In accordance with the 1970 Bank Secrecy Act, the new order mandates that the Treasury Secretary and federal financial regulators provide banks with guidance on identifying customers whose profiles or transactions may indicate risks such as money laundering, terrorism financing, and labor trafficking.
The order stated that the purpose of these modifications is to “take into account the potential threats to the integrity of the United States financial system posed by foreign consular identification cards. ”
The order describes “red flags and typologies” associated with suspicious activity
Among these are repetitive cash withdrawals, the use of shell companies to conceal true account ownership, and the use of certain platforms for “off-the-books” wage payments.
The “red flags” also encompass the use of an individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN) in place of a Social Security number when opening an account or performing specific banking transactions. This number is accessible to all, irrespective of their immigration status, and is used to file and pay taxes.
