PEP, sanctions and adverse media screening for real estate agents
By Brad Dack, Four Foxes · AML/CTF Consultant
Identity verification confirms who a client is. Screening is the separate step that checks who they're connected to - government positions, sanctions lists, and adverse media - which is generally part of the risk assessment you're expected to carry out as part of Customer Due Diligence (CDD).
Every KYC check run through Verify by Four Foxes includes PEP, sanctions and adverse media screening as standard - there's no separate screening fee. This page sets out exactly what gets checked, where the data comes from, and what a clean result looks like.
What gets screened
Each check is run against a comprehensive AML screening database covering 1,300+ global watchlists, including PEPs, Relatives and Close Associates (RCAs), Persons and Entities of Special Interest, sanctions and watchlists, and adverse media.
Coverage and data sources
The screening draws on a broad, continuously updated intelligence base rather than a single static list:
Global coverage
- Intelligence research in 14+ languages
- 50,000+ news sources from 200+ countries
- 415+ risk categories for sentiment analysis
- Government records & watchlists monitored globally
Data sources
- Major sanctions: OFAC, UN, HMT, EU, DFAT
- Law enforcement: FBI, Interpol Most Wanted
- Regulatory enforcement & financial crime databases
- Daily updates from government & NGO sources
What's recorded when there's a match
Where a client is flagged against a list, the record captures enough detail to actually assess it, not just a bare "flagged" status:
For sanctions & watchlists
- Full name, aliases, date of birth
- Reason for appearing on the list
- Period covered & source information
For PEPs & RCAs
- Names, dates of birth, positions held
- Country of nationality/residence
- Active service dates and period
What a no-match result looks like
Screening runs alongside identity verification and liveness checks as part of the same client session. Where no matches are found, the report shows this clearly, along with the detail behind it:
Identity and liveness checks (document authenticity, face match, duplicate detection, device and IP analysis) run in the same session and are covered on our KYC identity verification page - this page focuses specifically on the PEP, sanctions and adverse media side.
What happens if a match is found
For guidance on Australia's sanctions regime directly from the regulator, see the Australian Sanctions Office (DFAT).
A flag isn't an automatic rejection - it's a prompt to apply extra scrutiny, generally in line with what your AML/CTF program sets out for higher-risk clients, such as enhanced due diligence. A confirmed sanctioned-party match sits under separate legal requirements around dealing with sanctioned parties, and is generally treated differently to other flags. Check your obligations under sanctions law and your own documented escalation process rather than relying on this page as a substitute for either.
PEP, sanctions and adverse media screening, included in every check.
Start verifying - from $13.50 per checkNeed to screen a business entity too? See KYB checks →
Frequently asked questions
PEP screening checks whether a client is a Politically Exposed Person - a government official or someone otherwise associated with prominent public functions - who may call for extra scrutiny under your AML/CTF program. See our PEP definitions page for the detail on foreign, domestic and international organisation PEPs, and family members and close associates.
Sanctions screening checks a client's name against sanctions and watchlists maintained by bodies such as OFAC, the UN, the EU, HMT, DFAT, Interpol and the FBI, to identify whether they're a listed or restricted party.
Adverse media screening checks news and public sources for reports linking a client to risk categories such as financial crime, corruption, fraud or regulatory enforcement action - flags that wouldn't show up on a sanctions or PEP list alone, but that are still relevant to assessing money-laundering risk in a transaction.
It's included. Verify's $13.50 KYC check covers identity verification, PEP screening, sanctions screening and adverse media screening in one price, with no separate charge per screening type.
Generally, government officials and people in prominent public functions, domestically, internationally, or in an international organisation, plus their immediate family members and close associates. Definitions and examples are covered on our PEP reference page.
A match doesn't automatically mean the client can't be onboarded - it's a prompt for extra scrutiny, such as enhanced due diligence, under your AML/CTF program. Sanctioned-party matches sit under separate legal requirements and are generally treated differently to other flags. Confirm your obligations and your escalation process against your own program.
Yes. A KYB check screens the business entity itself for sanctions and adverse media, separately from the screening carried out on its beneficial owners. See our KYB business verification page for details.
Related: KYC identity verification · KYB business verification · PEP definitions reference · Do real estate agents need AML compliance in Australia? · Verify pricing