> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.zenoo.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Screening > Screen individuals and companies against PEP, sanctions, adverse media, and watchlist databases. # Screening Screen individuals and companies against PEP, sanctions, adverse media, and watchlist databases. Screening runs synchronously via WorldCheck and returns structured match results. Screening runs automatically as part of Company and Person Verification flows. Use the standalone screening endpoint for ongoing monitoring, pre-verification checks, or batch processing. ## Screening categories | Category | What it checks | Example matches | | ----------------- | --------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | **PEP** | Politically Exposed Persons | Heads of state, senior government officials, their family and associates | | **Sanctions** | Global sanctions lists | OFAC SDN, EU Consolidated, UN Security Council, UK HMT | | **Adverse Media** | Negative news coverage | Financial crime, fraud, terrorism financing, money laundering | | **Watchlist** | Law enforcement databases | Interpol, FBI, national fugitive lists | ## Screen a person Always include `date_of_birth` when screening individuals. It is the single most effective field for reducing false positives. Without it, common names like "John Smith" can return hundreds of matches. With it, the result set typically shrinks by 90% or more. ```bash theme={null} curl -X POST \ "https://instance.prod.onboardapp.io/api/gateway/execute/{project_hash}/screening/api" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -H "X-API-KEY: your-api-key" \ -H "X-SYNC-TIMEOUT: 30000" \ -d '{ "name": "John Smith", "date_of_birth": "1975-03-20", "country": "GB", "entity_type": "person", "categories": ["pep", "sanctions", "adverse_media", "watchlist"] }' ``` ## Screen a company ```bash theme={null} curl -X POST \ "https://instance.prod.onboardapp.io/api/gateway/execute/{project_hash}/screening/api" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -H "X-API-KEY: your-api-key" \ -H "X-SYNC-TIMEOUT: 30000" \ -d '{ "name": "Acme Holdings Ltd", "country": "GB", "entity_type": "company", "categories": ["sanctions", "adverse_media"] }' ``` ## Clean result (no matches) When an entity has no matches across any category: ```json {3-6} theme={null} { "screening_status": "complete", "pep_status": "No Hit", "sanctions_status": "No Hit", "adverse_media_status": "No Hit", "watchlist_status": "No Hit", "screening_provider": "WorldCheck", "screening_completed_at": "2026-01-15T14:30:00Z", "total_matches": 0, "matches": [] } ``` An empty `matches` array with all status fields showing `"No Hit"` means the entity does not appear in any screened database. ## Result with matches When screening returns hits, each match includes a score, category, and supporting data: ```json {3,5,12} theme={null} { "screening_status": "complete", "pep_status": "Hit", "sanctions_status": "No Hit", "adverse_media_status": "Hit", "watchlist_status": "No Hit", "screening_provider": "WorldCheck", "screening_completed_at": "2026-01-15T14:30:00Z", "total_matches": 2, "top_match_score": 95.0, "matches": [ { "matchScore": 95.0, "matchStrength": "EXACT", "primaryName": "John Andrew Smith", "category": "pep", "categories": ["pep-class-2"], "types": ["pep-class-2"], "gender": "MALE", "nationality": "British", "dateOfBirth": "1975-03-20", "countries": [ "United Kingdom (Nationality)", "United Kingdom (Location)" ], "sources": ["UK Parliament", "Companies House"], "enteredDate": "2018-04-12", "lastUpdated": "2025-11-03", "positions": [ { "title": "Member of Parliament", "country": "United Kingdom", "from": "2019-12-12", "to": "2024-07-04" } ], "associates": [ { "name": "Mary Smith", "association": "Spouse", "type": "family" } ] }, { "matchScore": 78.5, "matchStrength": "STRONG", "primaryName": "John Smith", "category": "adverse_media", "categories": ["adverse-media-financial-crime"], "types": ["adverse-media"], "gender": "MALE", "nationality": "British", "dateOfBirth": "1975-03-20", "countries": ["United Kingdom (Nationality)"], "sources": ["Financial Times", "BBC News"], "enteredDate": "2025-06-15", "lastUpdated": "2025-09-22", "media": [ { "title": "Investigation into financial irregularities at Acme Holdings", "url": "https://example.com/article-123", "snippet": "Authorities are investigating potential financial irregularities...", "date": "2025-06-15" } ] } ] } ``` ## Match score interpretation Match scores range from 0 to 100 and indicate the confidence that a screened entity matches a database record. | Score | Confidence | Recommended action | | -------- | ---------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | 90-100 | Very High | Strong match. Investigate immediately. | | 80-89 | High | Likely match. Manual review required. | | 70-79 | Medium | Possible match. Review recommended, especially with other risk factors. | | Below 70 | Low | Weak match. Likely a false positive, but review if combined with high-risk indicators. | Do not auto-dismiss matches in the 70-79 range. WorldCheck scoring is conservative, and a 75% match on a sanctioned entity still requires investigation. ## PEP classifications WorldCheck classifies Politically Exposed Persons into four tiers based on their level of public office. | Class | Description | Examples | | ------------- | --------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `pep-class-1` | Heads of state and senior national government | Presidents, prime ministers, cabinet ministers, supreme court justices | | `pep-class-2` | Regional and legislative officials | Members of parliament, senators, governors, mayors of major cities | | `pep-class-3` | Other public officials | Senior military officers, central bank board members, ambassadors, judiciary | | `pep-class-4` | Associates and family members | Spouses, children, parents, known business partners of PEP Class 1-3 | PEP Class 1 matches must always be escalated to a senior compliance officer regardless of match score. These individuals carry the highest regulatory scrutiny under FATF recommendations. ## Sanctions list types | List | Source | Jurisdiction | | -------------- | ------------------------------------- | -------------- | | `sanction-sdn` | OFAC Specially Designated Nationals | United States | | `sanction-eu` | EU Consolidated Sanctions List | European Union | | `sanction-un` | UN Security Council Consolidated List | International | | `sanction-hmt` | HM Treasury Consolidated List | United Kingdom | Any sanctions match, regardless of score, must halt onboarding immediately. Processing transactions for sanctioned entities carries severe penalties including criminal prosecution, asset freezes, and regulatory enforcement action. ## Match management decision matrix | Category | Score | Action | | ------------- | --------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Sanctions | Any score | Immediate escalation. Do not proceed with onboarding. | | Watchlist | Any score | Immediate escalation. Do not proceed with onboarding. | | PEP Class 1-2 | 80+ | Enhanced due diligence required. Senior compliance review. | | PEP Class 1-2 | 70-79 | Standard review. Verify match relevance. | | PEP Class 3-4 | 80+ | Standard review with ongoing monitoring. | | PEP Class 3-4 | 70-79 | Log and monitor. Review if combined with other risk factors. | | Adverse Media | 85+ | Manual review required. Assess severity and recency of media. | | Adverse Media | 70-84 | Review if combined with other risk factors (high-risk jurisdiction, complex ownership). | | Adverse Media | Below 70 | Log for audit trail. Likely false positive. | ## Sanctions halt logic If `sanctions_status` is `"Hit"` on any entity, your system must immediately halt all processing. Here is the recommended implementation: ```javascript decision-handler.js theme={null} function evaluateVerification(result) { // Sanctions check is always first, always a hard stop if (hasSanctionsHit(result)) { return { action: "HALT", reason: "Sanctions hit detected", escalate: true }; } // ... other decision logic } function hasSanctionsHit(result) { if (result.screening?.sanctions_status === "Hit") return true; const entities = [ ...(result.directors || []), ...(result.beneficial_owners || []) ]; return entities.some((e) => e.sanctions_status === "Hit"); } ``` When a sanctions hit is detected: 1. **Immediately halt** all processing and onboarding. 2. **Do not auto-approve** under any circumstances, regardless of other check results. 3. **Escalate** to your compliance team and legal counsel. 4. **Document** the match and your response for regulatory audit purposes. ## Screening within Company and Person Verification Screening runs automatically when you submit a Company or Person Verification request. You do not need to call the screening endpoint separately. Results appear in the `screening` section of the compliance report. Use the standalone screening endpoint for three scenarios: **Ongoing monitoring.** Re-screen existing customers on a schedule (monthly, quarterly) to catch new PEP appointments, sanctions designations, or adverse media. ```bash theme={null} # Re-screen an existing customer curl -X POST \ "https://instance.prod.onboardapp.io/api/gateway/execute/{project_hash}/screening/api" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -H "X-API-KEY: your-api-key" \ -H "X-SYNC-TIMEOUT: 15000" \ -d '{ "name": "John Smith", "date_of_birth": "1975-03-20", "country": "GB", "entity_type": "person", "categories": ["pep", "sanctions", "adverse_media", "watchlist"], "external_reference": "MONITOR-2026-Q1-00042" }' ``` **Pre-checks.** Screen a name before starting a full Company or Person Verification flow to identify obvious blockers early. **Batch screening.** Screen multiple entities in sequence without running full verification. ## Next steps Understand execution models and timeouts Receive screening results via webhook Handle provider timeouts and failures