What is the minimum amount below which a report is not required to be made to NCA

Suspicious activity or transactions

There are many reasons why you or one of your employees might become suspicious about a transaction or activity. Often it’s just because it’s something unusual for your business, for example:

  • a customer has tried to make an exceptionally large cash payment
  • the customer behaved strangely, or made unusual requests that did not seem to make sense
  • the transaction they wanted to make just did not add up commercially

You must look carefully at all transactions to see if there’s anything suspicious about them.

You can find more guidance on the main indicators of suspicious transactions for:

  • money service businesses
  • high value dealers
  • trust or company service providers
  • estate agency businesses
  • accountancy service providers
  • art market participants

You must try to identify any activity linked to money laundering or terrorist financing, for all parts of your business.

If you know about or suspect money laundering or terrorist financing you must consider telling either:

  • the National Crime Agency (NCA)
  • HMRC Fraud Hotline

You also must consider whether you need NCA consent before you proceed with a suspicious transaction. The NCA will tell you if you’re granted a defence against money laundering charges.

If your business is registered for money laundering supervision

Anyone in your business must report any suspicious transaction or activity they become aware of to the nominated officer. It’s the nominated officer’s responsibility to decide whether they need to send a report or ‘disclosure’ about the incident to the NCA. They do this by making a Suspicious Activity Report (SAR).

The nominated officer must normally suspend the transaction if they suspect money laundering or terrorist financing. If it’s not practical or safe to suspend the transaction, they should make the report as soon as possible after the transaction is completed.

The NCA receives and analyses SARs and uses them to identify the proceeds of crime. It counters money laundering and terrorism by passing on important information to law enforcement agencies so they can take action.

Submitting a Suspicious Activity Report to National Crime Agency

You or your nominated officer can send the report online on the NCA website.

You must consider whether you need a defence against money laundering charges from the NCA before you can proceed with a suspicious transaction or activity.

You’ll find out if the NCA have granted a defence when they reply to your SAR.

If you do not get a reply from the NCA within 7 working days and think you’ve correctly reported the activity, you can choose to assume a defence is granted.

If you get a reply that says you do not have permission to proceed, the NCA have a further 31 calendar days to take action.

If you’ve not heard from the NCA after the 31 days, you can proceed if you want to. You will not be committing an offence.

The 31 day period does not apply to terrorist financing cases, you will not have a defence until the NCA grants your request.

If your business is not registered for money laundering supervision

You should send a report to the HMRC Fraud Hotline if:

  • your business is not registered for money laundering supervision
  • you need to report breaches of the money laundering regulations
  • you need to report a business that should be registered with HMRC but is not

Published 23 October 2014
Last updated 4 August 2021 + show all updates

  1. 4 August 2021

    A link to Art market participants guidance for money laundering supervision has been added.

  2. 26 June 2017

    This guide has been updated to reflect changes to legislation from 26 June 2017, including how to send a Suspicious Activity Report to the National Crime Agency and proceed with a suspicious activity or transaction.

  3. 23 October 2014

    First published.

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When should a SAR be filed?

A financial institution is required to file a suspicious activity report no later than 30 calendar days after the date of initial detection of facts that may constitute a basis for filing a suspicious activity report.

When must a SAR report be filed?

Filing Deadlines: A FinCEN SAR shall be filed no later than 30 calendar days after the date of the initial detection by the reporting financial institution of facts that may constitute a basis for filing a report.

How do I write a SARs report?

A good rule when writing a SAR is to break it into parts to include: (1) an introduction; (2) account information and descrip- tion; (3) how the information was received and any relevant details obtained in the due diligence investigation; (4) exam- ples of dates and activity; and (4) conclusion.

How do I submit a SAR?

The easiest way to submit a SAR is with the secure SAR Online system. SAR Online is free, negates the need for paper-based reporting, provides an instant acknowledgement and reference number (reports submitted manually do not receive an acknowledgement) and reports can be made 24/7.

How do I write a good SARs report?

The Introduction Provide a brief statement of the SARs purpose. Generally describe the known or suspected violation. Identify the date of any SARs previously filed on the subject the purpose of that SAR. Indicate any internal investigative numbers used by the filing institution to maintain records of the SAR.

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People also ask

What triggers a suspicious activity report?

A Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) is a document that financial institutions, and those associated with their business, must file with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) whenever there is a suspected case of money laundering or fraud.

What information should be included in a SAR?

The SAR form should include any information readily available to the filing institution obtained through the account opening process and during due diligence efforts.

What type of transaction must be reported on a SAR?

In the United States, financial institutions must file a SAR if they suspect that an employee or customer has engaged in insider trading activity. A SAR is also required if a financial institution detects evidence of computer hacking or of a consumer operating an unlicensed money services business.

What is considered suspicious bank activity?

As FinCENthe Financial Crimes Enforcement Networkhas helped describe, transactions that serve no business or other legal purpose and for which available facts provide no reasonable explanation are one of the most common signs of suspicious activity.

Who is required to file a SAR?

The following financial institutions are required to file a FinCEN SAR: Banks (31 CFR 1020.320) including Bank and Financial Holding Companies (12 CFR 225.4); Casinos and Card Clubs (31 CFR 1021.320); Money Services Businesses (31 CFR 1022.320); Brokers or Dealers in Securities (31 CFR 1023.320); Mutual Funds

Assessing the Risk of Money Laundering in Europe

Co-funded by the Prevention of and Fight against Crime Programme of the European Union Assessing the risk of money laundering in Europe - Annex

Learn more

What amount of money triggers a suspicious activity report UK?

There are glossary codes for particular criminal offences and for particular types of SARs. For example, when submitting a DAML, you should use the code XXS99XX where the value of the suspected criminal property is greater than £3,000. Glossary codes should be inserted at the start of the reason for suspicion section.

What is the minimum amount of money for which a suspicious activity report should be filed?

Dollar Amount Thresholds – Banks are required to file a SAR in the following circumstances: insider abuse involving any amount; transactions aggregating $5,000 or more where a suspect can be identified; transactions aggregating $25,000 or more regardless of potential suspects; and transactions aggregating $5,000 or ...

What is the threshold for suspicious transaction reporting filing in Singapore?

Reporting Requirement A casino is required to submit a Cash Transaction Report (CTR) to the Suspicious Transaction Reporting Office (STRO), before the end of the applicable reporting period, for: Every cash transaction with a patron involving either cash in or cash out of SGD 10,000 or more in a single transaction; or.

What triggers a suspicious activity report?

A Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) is a document that financial institutions, and those associated with their business, must file with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) whenever there is a suspected case of money laundering or fraud.