdrawals before deciding whether to release a payout.
What Our Users Say
Frequently Asked Questions About AML Screening
The most common questions about AML screening service and AML software:
Still have a question? Ask a Question
How does an AML Screening API integrate with an existing KYC onboarding flow?
Through a server-side connection, screening becomes part of the existing onboarding process. It can run after customer details have been collected or an identity has been verified, with results returned before the business makes its account approval decision.
What customer data should be sent to an AML Screening API to improve match accuracy?
A full name, date of birth, nationality, and country help narrow down individual matches, while company information provides more context when screening businesses. The more reliable identifiers available, the easier it is to distinguish between similar records.
What is included in sanctions and PEP screening during customer onboarding?
The screening checks whether a customer is linked to financial sanctions or holds, or has recently held, a prominent public position. Adverse media screening also looks for negative news that may indicate links to financial crime, fraud, or corruption.
How does an automated PEP check handle common names, aliases, and incomplete customer data?
Fuzzy matching accounts for initials, aliases, spelling differences, and variations in naming conventions. Even with limited customer information, the system can identify possible matches.
How can automated AML screening reduce false positives and manual compliance reviews?
Automated screening reduces manual searches and the need to check each customer individually. This allows compliance teams to focus on suspicious cases and results that need further review instead of spending time on repetitive checks.
Which sanctions lists, PEP databases, and watchlists are covered by the AML screening service?
Thousands of international sources are covered across more than 150 countries and territories. These include global and national sanctions lists, domestic and international PEP databases, criminal watchlists, judicial records, and regulatory enforcement sources. The full source list is available on request.
Can AML checks screen both individual customers and legal entities?
Yes. Our system supports screening natural persons and legal entities, including customers, companies, and business counterparties. Relevant directors and beneficial owners can also be screened individually when their details are provided.
Does the AML software support ongoing monitoring when a customer’s sanctions or PEP status changes?
Yes. A separate Monitor API periodically screens active customer records against selected sanctions, PEP, and other risk datasets. New matches can then be assessed under the organization’s compliance procedures.
What happens when sanctions and PEP screening return a possible match rather than a clear result?
The system returns match scores, source information, and details of the potential match. Compliance teams then review the results to determine whether the match actually relates to the customer and what action is needed.
Bring AML Screening API Into Your Business
Not sure if the AML Screening API is right for your business? Our specialists can help you understand how it fits your compliance needs. Book a consultation to discuss your requirements, or request a demo to see the system in action.
Provided by Bluem, an independently audited ISAE 3402 Type II FinTech and RegTech service provider.