May 2016

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network is engaged in a variety of initiatives to ensure that our mission as administrator of the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) is carried out in the most efficient and effective manner possible. This outreach assists in FinCEN's ongoing work with the financial industry as financial institutions strive to comply with their responsibility to report certain financial information and suspicious activities to FinCEN, as well as our responsibility to ensure this useful information is made available to law enforcement, as appropriate.

What is a HIFCA?

HIFCA stands for High Intensity Financial Crime Area," these high risk areas were first announced in the 1999 National Money Laundering Strategy and were conceived in the Money Laundering and Financial Crimes Strategy Act of 1998 as a means of concentrating law enforcement efforts at the federal, state, and local levels in high intensity money laundering zones.

314(a) Requests

FinCEN’s regulations under Section 314(a) enable Federal, State, local, and foreign (European Union) law enforcement agencies, through FinCEN, to reach out to financial institutions to locate accounts and transactions of persons that may be involved in terrorism or significant money laundering.

The Value of FinCEN Data

Financial data, collected from financial institutions by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network under the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), has proven to be of considerable value in money laundering, terrorist financing and other financial crimes investigations by law enforcement.

In support of the Administration’s Open Government Initiative, FinCEN is pleased to provide the following expanded datasets on mortgage fraud hotspots, based on Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) data. FinCEN shares the Administration’s commitment to establish a system of transparency, public participation, and collaboration and recognizes that openness will promote efficiency and effectiveness in government.

(Last updated February 2026.)

This webpage contains a list of Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) key terms found in FinCEN advisories and similar products. Not all FinCEN advisories contain key terms or SAR field number instructions; in those instances, see the applicable advisory for filing instructions

Exhibit 9-1

based on number of outlets, for 1996

Ace Cash Express : 13%
Dollar Financial : 8%
Cash America International : 3%
USA Checks Cashed : 2%
Eager/Hershman Partnership : 2%
Multi States Financial Corp : 2%
Pay-O-Matic : 2%
Thomas Nix Distributor : 1%
New Money Express : 1%
Continental Currency Services : 1%
Consolidated Currency : 1%
Supermail : 1%
Other : 63%

Exhibit 3-1

NBFI Sector : Check Cashing almost always service through company outlets and provided
                       as primary service.

Figure 1

April 1, 1996 through September 30, 1997
Total : 109,887

Figure 2

Ranked by Number of Filings 
April 1, 1996 through September 30, 1997
Total : 109,887