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September 2016

Advisory Information

Criminals are actively using e-mail schemes to defraud financial institutions and their customers—billions of dollars in possible losses.

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) is issuing this advisory to help financial institutions guard against a growing number of e-mail fraud schemes in which criminals misappropriate funds by deceiving financial institutions and their customers into conducting wire transfers. This advisory also provides red flags—developed in consultation with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S.

Advisory Information

On June 24, 2016, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) updated its list of jurisdictions with strategic AML/CFT deficiencies. These changes may affect U.S. financial institutions’ obligations and risk-based approaches with respect to relevant jurisdictions.

Advisory to Financial Institutions on E-mail Compromise Fraud Schemes

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) is issuing this advisory to help financial institutions guard against a growing number of e-mail fraud schemes in which criminals misappropriate funds by deceiving financial institutions and their customers into conducting wire transfers. This advisory also provides red flags—developed in consultation with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S. Secret Service (USSS)—that financial institutions may use to identify and prevent such e-mail fraud schemes.

E-mail Compromise Fraud: