Information Sharing and Collaboration

Collaborative measures can ramp up when suspicious or high-risk events arise.

FIs often have information-sharing frameworks (e.g., industry groups, public-private partnerships) set up well before dealing with any specific client.

Collaborate proactively with peer financial institutions, regulators, and, where permissible, law enforcement to pool data on beneficial ownership and cross-jurisdictional corporate linkages. Such collaboration highlights entities that exploit differing AML standards across multiple jurisdictions, enabling a coordinated response to dismantle illicit corporate layering.

Coordinate with other institutions, blockchain analytics providers, and relevant authorities to exchange details on known or emerging burn addresses, suspicious bridging solutions, and usage patterns. By pooling intelligence on entities frequently exploiting burn-and-mint methods, participants can more easily identify cross-chain layering attempts and mitigate the technique’s obfuscation effects.

Participate in collective information-sharing initiatives with industry peers and relevant authorities, focusing on known illicit bridging protocols, addresses linked to hacking or scam incidents, and emerging bridging-layering typologies. Exchanging such intel helps institutions identify and block suspicious cross-chain activity earlier.

Share trade finance data (e.g., invoice references, shipping documentation) with other financial institutions and trade associations to identify repeated or suspiciously similar invoicing across multiple financing requests. This collaborative approach uncovers multiple invoicing schemes and prevents criminals from exploiting fragmented oversight.

Participate in trade-finance intelligence networks to exchange insights on typical commodity values, emerging misinvoicing schemes, and documented overcharging patterns. Use the shared data to benchmark customer invoices against known pricing norms and promptly investigate outliers.

Establish structured intelligence-sharing arrangements with other institutions, regulators, and relevant authorities to exchange real-time red flags and typologies related to fraudulent cross-border settlement documents. By sharing indicators of document manipulation, repeated invoice inflation, or suspicious supplier data, institutions can strengthen collective detection and disrupt criminal schemes that exploit multi-jurisdictional gaps.

If possible, exchange BO intelligence through public–private partnerships; rapid alerts about newly exposed fronts or associated directors enable peer FIs to block account openings and transfers.

Share intelligence on suspicious VPN providers or frequently misused IP ranges with peers and law enforcement. For example, collaborate to maintain and update lists of high-risk VPN endpoints, enabling cross-institutional alerts and consistent identification of customers routing illicit funds via masked connections. This measure directly limits criminals' ability to exploit multiple financial institutions using the same obfuscation routes.

Participate in public-private fusion cells or frameworks that circulate weak-alias lists, enabling faster detection of name-manipulation attempts seen at peer institutions.

If possible, use public-private and private-private partnerships to broadcast device-ID, IP and mule-account intelligence, enabling peers to spot the same automation network as funds leap across institutions.

Establish secure channels to share intelligence on emerging trade diversion typologies and re-routing patterns with industry peers and relevant authorities. Compare identified anomalies, such as repeated mislabeling of cargo or suspiciously circuitous shipping routes, to disrupt complex cross-border schemes. Coordinated insights help reveal multi-institution layering attempts concealed within trade networks.

Participate in industry-wide intelligence exchanges to circulate known high-risk self-hosted wallet addresses and emerging privacy tools exploited by criminals. Collaborate with peers, regulators, and law enforcement to coordinate enforcement actions and block suspicious transactions before funds move across multiple unregulated wallets.

Establish or participate in secure information-sharing channels or national safe deposit box registries to identify customers renting multiple boxes across different institutions or jurisdictions. This collaboration specifically addresses the tendency of criminals to exploit uncoordinated deposit box oversight by dispersing illicit assets where local policies are weaker or less cooperative.

Establish formal channels with customs authorities, law enforcement, and industry peers to exchange intelligence on trade-based laundering typologies, suspicious shipping routes, and emerging smuggling patterns. Use collective data to identify recurring anomalies in import/export documentation or commodity valuations, facilitating prompt interdiction of illicit cross-border movements.

Coordinate with domestic and international authorities, including Kimberley Process bodies, customs, and law enforcement, to exchange data on suspicious diamond shipments, known smuggling routes, and counterfeit certification. This joint intelligence approach helps detect and disrupt transnational diamond smuggling networks.

Share relevant data with border and customs agencies to identify suspicious cross-border shipments of precious metals or gems. Timely alerts allow financial institutions to scrutinize linked accounts and suspend transactions if unlawful movements are detected. This coordination deters smugglers by increasing the likelihood that undeclared items will be intercepted.

Collaborate with industry peers, law enforcement, and threat intelligence organizations to exchange real-time data on ransomware wallet addresses, mixing services, and chain-hopping tactics. This collective approach enables faster identification and blocking of transactions tied to ransomware extortion activities.

Engage in lawful interbank and cross-border information-sharing partnerships to identify repeated sub-threshold cash deposits made at multiple institutions or in different regions. By exchanging data on similar deposit patterns, banks can expose smurfing networks that rely on geographical dispersion to stay below detection thresholds.

Collaborate with environmental authorities, customs agencies, and industry groups to exchange insights on known traffickers, suspicious supply chains, and common documentation fraud methods. This cross-sector intelligence helps preempt attempts to blend illicit environmental proceeds with legitimate trade.

Engage in public-private partnerships to exchange intelligence on known sex traffickers, funnel accounts, and patterns linked to forced prostitution. Coordinate with law enforcement and other financial institutions to unite relevant data points, enabling faster identification and disruption of cross-institution sex trafficking networks.

Collaborate with law enforcement and industry peers by promptly sharing intelligence on patterns such as micro-payment structuring, suspicious references to minors, or fraudulent documents. Participate in trusted information-sharing forums to identify cross-financial institution child exploitation rings and ensure swift, coordinated disruption of these networks. Maintain clear legal frameworks and protocols to exchange relevant details without breaching privacy standards.

Establish structured channels with border agencies and law enforcement to share intelligence on known cross-border cash couriers and suspicious travel routes. By collaborating on seized cash reports and identified smuggling methods, financial institutions can gain actionable leads for applying stricter monitoring and due diligence.

Collaborate with other financial institutions and gaming platforms to share intelligence on suspicious cross-world transactions, high-volume NFT trades, or user accounts repeatedly flagged for unusual transfers. Jointly identify bad actors exploiting multiple platforms to obfuscate transactional trails and consolidate laundered funds.

Participate in industry-wide forums and data-sharing partnerships to exchange intelligence on metaverse laundering threats, including code-exploit vulnerabilities and wallet addresses linked to wash-trading rings. Cooperate with other financial institutions and blockchain analytics providers to cross-reference emerging red-flag typologies and strengthen collective detection efforts.

Collaborate with other financial institutions, gaming platforms, and law enforcement to share intelligence on emerging in-game laundering typologies, known fraudulent payment credentials, suspicious marketplaces, and cross-account patterns. Pool information on frequent offenders and unregulated exchanges to facilitate early detection and coordinated disruption of illicit in-game currency rings.

Coordinate with peer institutions and relevant authorities to exchange data on wire transfer patterns, suspicious beneficiary networks, and known typologies used in layering schemes. By sharing real-time intelligence or red-flag scenarios, institutions can collectively identify and interrupt layered wire chains spanning multiple banks or jurisdictions.

Coordinate with other financial institutions and trade finance consortia to exchange intelligence on circular references or repeated letter-of-credit usage. This collective effort helps identify cross-institution patterns and disrupt complex layering schemes hidden by partial visibility at individual banks.

Establish partnerships with other financial institutions, law enforcement, and industry consortia to exchange intelligence on known compromised identities, repeat impersonation patterns, and emerging document-forgery techniques. Leveraging collective data helps quickly flag accounts using stolen or fabricated documentation.

Coordinate with correspondent banks, logistics firms, and trade finance counterparts to exchange data on known fraudulent documents, suspicious trade corridors, and red-flag customers. By collaborating across jurisdictions, institutions can detect recurring schemes involving documentary collection manipulation and effectively block suspicious transactions.

Establish formal information-sharing protocols among all syndicated loan participants to exchange KYC data, trade documentation, and identified red flags in real time. This ensures that no individual bank remains unaware of potential discrepancies in borrower credentials, trade values, or beneficial ownership, thereby reducing the risk of criminals exploiting partial visibility across co-lenders.

Actively exchange intelligence on funnel account typologies, structured deposit patterns, and multi-jurisdictional layering with peer institutions and relevant authorities. Coordinate efforts to map cross-bank funnel networks, aiding in the identification of linked accounts operating regionally or internationally.

Exchange data with other insurers and financial institutions on customers or beneficial owners who repeatedly overfund or rapidly withdraw across multiple jurisdictions or product lines. This collective visibility uncovers cross-institutional layering patterns designed to mask illicit origins.

Actively participate in formal industry partnerships, regulatory forums, and stock exchange watch groups to exchange intelligence on newly emerging pump-and-dump or spoofing techniques. Share relevant trading data, subject to legal constraints, to strengthen collective detection efforts across market venues and intervene rapidly against manipulative networks.

Set up formal data-sharing agreements and protocols with respondent banks to regularly exchange KYC information, ultimate beneficial ownership details, and suspicious transaction alerts. By coordinating AML intelligence, correspondent banks can bypass the respondent’s blind spots and close the information gap that criminals exploit in minimal due diligence arrangements.

Require betting operators to hold licenses that mandate AML-focused controls and sports integrity programs. Facilitate continuous collaboration among operators, sports leagues, specialized integrity units, and law enforcement to exchange intelligence on unusual betting spikes or known match-fixing networks. Timely information sharing helps detect rigged matches early and coordinate AML responses more effectively.

Join industry cooperation forums or partnerships with regulators and law enforcement to identify sub-agent networks known to facilitate layering. Share typologies, account identifiers, and agent-level red flags for coordinated detection of multi-tier laundering methods across different providers.

Coordinate with financial institutions and money service businesses to exchange intelligence on customers or operators with known layering histories. Identify repeat offenders who exploit multiple currency exchange points by distributing typologies and suspicious patterns across the network.

Collaborate with peers, regulators, and carbon credit exchanges to exchange intelligence on suspicious carbon trading tactics and new fraudulent typologies, such as evolving carousel schemes or multi-layered SPV structures. Pooling such information helps institutions better detect cross-institutional patterns indicative of larger-scale carbon credit laundering and tax fraud.

Establish or join cross-border intelligence-sharing partnerships with correspondent banks and regional regulators. Exchange data on payment corridors frequently used to bypass standardized data fields or conceal beneficial ownership, thereby reducing blind spots in oversight and enabling proactive identification of suspicious routing schemes.

Exchange intelligence on cross-border agent schemes with other financial institutions, regulators, and law enforcement. Share typologies, red flags, and data on serial fixers orchestrating multi-jurisdictional transactions. This collaborative approach helps block the same networks from exploiting multiple institutions undetected.

Engage in public-private partnerships and data-sharing initiatives with regulators and peer institutions to exchange intelligence on newly emerging P2P laundering methods, unregistered exchangers, and suspicious account clusters. Collaboration accelerates early detection and coordinated disruption of criminal P2P networks.

Establish secure channels to share emerging typologies, device fingerprint data, and cross-border money flow indicators with other mobile payment operators, financial institutions, and regulators. Coordinate on blocking high-risk accounts or devices flagged for suspicious layering activity.

Coordinate with law enforcement, industry consortia, and other financial institutions to exchange data on suspected mule recruiters and cross-institutional account infiltration patterns. By pooling intelligence on emerging recruitment tactics, common third-party controllers, or suspicious job advertisements, institutions can quickly identify large-scale mule networks and shut them down across jurisdictions.

Join public-private partnerships, trade finance working groups, or interbank consortia to exchange intelligence on emerging commodity trafficking routes, dubious exporters/importers, and suspicious shipping patterns. Pooling insights on commodities prone to criminal exploitation increases detection accuracy and helps disrupt organized networks in real time.

Participate in collaborative initiatives with regulators, peer institutions, and law enforcement to exchange data on emerging counterfeit pharmaceutical schemes, known illegal distributors, and newly identified online platforms selling falsified medicines. This coordinated intelligence approach disrupts networks by rapidly identifying and blocking their financial pathways.

Collaborate with other financial institutions and relevant authorities to exchange data on repeated import-export patterns, overlapping shell ownerships, and inflated VAT claims. Jointly detect and disrupt extensive multi-jurisdictional carousel networks by sharing confirmed red-flag indicators and suspicious entity linkages.

Establish direct communication channels with government subsidy agencies, agricultural boards, and peer institutions. Share data on known fraudulent schemes, farmland registrations, yield reports, and suspicious subsidy deposit patterns to confirm the validity of claims and coordinate early detection or escalation of agricultural subsidy fraud.

Coordinate with industry networks, regulators, and law enforcement to share details of suspected investment scams, fraudulent token addresses, or known boiler-room operations. This real-time exchange alerts other institutions to new tactics or entities, interrupting fraud schemes before they proliferate.

Engage in public-private partnerships and industry consortiums to exchange intelligence on emerging environmental crime typologies, red-flag shipping routes, and suspect actors. Share data and indicators, such as specific transport companies known to smuggle wildlife, to collectively disrupt cross-institution money laundering schemes tied to natural resource theft or illegal trafficking.

Join cross-institutional working groups or public-private partnerships dedicated to combating illegal logging. Exchange intelligence on suspicious exporters, known fraudulent logging permits, and red-flag shipping routes. Coordinate with environmental bodies for up-to-date lists of prohibited zones or blacklisted operators.

Establish formal communication channels with law enforcement, industry consortia, and other financial institutions to exchange intelligence on localized crime patterns, frequent cross-branch deposit behaviors, and known gang affiliations. Incorporate these insights into risk models and monitoring thresholds to enhance the detection of smaller-scale laundering methods.

Coordinate with other financial institutions, central securities depositories, and regulators to exchange real-time data on large or suspicious share-lending or short-selling near ex-dividend dates. Cross-check beneficial ownership records to uncover overlapping or duplicate tax reclaim filings indicative of cum-ex or cum-cum schemes.

Collaborate closely with law enforcement, maritime security bodies, and industry consortia to exchange intelligence on known pirate syndicates, ransom facilitators, and laundering typologies. Joint data-sharing enables earlier identification of suspicious ransom flows and more effective disruption of pirate-financing networks.

Implement structured data exchange frameworks among relevant departments (e.g., deposit operations, wire transfer teams, compliance) and with external partners or authorities. By consolidating partial transaction records and customer information from multiple sources, financial institutions can recreate the full transactional flow that criminals attempt to obscure. Sharing intelligence across organizational or institutional boundaries counters the knowledge-silo tactics used to keep individual teams from seeing the entire laundering scheme.

Join industry-wide intelligence forums and public-private partnerships focused on cryptojacking campaigns. Share indicators such as malicious wallet addresses, identified mining pool endpoints, and infiltration methods. This collaboration enables faster collective detection of cryptojacked proceeds when they enter financial channels.