Independent Review Form PDF Details

In the ever-evolving landscape of Anti-Money Laundering (AML) compliance, the Independent Review plays a pivotal role, particularly for Money Services Businesses (MSBs). This comprehensive process is not only mandated by federal AML regulations but is crucial for ensuring that MSBs maintain the integrity of their compliance programs. Structured around a template provided for those lacking their own form, the Independent Review encompasses a wide range of considerations—from assessing the risk of money laundering activities based on business location and services offered, to scrutinizing the effectiveness of the established Compliance Program and the training of employees engaged in MSB transactions. It demands a rigorous examination by an external party well-versed in AML requirements, expressly excluding the business’s Compliance Officer or anyone in a reporting line to them, ensuring an unbiased evaluation. With meticulous documentation aimed at not just fulfilling regulatory obligations but enhancing internal controls and procedures against financial crimes, this review culminates in a detailed report. This document, required to be retained alongside other AML records for at least five years, is a testament to the business’s commitment to operating within the legal framework, safeguarding against the misuse of financial services for illicit purposes.

QuestionAnswer
Form NameIndependent Review Form
Form Length10 pages
Fillable?Yes
Fillable fields181
Avg. time to fill out38 min 42 sec
Other namesmoneygram independent review form, fincen msb independent review form, form independent review, review money independent

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Section 4 : Independent Review

INDEPENDENT REVIEW

When you established your Compliance Program and with MoneyGram's approval, you indicated how often you would have an Independent Review of your AML Compliance Program.

In the event that you do not have your own Independent Review form, the following pages of this section contains an Independent Review template that you should have the reviewer use as a guide and complete accordingly.

As a reminder:

An Independent Review of your MSB is required by Federal AML Regulations.

The Independent Review will be conducted by a person or persons who are knowledgeable about the AML requirements that apply to MSBs.

The Agent's Independent Review cannot be conducted by your designated Compliance Officer, anyone that reports to your Compliance Officer, or any MoneyGram representative.

What do I do with the completed Independent Review Form?

Once the Independent Review Form has been completed and signed by the reviewer, please keep/file/store it with your Compliance related documents for at least 5 years.

Please make extra copies of the blank Independent Review Form and

do not use your last blank one.

INDEPENDENT REVIEW FORM

Independent Review Form Page 1

Please Complete ALL Parts, Questions, Blanks, and Fields

Note: The Independent Review cannot be conducted by your designated Compliance Officer, anyone that reports to your Compliance Officer, or any MoneyGram representative.

Business Name/Business DBA:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Business Street Address:

 

 

 

 

 

 

City:

State:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Zip:

 

 

 

How many OTHER locations does this business

* Note: Please provide addresses for other locations covered by this review on

operate that processes MoneyGram services?*

Page 9 of this Independent Review Form.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Part 1: MONEY SERVICES BUSINESS (MSB) REGISTRATION (Only Check One)

MSB Registration is NOT required at the time of this review because the Business DOES NOT conduct a money service business on its own behalf and is covered by the MoneyGram MSB Registration.

MSB Registration IS required at the time of this review because the Business DOES conduct a money service business on its own behalf and IS registered as a MSB with the US Department of Treasury. A copy of the registration IS kept in the Business AML Files.

Part 2: RISK ASSESSMENT

MSBs are often targeted by money launderers or other criminals to help them hide or disguise the nature, location, source, ownership or control of illegally obtained money. The risk of this occurring increases based on the location of the Business, the number and types of financial services offered and/or the number of providers offered. Offering multiple products and/or services increases a money launderer or other criminal's ability to structure transactions to avoid detection and recordkeeping requirements.

If more than one (1) product or service is offered, the Independent Reviewer should review the Business' Compliance Program with more in-depth analysis on each type of product or service offered.

Location Risk

Law enforcement agencies and government regulators have identified areas that are at higher risk for money laundering, related financial crimes, and drug and human trafficking. The appropriate websites are listed to help determine the correct response to the following questions:

Yes

 

No

 

 

 

Is the Business located in an area at high risk for money laundering or related financial crimes?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.fincen.gov (Search site for high risk areas for money laundering)

Yes

 

No

 

 

 

Is the Business located in an area at high risk for drug trafficking?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.whitehouse.gov (Search site for Drug Trafficking areas)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes

 

No

 

 

 

Does the Business transfers funds to high-risk locations?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.treasury.gov/ (Search site for OFAC sanctions)

Product Risk

Which products or services below does the Business offer: (Check all that apply)

Money/Wire Transfers

 

Money Orders

 

Stored Value Cards

 

Currency Exchange

 

Check Cashing

Service Risk

Being an Agent for more than one MSB provider/competitor of money services makes it easier for a money launderer or other criminal to structure transactions to avoid detection and recordkeeping requirements.

Yes

 

No

 

Is the Business an Agent for more than one MSB provider?

 

 

 

 

 

If "Yes", please list all Business' MSB Providers:

Part 3: COMPLIANCE PROGRAM

Independent Review Form Page 2

Compliance Officer

Yes

 

No

 

Has the Business Designated/Named a Compliance Officer?

 

 

Name of the Business Compliance Officer:

 

 

No

 

 

Does the Compliance Officer fully understand and complete the responsibilities of this position?

Yes

 

 

 

 

Briefly describe, in the space below, the responsibilities of the Compliance Officer and explain how the Independent Reviewer is certain the Compliance Officer understands and complete the responsibilities of this position:

Compliance Program

Yes No

Yes No

Has the Business adopted a written Compliance Program?

Does the adopted Compliance Program includes written policies, procedures and internal controls designed to comply with the requirements of the Bank Secrecy Act including:

Customer identification

E-Filing Suspicious Activity Reports (SAR)

E-Filing Currency Transaction Reports (CTR)

Recordkeeping and retention requirements Response to law enforcement requests for information

Briefly describe, in the space below, how the Compliance Program was verified by the reviewer:

Yes

 

No

 

Does the Compliance Program include limits specific to the Business, such as a maximum send amount, a

 

 

 

 

 

 

maximum receive amount or a maximum amount of money orders that may be purchased?

Briefly describe, in the space below, how these limits are monitored and enforced:

Have ALL employees that process MSB transactions received AML Compliance related training? Does the training include having the employee read the Business Compliance Program?
Are employees trained to recognize all forms of suspicious activity including structuring? Is the training material used current with existing regulations and requirements?
Does the training material used contain all necessary content to help assure all employees understand what is required to maintain compliance?
Are employees tested to confirm that they have learned the compliance requirements?
Are all employee training records well documented and processed to be stored for a minimum of 5 years?

Part 4: EMPLOYEE TRAINING

Independent Review Form Page 3

Yes No

Yes No

Yes No

Yes No

Yes No

Yes No

Yes No

If a "No" was checked for any question above, please use the space below to explain why:

Training Frequency Schedule

Please indicate below the schedule the Business implements for employee AML Compliance related training: (Check all that apply)

Every Month

Every 6 months

Once a Year

As Necessary

Briefly describe, in the space below, the training material and content:

Briefly describe, in the space below, how the employee training process/content was verified by the reviewer:

Part 5: MSB TRANSACTION PROCESSES

Independent Review Form Page 4

Customer Identification

Yes

 

No

 

Is a valid, government issued, photo I.D. recorded for money order sales of $3,000 or more?

 

 

Yes

 

No

 

Is a valid, government issued, photo I.D. recorded for money transfer transactions of $900 or more?

 

 

Yes

 

No

 

Does the Compliance Officer (or their designee) periodically review the Money Order logs, the Send/Receive

 

 

 

 

 

 

forms, and/or the Form Free receipts to ensure that the Customer I.D. policy and procedures are being

 

 

 

 

followed?

Briefly describe, in the space below, how the customer I.D. process was verified by the reviewer:

Money Order Processing

Yes

 

No

 

Are all money order transactions of $3,000 or more recorded on a Money Order Log?

 

 

Yes

 

No

 

Does the Compliance Officer (or their designee) review daily activity to identify money order transactions that

 

 

 

 

 

 

may require a money order log to be completed?

How often are money order logs reviewed to determine if CTRs and/or SARs should have been E-Filed?

 

 

Every Day

 

Every Week

 

Every Month

 

Other (Explain Below)

Yes

 

No

 

 

Are completed money order logs stored for a minimum of 5 years?

 

 

 

Money Transfers Processing

Yes No Are money transfer send/receive forms or form free receipts accurately completed for transfers of $3,000 or more?

Yes

 

No

 

Does the Compliance Officer (or their designee) review money transfer send/receive forms or form free

 

 

 

 

 

 

receipts for accuracy and completeness?

How often are money transfer send/receive forms or form free receipts reviewed to determine if CTRs and/or SARs should have been E-Filed?

 

 

Every Day

 

Every Week

 

Every Month

 

Other (Explain Below)

Yes

 

No

 

 

Are money transfer send/receive forms or form free receipts for transfers of $3,000 or more stored for a

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

minimum of 5 years?

 

 

 

Briefly describe, in the space below, how the money order/transfer processes was verified by the reviewer:

If a "No" or "Other" was checked for any question above, please use the space below to explain why:

Note: SARs are E-filed through the BSA E-Filing System.

Part 6: E-FILING PROCESSES

Independent Review Form Page 5

E-Filing Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs)

Yes

 

No

 

Does the Compliance Officer (or their designee) review all transaction activity to look for structuring and

 

 

 

 

 

 

other suspicious patterns to ensure that SARs are being E-Filed when necessary?

Transaction activity is reviewed:

Every Day

Yes No

Yes No Yes No

Every Week

 

Every Month

 

Other (Explain Below)

Are there blank E-File SAR forms available to employees so that they may immediately collect information from suspicious transactions?

Are SARs accurately completed and timely E-Filed for all suspicious transactions of $2,000 or more?

Are copies of SARs that were E-Filed, and the supporting documentation, stored for a minimum of 5 years?

E-Filing Currency Transaction Reports (CTRs)

Yes No Does the Compliance Officer (or their designee) review all transaction activity to identify those transactions that, either individually or combined, may require a CTR to be E-Filed?

Transaction activity is reviewed:

 

 

Every Day

 

 

Every Week

 

Every Month

 

Other (Explain Below)

Yes

 

No

 

 

Are there blank E-File CTR forms available to employees so that they may immediately collect information

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

from transactions requiring a CTR? Note: CTRs are E-filed through the BSA E-Filing System.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are CTRs accurately completed and timely E-Filed for all transactions more than $10,000, including fees?

Yes

 

No

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are copies of CTRs that were E-Filed, and the supporting documentation, stored for a minimum of 5 years?

Yes

 

No

 

Briefly describe, in the space below, how the SAR/CTR E-File processes was verified by the reviewer:

If a "No" or "Other" was checked for any question above, please use the space below to explain why:

Do the disclosure forms contain all the language translations used by the Business to advertise MoneyGram products and services?
Does the Business provide the correct disclosure form to customers BEFORE processing an international money transfer transaction?
Does the Business retain a copy of the international transaction receipt containing the customer's signature? Is the Error Resolution and Cancellation Notice available for customers upon request?
Are the Business employees able to explain the cancellation refund process to customers when required?

Part 7: DODD-FRANK COMPLIANCE

Yes No

Independent Review Form Page 6

Yes No

Yes No

Yes No

Yes No

Briefly describe, in the space below, how the Dodd-Frank processes was verified by the reviewer:

If a "No" was checked for any question above, please use the space below to explain why:

Part 8: INDEPENDENT REVIEW

Yes No Are Independent Reviews regularly conducted on the Business to monitor and maintain a required compliance program?

How often is an Independent Review conducted?

Every Six Months

Every Year

Other (Explain Below)

Briefly describe, in the space below, how the Independent Review process was verified by the reviewer:

If a "No" or "Other" was checked for any question above, please use the space below to explain why:

Will a business data and records analysis be conducted on the Business? (If not, please explain why below.)

Part 9: BUSINESS DATA and RECORDS ANALYSIS

It is critical that the Business being reviewed is meeting reporting and recordkeeping requirements. reviewer conducts an analysis or test on a sample of random completed transactions from the past. are detailed below.

Independent Review Form Page 7

It is recommended that the Guidelines for this analysis

Yes No

Briefly describe, in the space below, the results of the business data and records analysis:

Business Data and Records Analysis Guidelines

1.Money transfers of $900 and above must include the customer's:

Name

Current residential address

Phone number

Type of ID provided, the ID number and the ID issuer

2.Money transfers of $3,000 and above must include the customer's:

Name

Current residential address

Phone number

Type of ID provided, the ID number and the ID issuer

Social Security number (SSN) or Tax ID Number (TIN), if the customer is a citizen or authorized resident in the U.S. A SSN or TIN is unnecessary if the customer lives and works outside of the U.S. and presents a passport or other applicable photo ID issued by a foreign government.

Date of birth (DOB)

Specific occupation

Signature

3.Multiple money order cash purchases made by the same person in one business day must be aggregated, or added together, and treated as a single purchase, even if purchased at different times during the day. If the same consumer purchases $3,000 or more in money orders, using cash, in the same day, the following consumer transaction information must be recorded on a Money Order Log BEFORE completing the transaction(s):

Name

Current residential address

Phone number

Type of ID provided, the ID number and the ID issuer

Social Security number (SSN) or Tax ID Number (TIN), if the customer is a citizen or authorized resident in the U.S. A SSN or TIN is unnecessary if the customer lives and works outside of the U.S. and presents a passport or other applicable photo ID issued by a foreign government.

Date of birth (DOB)

Specific occupation

Signature

4.Aggregated transaction activity should be reviewed to determine if SARs or CTRs were required to be E-Filed.

Independent Review Form Page 8

Acknowledgement of Independent Review Completion

I certify an independent review of the compliance program belonging to the Business listed below has been completed.

Business Name/Business DBA:

Among other things, this review focused on the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act and the Bank Secrecy Act. The results of this review show that the Business' anti-money laundering compliance program is:

Acceptable

Acceptable: Requires Enhancements Detailed Below

Unacceptable: Detailed Below

Please describe, in the space below, the enhancements needed or reasons for an "unacceptable" rating:

Reviewer's Name:

Reviewer's Title:

Reviewer's Company:

(Optional)

Date of Review:

Reviewer's Signature:

Additional Location Address (If Required)

Independent Review Form Page 9

Business Name/Business DBA:

Business Street Address:

City: State: Zip:

Business Name/Business DBA:

Business Street Address:

City: State:

Business Name/Business DBA:

Business Street Address:

City: State:

Business Name/Business DBA:

Business Street Address:

City: State:

Business Name/Business DBA:

Business Street Address:

City: State:

Business Name/Business DBA:

Business Street Address:

City: State:

Business Name/Business DBA:

Business Street Address:

City: State:

Zip:

Zip:

Zip:

Zip:

Zip:

Zip:

If additional locations blanks are needed, please copy this page and add accordingly.

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