OFAC: What Every Frontline Banker Needs to Know

Course Overview:

OFAC compliance doesn’t usually announce itself with an alarm—it shows up as a routine wire transfer, a new account application, or a business loan that looks completely clean on the surface. This course gives frontline banking staff a practical, scenario-based foundation for recognizing OFAC risk, understanding what the SDN list actually covers, and knowing exactly what to do the moment a potential match comes back.

Through a realistic branch scenario and interactive exercises, this course walks you through who OFAC applies to, how the SDN list and the 50 Percent Rule work, the difference between blocking and rejecting a transaction, and the reporting, recordkeeping, and penalty requirements tied to every OFAC decision you make.

Learning Objectives:

• Explain what OFAC is and identify who must comply
• Describe the SDN list and how it is used in transaction screening
• Apply the 50 Percent Rule to account opening and transaction decisions
• Distinguish between blocking and rejecting a transaction
• Identify the correct steps to take when a potential OFAC match is flagged
• Recognize emerging areas of OFAC risk, including cryptocurrency and digital assets
• State the reporting, recordkeeping, and penalty requirements for OFAC violations

Audience: Frontline staff

This course takes approximately 20 minutes to complete.

*This course does NOT qualify, nor meet the National Standard for NASBA accreditation.