Search results

1 – 10 of 255
Article
Publication date: 1 January 2013

Angela S.M. Irwin, Jill Slay, Kim‐Kwang Raymond Choo and Lin Liu

The purpose of this paper is to examine the identity and payment method verification procedures implemented by a number of popular massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs) and…

1638

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the identity and payment method verification procedures implemented by a number of popular massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs) and online financial service providers (OFSPs) to determine if the systems they currently have in place are sufficient to uncover the identities of those who may wish to use such environments to conduct money laundering or terrorism financing activity.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper investigates whether the payment instruments or methods used by account holders to place funds into their account(s) hinder or assist investigators to expose the real‐world identity of the account holder. The paper then discusses whether it is feasible and/or desirable to introduce know your customer (KYC) and customer due diligence (CDD) legislation into virtual environments and illustrates an effective KYC approach which may assist MMOGs and OFSPs to correctly identify their account holders, should legislation be put in place.

Findings

The systems currently in place by all of the MMOGs investigated are wholly inadequate to successfully establish the real‐world identities of account holders. None of the information required at the account setup stage is verified and, therefore, cannot be reliably associated with an account holder in a real‐world context. It appears that all three of the MMOGs investigated are leaving the serious matter of identity and payment method verification to the organisations that assist in the sale and purchase of their in‐world currency such as third party currency exchanges and Internet payment systems (collectively referred to as OFSPs). However, many of these OFSPs do not have adequate systems in place to successfully verify the identities of their account holders or users either. The authors' experiments show that it can be a very simple process to open accounts and perform financial transactions with all of the OFSPs investigated using publicly available or fictitious identity information and a prepaid Visa® gift card. Although all five OFSPs investigated in this research claim to verify the identity of their account holders, and may already be subject to KYC and CDD legislation, their systems may need some work to ensure that an account holder or user is accurately identified before financial transactions can take place.

Originality/value

The authors believe that the electronic KYC approach discussed in this paper deals effectively with the challenges of global reach, anonymity and non‐face‐to‐face business relationships experienced by virtual environment operators, thereby assisting in the effective detection and possible prosecution of individuals who wish to use these platforms for illicit and illegal purposes.

Article
Publication date: 24 March 2020

Pavel M. Shust and Victor Dostov

The purpose of this paper is to present the identification-verification-confirmation of identity (IVCid) model that can be used to retroactively analyze the existing customer…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present the identification-verification-confirmation of identity (IVCid) model that can be used to retroactively analyze the existing customer identification programs and devise new ones that can be used in face-to-face or non-face-to-face environment.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper outlines the main elements of the customer due diligence (CDD) process and identifies those which may present a barrier to the customers. It then outlines the IVCid model. The model is used to analyze existing CDD approaches in physical presence, using reliable databases, biometrics and electronic signatures.

Findings

The IVCid model suggests that any customer identification program contains three elements: identification (collection of information), verification (checking the veracity of information) and confirmation of identity (linking the information to the individual). The accuracy of this model is confirmed by the analysis of the existing CDD procedures in some countries.

Research limitations/implications

This paper looks at a limited number of practical cases of CDD implementation. Further research might be needed to assess the strengths and weaknesses of biometric-based or e-signature-based solutions. Research might be needed to establish links between the IVCid model and financial inclusion.

Practical implications

The IVCid model allows for “modular” approach for the CDD procedures. It also underlines some risks associated with current CDD models.

Social implications

The IVCid model can be used to devise the CDD procedures that more effectively contribute to financial inclusion.

Originality/value

This paper proposes the first universal model for the CDD procedures that works for both face-to-face and remote scenarios while also being technology- and business-neutral.

Details

Journal of Money Laundering Control, vol. 23 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1368-5201

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 January 2024

Arief Rijanto

Know your customer (KYC), accounting standards, issuance, clearing, and trade settlement became the major barrier to implement accounting, accountability and assurance process in…

Abstract

Purpose

Know your customer (KYC), accounting standards, issuance, clearing, and trade settlement became the major barrier to implement accounting, accountability and assurance process in supply chain finance (SCF). Blockchain technology features have the potential to solve accounting problems. This research focuses on exploring how blockchain technology provides solutions to overcome the barriers of accounting process in SCF. The benefits, opportunities, costs and risks related to blockchain adoption are also explored.

Design/methodology/approach

Multi-case study and qualitative methods are used with a framework based on blockchain role to overcome the accounting process barriers. Ten blockchain projects in SCF and 29 interviews of participants as a unit of analysis are considered.

Findings

The findings indicate that blockchain technology offers solutions to solve accounting, accountability and assurance problems in SCF. Validity, verification, smart contracts, automation and enduring data on trade transactions potentially solve those barriers. However, it is also necessary to consider costs such as implementation, technology, education and integration costs. Then there are possible risks such as regulatory compliance, operational, code development and scalability risk. This finding reflects the current status of blockchain technology roles in SCF.

Research limitations/implications

This study unveils blockchain's SCF accounting potential, emphasizing multi-case method limitations and future research prospects. Diverse contexts challenge findings' applicability, warranting cross-industry studies for deeper insights. Addressing selection bias and integrating quantitative measures can enhance understanding of blockchain's accounting impact.

Practical implications

Accounting professionals can get an idea of the future direction and impact of blockchain technology on accounting, accountability and assurance processes.

Originality/value

This study provides initial findings on the potential, costs and risks of blockchain that is beneficial for parties involved in SCF, especially for banks and insurance underwriters. In addition, the findings also provide direction for the contribution of blockchain technology to accounting theory in the future.

Details

Asian Review of Accounting, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1321-7348

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 April 2001

Brian P. Joyce

The advent and increasing application of electronic commercial transactions, e‐banking, new payment technologies and digital currencies poses a threat to traditional due diligence…

Abstract

The advent and increasing application of electronic commercial transactions, e‐banking, new payment technologies and digital currencies poses a threat to traditional due diligence systems in the international campaign against money laundering. As the electronic infrastructures of global commercial transactions and Internet financial services incubate, compliance dilemmas continue to evolve.

Details

Journal of Money Laundering Control, vol. 5 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1368-5201

Book part
Publication date: 17 January 2023

Sylvia Gottschalk

Cryptoassets have recently attracted the attention of national and international financial regulators. Since the mid-2010s blockchains have increasingly been adapted to automate…

Abstract

Cryptoassets have recently attracted the attention of national and international financial regulators. Since the mid-2010s blockchains have increasingly been adapted to automate and replace many aspects of financial intermediation, and by 2015 Ethereum had created the smart contract language that underpins the digitization of real assets as asset-backed tokens (ABTs). Those were initially issued by FinTech companies, but more recently banks active on international capital and financial markets, and even central banks, for example, the Bank of Thailand, have developed their own digital platforms and blockchains. A wide variety of real and financial assets underpins ABTs, viz., real-estate, art, corporate and sovereign bonds, and equity. Consequently, owing to the significant market capitalization of cryptocurrencies, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) published two consultative papers delineating its approach on cryptoasset regulation. In this study, the authors analyze the mechanics of ABTs and their potential risks, relying on case studies of recent issuance of tokens in equity, real-estate, and debt markets, to highlight their main characteristics. The authors also investigate the consequences of the increasingly oligopolistic structure of blockchain mining pools and Bitcoin exchanges for the integrity and security of unregulated distributed ledgers. Finally, the authors analyze the BCBS’ regulatory proposals, and discuss the reaction of international financial institutions and cryptocurrency interest groups. The main findings are, firstly, that most ABTs are akin to asset-backed securities. Secondly, nearly all ABTs are “off-chain/on-chain,” that is, the underlying is a traditional asset that exists off-chain and is subsequently digitized. The main exception is the World Bank’s bond-i that is genuinely native to the blockchain created by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, and has no existence outside it. Thirdly, all ABTs are issued on permissioned blockchains, where anti-money laundering/anti-terrorist funding and know-your-customer regulations are enforced. From a prudential regulatory perspective, ABTs do not appear to pose serious systemic risks to international financial markets. This may account for the often negative reactions of banks, banking associations, and cryptocurrency interest groups to the BCBS’ 2021 proposals for risk-weighted capital provisions for cryptoassets, which are viewed as excessive. Finally, we found that issuance of ABTS and other smart contracts on permissionless blockchains such as Bitcoin and Ethereum could potentially generate financial instability. A precedent involving Ethereum and The DAO in 2016 shows that (i) there is a significant accountability gap in permissionless blockchains, and (ii) the core developers of blockchains and smart contract technology, and Bitcoin mining pools, exercise an unexpectedly high- and completely unregulated-amount of power in what is supposedly a decentralized network.

Article
Publication date: 1 October 2018

Ehi Eric Esoimeme

This paper aims to compare the prepaid card laws/regulations in Nigeria, the UK, the USA and India with the aim of determining the best approach to regulating prepaid cards, that…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to compare the prepaid card laws/regulations in Nigeria, the UK, the USA and India with the aim of determining the best approach to regulating prepaid cards, that is the approach that promotes financial inclusion and also makes the product less attractive for money laundering.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper relies mainly on primary and secondary data drawn from the public domain. It also relies on documentary research.

Findings

This paper makes the following findings and recommendations: Nigeria has the best approach to regulating providers of prepaid cards. Nigeria’s approach could foster financial inclusion and at the same time mitigate the money laundering risks associated with prepaid cards. Nigeria’s approach is not too strict like the Indian approach and it is not too relaxed like the UK and the USA approach. Operators, including mobile/telecommunications operators, wishing to operate money transfer schemes in Nigeria are allowed to do so with approval from the Central Bank of Nigeria and in strict conjunction with licensed deposit-taking banks or financial institutions. The UK, the USA and India are recommended to adopt Nigeria’s approach. The UK and the USA have the best approach to regulating agents of prepaid cards. Both countries require prepaid card providers to maintain a current list of agents and make it available to the relevant authorities upon request. The approach allows regulatory agencies to effectively monitor and supervise prepaid card agents. India and Nigeria are advised to clarify their approach regarding the regulation of prepaid card agents. The prepaid card laws/regulations of those countries should be modified to specify if the agent of a prepaid card provider is required to be licensed or registered by a competent authority or if the prepaid card provider (the principal) is required to maintain an updated list of agents which must be made accessible to a designated competent authority, when requested. The new changes will afford regulatory authorities the opportunity to effectively monitor and supervise prepaid card agents. India’s approach to thresholds would preclude most individuals in the intended target market from accessing basic financial products, as most people typically do not have residential addresses that could be confirmed by reference to formal documentation. India should adopt the “risk-based approach” and not the “wholesale de-risking approach”.

Research limitations/implications

Given their low-risk characteristics, closed-loop cards, specifically cards which do not allow reloads or withdrawals, remain outside the scope of this paper.

Originality/value

Although there have been researchers who adopted the comparative approach like Jean J Luyat and Will Cain, the comparative approach adopted by those researchers was not detailed enough and also was not aimed at seeking to answer the research question in Section 1 of this paper. Both writers focused on only the aspect of financial inclusion making the whole research a one-sided approach. Jean J Luyat focused on “how regulation had an impact on the development of prepaid cards in Japan and Europe”. He was able to discover that prepaid cards were growing rapidly in Japan but not gaining acceptance as a payment method in the European Union (EU) and France. He aligned such growth in Japan to different factors including regulation. He stated that Japan had a simple and flexible regulatory framework compared to the EU and France which have a complex regulatory system with strict prudential requirements. Nothing was said about the money laundering aspect of such regulation and neither was anything said about thresholds and other optional recommendations canvased by the Financial Action Task Force. The Electronic Money Directive referred to by Jean J Luyat has already been repealed and a second Electronic Money Directive is in place. A comparative approach is adopted in this research seeking to compare the approach in Nigeria with that of the UK, the USA and India. Each of these countries adopted different approaches. The results are to help answer the research question in Section 1 of this paper. The countries were selected on the basis of how strict their regulatory regime is. India’s regulatory regime is the strictest while the UK and the USA are the most lenient. Nigeria is caught in between strict/lenient.

Details

Journal of Money Laundering Control, vol. 21 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1368-5201

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 February 2018

June Buchanan

The aim of this paper is to examine how money laundering occurs through electronic gaming devices, the regulatory requirements for operators of electronic gaming machines, the…

1447

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to examine how money laundering occurs through electronic gaming devices, the regulatory requirements for operators of electronic gaming machines, the issues of on-line versus land-based gambling and a discussion about ethics and social responsibility.

Design/methodology/approach

This is primarily a conceptual paper which includes an identification of several theories relevant to money laundering. Primary data were obtained from one respondent through a face-to-face meeting and another through a telephone conversation.

Findings

A strong, globally co-ordinated effort is required to fight against the increasingly “dark side” of money laundering. The tenets of corporate social responsibility (CSR), including a strong focus on ethics, is vitally important in the gambling industry in helping to wipe out money laundering, which is used to make “dirty” money “clean” and in some instances, used to fund terrorism.

Research limitations/implications

Further studies could be conducted incorporating a sample of primary data within, and between, jurisdictions. Further work is recommended for developing a form of global collective targeted practical deterrents, supported by technology including artificial intelligence as identified to some degree in this paper. Whilst this paper has included a discussion on CSR, moral management and ethics as a means of arbitrating money laundering, future research could put this idea to the test.

Practical implications

Efforts (including technological) to combat money laundering at the venue level continue to be developed. Further, regulations could include mandatory training in CSR and ethics for all employees in organisations identified by regulators as being particularly susceptible to money laundering.

Social implications

Terrorist actions have gained increasing attention as various countries have had to endure seemingly escalating atrocities in their jurisdictions. Government has an important role to take the necessary steps to strike out terrorism to protect its citizens.

Originality/value

No peer-reviewed academic articles could be identified using a Google Scholar search on money laundering and/or marketing and or CSR. A limited number of articles were identified using the search terms “money laundering and gambling”.

Details

Society and Business Review, vol. 13 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-5680

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 4 July 2023

Kristian Keskitalo and Jaakko Väyrynen

This paper aims to analyse the virtual currency regulation especially in Finland, Sweden and Norway. Different member states had a bit differently incorporated regulation of…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to analyse the virtual currency regulation especially in Finland, Sweden and Norway. Different member states had a bit differently incorporated regulation of AMLD5. Finland has gone the furthest in regulation and even issuers of virtual currency are under the Finnish regulation.

Design/methodology/approach

In one hand, the study approach is legal dogmatics, but in other hand it is comparative legal research. Both approaches can be found in this paper.

Findings

The EEA is going from a more fragmented regulatory landscape based on 5th Anti-Money Laundering Directive to a more uniform regulatory approach provided by a legislative package that regulates crypto assets more broadly, coupled with an overhaul of the anti-money laundering rules, bringing them into a single European rulebook. Finland has taken a step further in this matter. Therefore, it would be reasonable for the AMLD5 scope to be expanded in this respect. It is a welcome development that the regulation will be unified and that investor protection will be better taken into account in the future as well.

Originality/value

This paper gives a picture of what kind of challenges is there in Fennoscandic in terms of money laundering regulation of virtual currencies. On the other hand, this paper brings into the discussion the rather clever solutions of Fennoscandic (especially Finland) regarding money laundering of virtual currencies.

Details

Journal of Money Laundering Control, vol. 26 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1368-5201

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 November 2015

B Viritha, Velu Mariappan and Varun Venkatachalapathy

The study was conducted to assess the level of compliance with regulatory guidelines on anti-money laundering (AML) in the scheduled commercial banks in India, and to understand…

1165

Abstract

Purpose

The study was conducted to assess the level of compliance with regulatory guidelines on anti-money laundering (AML) in the scheduled commercial banks in India, and to understand the bottlenecks in AML implementation.

Design/methodology/approach

The respondents were employees working in the banks located in the States of Puducherry and Tamilnadu. Snowball sampling method was adopted in selecting the sample. The sample consisted of 392 employees from the public sector, private sector, and foreign banks in India. The data was collected by administering the structured questionnaire during the period June, 2014 to January, 2015. Descriptive and non-parametric tests were applied, and the significance was considered at þ ≤ 0.5.

Findings

Results indicated that the banks were largely complying (3.67 ± 1.39) with the AML measures under study. The compliance with guidelines on KYC updation was found to be higher (79.9 per cent), followed by reporting requirements (72.7 per cent), and customer identification procedures (57.4 per cent). The practice of customising or amending the AML policy of the bank according to the bank ' s business risks and evolving regulatory obligations was found unsatisfactory (67.1 per cent). The respondents in majority agreed to the identified issues such as deficit of resources, lack of customer support, training, feedback and information exchange as constraints in the practice of AML.

Originality/value

There is a dearth of studies examining the AML/CFT implementation in the financial institutions of India. Accordingly, the present study attempts to assess the practices of AML/CFT in commercial banks and understand their challenges faced in implementing it.

Details

Journal of Investment Compliance, vol. 16 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1528-5812

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 October 2021

Zuliera Zariz Azman Aziz and Seri Ayu Masuri Md Daud

This study aims to examine the associations between customers’ awareness of money laundering and terrorism financing, trust in banking secrecy measures and discomforts in…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine the associations between customers’ awareness of money laundering and terrorism financing, trust in banking secrecy measures and discomforts in fulfilling the bank’s anti-money laundering (AML) procedure and their acceptance of existing practices of banks regarding AML and counter-terrorism financing.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adapts a set of survey instruments developed and validated by prior studies to collect the required data. A convenient sample of 160 Malaysian bank customers aged 18 and above were surveyed to collect the data.

Findings

This study finds a significant relationship between the respondents’ awareness of money laundering and terrorism financing, trust in banking secrecy measures and their acceptance of the bank’s AML and counter-terrorism financing practices. However, no significant relationship is documented between the level of discomforts experienced by customers in satisfying the banks’ AML requirements and their acceptance of the banks’ AML practices. These results hold even after controlling for alternative explanations of the customers’ acceptance of banking practices examined in the extant literature: age, gender, location, literacy level and occupation.

Research limitations/implications

This study extends the literature on customers’ acceptance of banking practices more broadly by providing empirical evidence on the role of customers’ awareness on issues underlying the banking practices and their trust in the bank’s secrecy measures.

Practical implications

This study also provides some practical contributions by shedding some light on the factors that could help banks increase the acceptance of AML practices among their customers. Thus, the findings of this paper help banks focus their effort on these factors and hence increase acceptance rate more effectively.

Originality/value

Drawing on the elements of the theory of reasoned actions and technology acceptance model and the extant research on trust-privacy and comfortability in a banking setting, this study proposes an integrated approach that is theoretically and empirically grounded.

Details

Journal of Money Laundering Control, vol. 25 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1368-5201

Keywords

1 – 10 of 255