# Compliance Alerts

Production Release Date
**04th February 2026**

## Overview

The Compliance Alerts API provides a pre-qualification screening service for businesses and their associated entities (directors, shareholders, and Ultimate Beneficial Owners). This endpoint helps you identify potential compliance risks by screening entities against sanctions and enforcement watchlists before proceeding with full business due diligence processes.

[View API Endpoint Documentation](https://doc.creditsafe.com/connect-apis-catalog/product-catalog/kycprotect/kycprotect/compliance-alerts/compliancegetkycalerts)

## Use Cases

### Business Report Integration

Compliance Alerts are designed to complement business reporting workflows. Organizations that integrate business reports into their systems can use this API as an add-on service to:

- **Pre-qualify business relationships** - Screen companies and their key personnel before onboarding or entering partnerships
- **Identify compliance risks early** - Flag potential sanctions or enforcement issues during the initial assessment phase
- **Streamline due diligence** - Filter out high-risk entities before investing resources in comprehensive checks
- **Enhance risk management** - Add an automated compliance layer to existing business intelligence workflows


### Typical Workflow

1. **Identify the company** - Obtain the company ID through a company search or from an existing portfolio
2. **Request compliance screening** - Submit the company ID to the Compliance Alerts API
3. **Receive entity-level results** - The API automatically retrieves and screens the company, its current directors, and UBOs
4. **Review alert indicators** - Check which entities have alerts flagged (`hasAlerts: true`)
5. **Assess overall risk** - Use the total count of entities with alerts to inform your decision
6. **Take appropriate action** - Proceed, escalate for review, or decline based on the results


## How It Works

### Simple Input, Comprehensive Screening

The API requires only a **company ID** as input. This ID should be obtained from:

- A Creditsafe company search
- An existing monitoring portfolio
- Previous company report requests


Once submitted, the API automatically:

1. Retrieves the company's current structure
2. Identifies associated entities (current directors and UBOs)
3. Screens each entity against sanctions and enforcement lists
4. Returns a consolidated view with alert flags for each entity


### Entity Screening

The API screens multiple entity types from a business context:

- **Main business** - The company being assessed
- **Current directors** - Active board members and officers
- **Ultimate Beneficial Owners (UBOs)** - Individuals with ultimate control or ownership


### What Information is Screened

For each entity, the API automatically uses:

- Name (individual or business name)
- Gender (for individuals)
- Date of birth (for individuals)
- Country code


**Note:** You don't need to manually provide entity details - the API retrieves this information based on the company ID.

### Screening Parameters

The API screens entities against:

- **Sanctions lists** - International and national sanctions programs
- **Enforcement actions** - Regulatory enforcement and legal proceedings


The screening uses a **90% match threshold** to balance accuracy with comprehensive coverage, helping identify potential matches that warrant further investigation.

## What to Expect

### Response Structure

The API returns a comprehensive view of the company and its associated entities, with alert indicators at multiple levels:

**Company-level information:**

- Company safe number and name
- Country code
- Overall alert indicator (`hasAlerts`)
- Total count of entities with alerts (`entitiesWithAlerts`)
- Last updated timestamp


**Entity-level details:**

For each current director and UBO, you'll receive:

- Full name details (first, middle, last name)
- Entity type
- Country code
- Gender and date of birth (where available)
- Individual alert indicator (`hasAlerts`)


### Understanding Alert Indicators

**`hasAlerts` (company level):** Indicates whether any entity within the company structure has triggered an alert

**`hasAlerts` (entity level):** Flags specific individuals (directors or UBOs) with potential matches

**`entitiesWithAlerts`:** Provides a count of how many entities have alerts

**Example:**
If you screen a company (e.g., Creditsafe Business Information Ltd) and the response shows:

- `entitiesWithAlerts: 3`
- Director "John Smith" with `hasAlerts: true`
- Director "Jane Doe" with `hasAlerts: true`
- Company itself with `hasAlerts: true`


This indicates that three entities in total have potential compliance matches that warrant further investigation.

### Using the Results

Alert indicators help you:

- **Quickly identify risk areas** - See at a glance which entities need attention
- **Prioritize review efforts** - Focus on specific individuals flagged with alerts
- **Make informed decisions** - Understand compliance exposure across the entire company structure
- **Document due diligence** - Maintain records of screening with timestamped results
- **Escalate appropriately** - Route cases with alerts for manual review


## Integration Considerations

### Performance

The API is designed for pre-qualification screening, making it suitable for:

- Batch processing of multiple entities
- Integration into automated workflows
- Real-time screening during application processes


### Accuracy

The 90% match threshold is calibrated to capture potential matches while minimizing false positives. However, matches should always be reviewed in context, as:

- Common names may generate alerts that require further investigation
- Entity details help differentiate between similar names
- Professional judgment is essential in assessing match relevance


### Compliance Context

Compliance Alerts complement, but do not replace, comprehensive due diligence. Use this API as:

- An **initial screening layer** in your risk assessment process
- A **risk indicator** to inform further investigation needs
- A **pre-qualification tool** before committing resources to detailed checks


For comprehensive AML screening and ongoing monitoring, refer to the full KYC Protect product suite.