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PEP and sanctions screening checks your clients against global watchlists to identify Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs), individuals or entities subject to international sanctions, and subjects of adverse media. A first screen is already included in every $8 KYC check; a standalone screen (for a client you’ve already verified, or an ad-hoc check) costs $5. Once ongoing monitoring is active, ClearAML re-screens the client automatically every day at no additional per-check cost.
An initial PEP/sanctions screen is bundled into the $8 KYC check. A standalone screen costs $5 and is debited from your wallet. Continuous daily monitoring is included on every plan and does not consume additional credits.

What screening covers

Politically Exposed Persons

Checks against global PEP databases covering current and former heads of state, senior government officials, judiciary members, senior military officers, and their close associates and family members.

Sanctions lists

Screens against international sanctions lists including UN Security Council, OFAC (US), EU, DFAT (Australia), and other major national and multilateral programmes.

Adverse media

Searches for negative news coverage linking the client to financial crime, fraud, corruption, money laundering, or other serious offences.

Running a manual screen

You can screen clients from two places: their individual profile page, or directly from the Clients list using the screening action in the row menu.
1

Open the client profile

Go to Dashboard → Clients and click the client’s name.
2

Go to the Screening Results tab

Select the Screening results tab on the client’s profile.
3

Initiate the screen

Click the screening button. ClearAML sends the client’s name, date of birth, and entity type to the screening provider.
4

Review the result

Results appear within seconds. The tab updates to show whether the screen returned Clear or Match Found, and lists any individual matches with their type, name, source list, and a match confidence score.
For company clients, you can run separate screens on each director and UBO from the Directors / UBOs tab. The entity itself and each associated individual should be screened independently.

Interpreting screening results

When a match is found, the results table shows:
  • Type — PEP, Sanction, Adverse Media, or Watchlist
  • Name — the matched entity name on the list
  • List / source — the specific database or list the match came from
  • Score — a confidence percentage indicating how closely the client’s details match the listed entity
A match does not automatically mean your client is a criminal or a PEP. Many matches are false positives caused by common names or similar biographical details. You must review each match and record a formal decision.

Recording a decision on a match

When matches are found you must record a formal decision before the client’s screening status updates to clear.
1

Review the match details

Click View Details on any match to see the full information from the source database, including associated datasets, PEP sub-type, and any linked sanctions programmes.
2

Record your decision

Click Record Decision on the match banner. A dialog opens where you select one of four outcomes:
  • Accept — the match is a false positive; the client is cleared.
  • Reject — the client is confirmed as matching a PEP or sanctions record; onboarding is declined.
  • Investigate — further investigation is required before a final decision can be made.
  • Escalate — the matter is escalated to a senior compliance officer or the AML/CTF Compliance Officer.
3

Add notes

Enter your rationale for the decision. This is stored permanently in the client’s audit trail.

Ongoing automated monitoring

ClearAML can re-screen clients daily in the background. When monitoring is active, a pulsing blue Ongoing Monitoring Active badge appears at the top of the client’s Screening Results tab. To enable or disable monitoring for a client, use the monitoring toggle available in the Screening Results tab or the client’s details section. When daily monitoring detects a new match, ClearAML automatically creates a monitoring alert. You can view all open screening alerts at Dashboard → Monitoring Alerts.

Monitoring alerts

The Monitoring Alerts page (Dashboard → Monitoring Alerts) shows all screening alerts generated by the automated daily re-screening process. Each alert has a severity level: Alerts have a status that you update as you work through them:
Only users with the Admin, Owner, or Officer role can dismiss or confirm alerts. Analyst and Viewer roles can view alert details and navigate to the linked client profile.

Screening history

Every screen — manual and automated — is recorded in the Screening History table on the client’s profile. Each row shows the date, provider, the name that was searched, the result, the number of matches, any recorded decision, and which user or process ran the screen.