How Mortgage Advisers Should Create A Meaningful Sanctions Risk Assessment
The Problem With Most Sanctions Risk Assessments Ask to see the sanctions risk assessment of ten mortgage firms and there is a good chance you will see the same document repeated ten times. The wording changes slightly. The branding changes. The logo changes. The risks rarely do. This is one of the biggest weaknesses we […]
A Week at Simplified.ID: A Work Experience Perspective
My name is Lola Allen and I am a sixth form student who is studying Business, Geography and Economics for A level. I have always had an interest in working within a business and was excited to gain first-hand experience of how one operates. Throughout the week, I developed new skills, gained valuable insight into […]
Are Letting Agents Building Trust on Fraudulent Foundations?
Every letting agent wants the same thing. A tenant who pays the rent on time, respects the property, and doesn’t turn the neighbours into a complaints department. Simple enough. Yet speak to almost any landlord or agent and you’ll hear the same horror stories: unpaid rent, property damage, anti-social behaviour, disappearing tenants, forged documents, and […]
What Does a Money Launderer Look Like?
Close your eyes and picture a money launderer. What do you see? For most people, the image is remarkably similar. A hardened criminal. A masked figure carrying a bag full of cash. Someone operating from the shadows, moving millions through offshore accounts and complex corporate structures. Hollywood has done an excellent job of creating this […]
Why Most Sanctions Screening Strategies Fail Quietly
Sanctions screening has become one of the most visible components of modern compliance frameworks. Firms invest heavily in technology, onboarding controls, watchlists, and monitoring processes in an effort to demonstrate robust financial crime prevention. Yet many sanctions screening failures do not occur because organisations ignore their obligations. They occur because firms slowly drift into ineffective […]
AI Does Not Carry Regulatory Accountability. Humans Do.
Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the compliance industry. Firms are increasingly using AI to automate onboarding, prioritise alerts, identify unusual behaviour, process adverse media, support enhanced due diligence, and improve operational efficiency across financial crime controls. The potential benefits are significant. AI can help compliance teams: process large volumes of information faster, identify patterns humans […]
AML Compliance in 2026: What Regulated Firms Should Be Preparing For
Anti-money laundering compliance is becoming more complex, more technology-driven and more closely linked with sanctions, fraud and financial crime controls. For firms operating in the UK, EU or US, 2026 is not a year to treat AML as a routine policy refresh. Regulators are raising expectations around beneficial ownership, cryptoasset exposure, sanctions evasion, AI-enabled fraud, customer risk assessment and the quality of ongoing monitoring. The direction of […]
Manual vs automated AML compliance
Manual vs automated AML compliance Anti-money laundering requirements are constantly evolving. As a result, many regulated firms are reassessing how they manage compliance—specifically, whether to rely on manual processes, invest in automation, or use a blend of both. But first, let’s be clear about what we’re actually comparing. What manual compliance looks like in practice […]
AI A Tomorrow Problem
The electronic identity verification (eIDV) industry frequently highlights the measures it uses to combat fraud, AI-driven attacks, and synthetic identities, pointing to advancements such as passport chip verification (PCV). However, the core issue is simple: we are waiting for the fire before deciding how to fight it. AI has created two fundamental challenges. The first […]
Red Flags of Money Laundering in Real Estate Transactions
Real estate is a common avenue for money laundering due to the high value and liquidity of properties. Suspicious activity may include unusually complex transactions, such as multiple transfers, layered ownership, or frequent refinancing, which can obscure the source of funds. Large cash payments or deals made without a clear financial history are also major […]
