ACAMS Updated CAMS Exam Questions and Answers by karter

According to the Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (the 6th edition) resources, electronic funds transfers (EFTs) are transactions that involve the movement of funds electronically from one account to another, either within the same financial institution or across different institutions, domestically or internationally1. EFTs can be used for legitimate purposes, such as facilitating trade, commerce, and remittances, but they can also beexploited by money launderers to conceal the origin, ownership, and destination of illicit funds2. Some of the indicators of money laundering associated with using EFTs are:

Funds transfers to or from a financial secrecy haven without an apparent business reason. Financial secrecy havens are jurisdictions that offer a high degree of banking secrecy, low or no taxes, lax regulation and supervision, and weak or non-existent anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing (AML/CTF) measures3. Money launderers may use these havens to hide their illicit funds, evade taxes, and avoid scrutiny from authorities. Funds transfers to or from these havens without a clear or plausible explanation may indicate an attempt to launder money or finance terrorism.

Funds transfers are received or sent from the same person to or from different accounts. This may indicate a layering technique, which is the process of moving funds through multiple accounts, institutions, or jurisdictions to obscure the audit trail and the source and ownership ofthe funds4. Money launderers may use this technique to avoid detection, reporting, or freezing of their funds by authorities or financial institutions.

Payment or receipts with no apparent link to legitimate contracts, goods or services. This may indicate a trade-based money laundering technique, which is the process of using trade transactions to disguise the movement of illicit funds, either by over- or under-invoicing, misrepresenting the quantity or quality of goods, or falsifying documents. Money launderers may use this technique to transfer value across borders, evade taxes or customs duties, or justify the movement of funds that have no legitimate origin or purpose.

The other option is incorrect because:

Regular and frequent transfers from the account of a large company said to be payment for goods bought on credit is not necessarily an indicator of money laundering associated with using EFTs. This may be a normal business practice for some companies that have a high volume of transactions or a long-term relationship with their suppliers or customers. However, this may also be a red flag if the company is not well-known, has no physical presence, has no apparent business activity, or is located in a high-risk jurisdiction. Therefore, this option requires further investigation and verification before concluding that it is an indicator of money laundering.

1: ACAMS, CAMS Study Guide, 6th Edition, Chapter 5, p. 104 2: ACAMS, CAMS Study Guide, 6th Edition, Chapter 5, p. 105 3: ACAMS, CAMS Study Guide, 6th Edition, Chapter 5, p. 107 4: ACAMS, CAMS Study Guide, 6th Edition, Chapter 5, p. 106 : ACAMS, CAMS Study Guide, 6th Edition, Chapter 5, p. 108

 According to the CAMS Study Guide, the most commonly used risk criteria for assessing the money laundering and terrorist financing risks are country risk, customer risk, and product and service risk. These criteria are based on the FATF Recommendations and the Basel Committee’s guidance on sound management of risks related to money laundering and financing of terrorism.

Country risk refers to the level of exposure to potential money laundering and terrorist financing activities in a specific jurisdiction, based on factors such as the quality of its AML/CFT regime, its level of corruption, its political and economic stability, its involvement in illicit activities, and its cooperation with international bodies.

Customer risk refers to the level of exposure to potential money laundering and terrorist financing activities associated with a specific customer or customer segment, based on factors such as the nature and purpose of the business relationship, the source and destination of funds, the type and volume of transactions, the customer’s profile and behavior, and the customer’s geographic location.

Product and service risk refers to the level of exposure to potential money laundering and terrorist financing activities associated with a specific product or service offered by a financial institution, based on factors such as the complexity, transparency, anonymity, and accessibility of the product or service, the delivery channels and payment methods used, and the degree of oversight and monitoring applied.

Reputation risk is not a risk criterion for assessing the money laundering and terrorist financing risks, but rather a potential consequence of failing to manage those risks effectively. Reputation risk refers to the potential damage to the public trust and confidence in a financial institution due to its involvement or association with money laundering and terrorist financing activities, whether directly or indirectly.

CAMS Study Guide, 6th Edition, Chapter 2: Risk Assessments, pp. 41-461

FATF Recommendations, Recommendation 1: Assessing Risks and Applying a Risk-Based Approach2

Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, Sound management of risks related to money laundering and financing of terrorism, June 2017, pp. 9-143

The compliance officer is the person who has the day-to-day responsibility of communicating and reinforcing the established anti-money laundering (AML) compliance culture and program within the organization. The compliance officer is also responsible for overseeing the implementation, maintenance, and improvement of the AML policies, procedures, controls, and training. The compliance officer should have sufficient authority, independence, and resources to perform their duties effectively and report to senior management and the board of directors on the status and effectiveness of the AML program.

1, Chapter 4: Designing and Implementing an AML Compliance Program

2, FFIEC BSA/AML Examination Manual, Compliance Program - Overview

3, FinCEN Advisory, Guidance on Promoting a Culture of Compliance

According to the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS), a sound KYC program should contain four essential elements: (i) customer acceptance policy; (ii) customer identification; (iii) on-going monitoring of higher risk accounts; and (iv) risk management1. These elements correspond to the options B in the question, as customer identification involves verifying the identity and beneficial ownership of the customers, risk assessment involves determining the level of risk posed by the customers and their activities, customer screening involves checking the customers against relevant sanctions and watch lists, and monitoring involves reviewing the customers’ transactions and behavior for any anomalies or red flags.

Consolidated KYC Risk Management - Bank for International Settlements