One of the key components of an effective anti-money laundering (AML) program is customer due diligence (CDD), which involves verifying the identity of the customer, understanding the nature and purpose of the customer's relationship with the financial institution (FI), and assessing the risk of money laundering or terrorist financing that the customer poses. CDD is essential for preventing and detecting the misuse of the FI' s services by criminals, and for complying with the relevant laws and regulations.
However, CDD can be challenging for FIs that offer online services to customers, as there is a greater difficulty in matching the customer with the provided identification documentation. Unlike face-to-face interactions, online services rely on electronic or remote methods of identification and verification, such as scanned copies of documents, biometric data, digital signatures, or third-party verification services. These methods may not be as reliable or secure as physical verification, and may expose the FI to the risk of identity fraud, document forgery, or impersonation. Moreover, online services may attract customers from different jurisdictions, which may have different standards and requirements for identification and verification, and may pose different levels of risk.
Therefore, FIs that offer online services to customers should implement enhanced due diligence (EDD) measures to mitigate the risk of money laundering, such as obtaining additional information or documentation from the customer, applying more stringent verification procedures, conducting more frequent and intensive monitoring of the customer's transactions and behavior, and restricting or limiting the types or amounts of transactions that the customer can perform online.
CAMS Study Guide - 6th Edition, Chapter 3, Section 3.4, page 82
Anti-Money Laundering in a Nutshell, Chapter 4, Section 4.2, page 63
Guidance on Digital Identity, Section 2, page 8
Anti-Money Laundering, The Basics: Installment 1, Section 3.2, page 5

Customer due diligence (CDD) is a key component of anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing (CTF) compliance. CDD helps financial institutions identify and verify their customers, assess their risk levels, and monitor their transactions for suspicious activity.
One of the main objectives of CDD is to understand the nature and purpose of customer relationships, which involves collecting and analyzing relevant information about the customer's business activities, expected transaction patterns, source and destination of funds, and beneficial ownership. This information helps financial institutions develop a customer risk profile, which is a tool to measure and manage the risk exposure of each customer.
A customer risk profile reflects the financial institution's risk appetite, which is the level and type of risk that the institution is willing and able to accept. By comparing the customer's risk profile with the institution's risk appetite, the institution can determine if the customer operates in line with the firm's expectations and requirements for a specific industry segment. For example, if the institution has a low risk appetite for customers involved in high-risk sectors such as gambling, cryptocurrency, or arms trade, it can use the customer risk profile to identify and mitigate any potential risks associated with such customers.
Therefore, to understand if the customer operates in line with the firm's risk appetite for a specific industry segment, a financial institution must obtain sufficient customer information to understand the nature and purpose of customer relationships for the purpose of developing a customer risk profile.
References:
A Guide to Customer Due Diligence for Financial Institutions
Customer Due Diligence Guide: Main Requirements, Best Practices & Checklist Financial Crimes Enforcement Network Issues New Frequently Asked Questions on Customer Due Diligence Requirements ACAMS CAMS Certification Study Guide 6th Edition

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is authorized under the UN Charter to imposebinding sanctions measureson member states. These sanctions may target countries, entities, or individuals and can include arms embargoes, travel bans, asset freezes, and restrictions on trade or financial services.
Statement Ais correct:
Circumventing or evading UNSC sanctionsmay constitute a criminal offenseif the jurisdiction has incorporated UN obligations into domestic law. While the UNSC does not directly impose criminal penalties, member states must implement these measures locally, andmany jurisdictions have lawsthat make such violations criminal acts.
Statement Bis incorrect:
The UNSC is empowered toimpose broad restrictions, includingtrade bans beyond arms, such as on luxury goods, fuel, or specific commodities. Therefore, the idea that it cannot prohibit exports beyond arms is inaccurate.
Statement Cis correct:
Member countries of the United Nations are expected to implement and enforce UNSC sanctions, in accordance with their obligations under the UN Charter (specifically Chapter VII). Countries are responsible for transposing these sanctions into their national legal frameworks.
Statement Dis incorrect:
Although member countries are required to enforce sanctions,not all countries automatically consider breaches a criminal offense. Whether a violation is criminal depends on how each country enacts UN sanctions domestically.
Reference: ACAMS CAMS Study Guide - 6th Edition, Chapter:International AML Standards- Section:
United Nations Initiatives and Global Sanctions Framework

According to the Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (the 6th edition) resources, PEPs are individuals who are or have been entrusted with prominent public functions, such as heads of state, senior politicians, senior government, judicial or military officials, senior executives of state-owned corporations, or important political party officials1. PEPs pose a higher risk of money laundering and corruption due to their position and influence2. Therefore, financial institutions should apply enhanced due diligence and ongoing monitoring measures when dealing with PEPs as customers3. This includes:
Conducting enhanced ongoing monitoring of the businessrelationship to detect and report any suspicious transactions or activities4. This may involve more frequent reviews, higher-level approvals, or increased documentation of the transactions and the rationale behind them.
Taking adequate measures to establish the source of wealth and source of funds which are involved in the business relationship or occasional transaction. This may involve verifying the origin, legitimacy, and purpose of the funds, as well as the economic activities and assets of the PEP.
The other two options are incorrect because:
Expedite due diligence when a PEP is pre-approved by a member of senior management is not a recommended course of action, as it may compromise the quality and integrity of the due diligence process.
Pre-approval by senior management does not exempt the financial institution from conducting thorough and timely due diligence on the PEP and the business relationship.
Obtain appropriate senior management approval for establishing a business relationship with a PEP from a high risk country is a necessary but not sufficient course of action, as it does not address the ongoing monitoring and source of funds aspects of the PEP risk management. Senior management approval is required for establishing or continuing a business relationship with a PEP, regardless of the country of origin or residence of the PEP.
1: ACAMS, CAMS Study Guide, 6th Edition, Chapter 4, p. 83 2: ACAMS, CAMS Study Guide, 6th Edition, Chapter 4, p. 84 3: ACAMS, CAMS Study Guide, 6th Edition, Chapter 4, p. 85 4: ACAMS, CAMS Study Guide, 6th Edition, Chapter 4, p. 86 : ACAMS, CAMS Study Guide, 6th Edition, Chapter 4, p. 87 : ACAMS, CAMS Study Guide, 6th Edition, Chapter 4, p. 86 : ACAMS, CAMS Study Guide, 6th Edition, Chapter 4, p.
87 : ACAMS, CAMS Study Guide, 6th Edition, Chapter 4, p. 88 : ACAMS, CAMS Study Guide, 6th Edition, Chapter 4, p. 88 : ACAMS, CAMS Study Guide, 6th Edition, Chapter 4, p. 88 : ACAMS, CAMS Study Guide, 6th Edition, Chapter 4, p. 88

Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)are tools that enableinterconnectivity and data exchangebetween different software applications. In AML contexts, APIs are commonly used tointegrate third-party systems, such as screening tools, customer databases, and transaction monitoring platforms, ensuring real-time and accurate flow of information.
This technological capability supports enhancedautomation, agility, and efficiencyin AML processes.
Reference: ACAMS CAMS Study Guide - 6th Edition, Chapter:Technology and AML- Section:Emerging Technologies and APIs in Compliance