ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING ("AML") POLICY OF Octa Markets Incorporated
Policy statement and principles
Octa Markets Incorporated ("OctaFX") have adopted an Anti-Money Laundering (AML) compliance policy ("Policy") as set forth in the Board minutes, dated 15 of September 2011.
Scope of policy
This policy applies to all OctaFX officers, employees, appointed producers and products and services offered by OctaFX. All business units and locations within OctaFX will cooperate to create a cohesive effort in the fight against money laundering. Each business unit and location has implemented risk-based procedures reasonably expected to prevent, detect and cause the reporting of transactions. All efforts exerted will be documented and retained. The AML Compliance Committee is responsible for initiating Suspicious Activity Reports ("SARs") or other required reporting to the appropriate law enforcement or regulatory agencies. Any contacts by law enforcement or regulatory agencies related to the Policy shall be directed to the AML Compliance Committee.
Policy
It is the policy of OctaFX to prohibit and actively pursue the prevention of money laundering and any activity that facilitates money laundering or the funding of terrorist or criminal activities. OctaFX is committed to AML compliance in accordance with applicable law and requires its officers, employees and appointed producers to adhere to these standards in preventing the use of its products and services for money laundering purposes.
For the purposes of the Policy, money laundering is generally defined as engaging in acts designed to conceal or disguise the true origins of criminally derived proceeds so that the unlawful proceeds appear to have been derived from legitimate origins or constitute legitimate assets.
Generally, money laundering occurs in three stages. Cash first enters the financial system at the "placement" stage, where the cash generated from criminal activities is converted into monetary instruments, such as money orders or traveler's checks, or deposited into accounts at financial institutions. At the "layering" stage, the funds are transferred or moved into other accounts or other financial institutions to further separate the money from its criminal origin. At the "integration" stage, the funds are reintroduced into the economy and used to purchase legitimate assets or to fund other criminal activities or legitimate businesses.
Terrorist financing may not involve the proceeds of criminal conduct, but rather an attempt to conceal the origin or intended use of the funds, which will later be used for criminal purposes.
Customer identification program
OctaFX has adopted a Customer Identification Program (CIP). OctaFX will provide notice that they will seek identification information; collect certain minimum customer identification information from each customer, record such information and the verification methods and results; and compare customer identification information with OFAC.
Notice to customers
OctaFX will provide notice to customers that it is requesting information from them to verify their identities, as required by applicable law.
Required customer information
The following information will be collected for all new insurance and annuity applications:
- Name
- Date of birth
- Address
- Passport number and country of issuance
- Alien identification card number or
- Number and country of issuance of any other government-issued document evidencing nationality or residence and bearing a photograph or other similar safeguard.
- Verifying information
Based on the risk, and to the extent reasonable and practicable, OctaFX will ensure that it has a reasonable belief of the true identity of its customers. In verifying customer identity, appointed producers shall review photo identification.
OctaFX shall not attempt to determine whether the document that the customer has provided for identification has been validly issued. For verification purposes, OctaFX shall rely on a government-issued identification to establish a customer's identity. OctaFX, however, will analyze the information provided to determine if there are any logical inconsistencies in the information obtained.
OctaFX will document its verification, including all identifying information provided by the customer, the methods used and results of the verification, including but not limited to sign-off by the appointed producer of matching photo identification.
Monitoring and reporting
Transaction based monitoring will occur within the appropriate business units of OctaFX. Monitoring of specific transactions will include but is not limited to transactions aggregating $5,000 or more and those with respect to which OctaFX has a reason to suspect suspicious activity. All reports will be documented.
Suspicious activity
There are signs of suspicious activity that suggest money laundering. These are commonly referred to as "red flags." If a red flag is detected, additional due diligence will be performed before proceeding with the transaction. If a reasonable explanation is not determined, the suspicious activity shall be reported to the AML Compliance Committee.
Examples of red flags are:
- The customer exhibits unusual concern regarding the firm's compliance with government reporting requirements and the firm's AML policies, particularly with respect to his or her identity, type of business and assets, or is reluctant or refuses to reveal any information concerning business activities, or furnishes unusual or suspect identification or business documents.
- The customer wishes to engage in transactions that lack business sense or apparent investment strategy, or are inconsistent with the customer's stated business strategy.
- The information provided by the customer that identifies a legitimate source for funds is false, misleading, or substantially incorrect.
- Upon request, the customer refuses to identify or fails to indicate any legitimate source for his or her funds and other assets.
- The customer (or a person publicly associated with the customer) has a questionable background or is the subject of news reports indicating possible criminal, civil, or regulatory violations.
- The customer exhibits a lack of concern regarding risks, commissions, or other transaction costs.
- The customer appears to be acting as an agent for an undisclosed principal, but declines or is reluctant, without legitimate commercial reasons, to provide information or is otherwise evasive regarding that person or entity.
- For no apparent reason, the customer has multiple accounts under a single name or multiple names, with a large number of inter-account or third-party transfers.
- The customer is from, or has accounts in, a country identified as a non-cooperative country or territory by the Financial Action Task Force.
- The customer's account has unexplained or sudden extensive wire activity, especially in accounts that had little or no previous activity.
- The customer's account shows numerous currency or cashiers check transactions aggregating to significant sums.
- The customer's account indicates large or frequent wire transfers, immediately withdrawn by check or debit card without any apparent business purpose.
- The customer makes a funds deposit followed by an immediate request that the money be wired out or transferred to a third party, or to another firm, without any apparent business purpose.
- The customer requests that a transaction be processed in such a manner to avoid the firm's normal documentation requirements.
- The customer, for no apparent reason or in conjunction with other red flags, engages in transactions involving certain types of securities, such as penny stocks, and bearer bonds, which although legitimate, have been used in connection with fraudulent schemes and money laundering activity. (Such transactions may warrant further due diligence to ensure the legitimacy of the customer's activity.)
- The customer's account shows an unexplained high level of account activity with very low levels of securities transactions.
- Attempt to borrow maximum cash value of a single premium policy soon after purchase.
- If the appointed producer:
- Exhibits a dramatic or unexpected increase in sales (particularly of single premium contacts)
- Has consistently high activity in single premium contracts in excess of company averages
- Exhibits a sudden change in lifestyle
- Requests client documentation be delivered to the agent
Investigation
Upon notification to the AML Compliance Committee an investigation will be commenced to determine if a report should be made to appropriate law enforcement or regulatory agencies. The investigation will include, but not necessarily be limited to, review of all available information, such as payment history, birth dates, and address. If the results of the investigation warrant, a recommendation will be made to the AML Compliance Committee to file a blocked assets and/or a SAR with the appropriate law enforcement or regulatory agency. The AML Compliance Committee is responsible for any notice or filing with law enforcement or regulatory agency.
