
Encourage staff to trust their gut.
There could be times when a customer/member situation doesn't feel right, but a more senior employee says it doesn't need to be reported. Encourage employees to always trust their gut and report. Let the BSA and Fraud teams decide if further action is necessary. Management should never tell an employee not to report, and anyone who does so should be included in the description of suspicious activity so that BSA can identify gaps in training or investigate any employee involvement in the activity.
Don’t be a stranger.
BSA is always busy, but if time allows, scheduling a meet and greet can go a long way to building trust with the front line. Employees may feel more comfortable opening those lines of communication once they know the faces of the team, rather than being intimidated by an unfamiliar department hidden away in a corporate tower. Create a flyer introducing the BSA team if you are a multiple branch financial institution where in-person visits are not feasible. This can include suspicious activity reporting options, a description of what BSA does, contact information, and current tips, trends, or cases that are relevant.
We've created a sample flyer for financial institutions to edit as needed, or your BSA team can create their own. Download the CDD compliance support sample flyer for front-line staff.
Encourage communication.
Finally, encourage your BSA team to respond to emails and reports of suspicious activity from the front line. An acknowledgment and a thank you can go a long way toward motivating employees to continue reporting in the future. Communication is the name of the game when it comes to knowing your customer and supporting KYC and CDD compliance.