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Video 5 – Verifying the identity of a client: Reliance method

From: Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC)

This video explains how to use the reliance method to verify the identity of a person, which is one of the 5 prescribed methods by the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act (the Act) and associated Regulations.

It is intended for businesses or reporting entities, subject to the Act and associated Regulations.

Video

Video length: 3:06 minutes

Catalogue number: FD4-31/2-2023E-MP4

ISBN: 978-0-660-48504-1

Descriptive transcript of the video “Verifying the identity of a client: Reliance method”
Narration (audio) On screen description (text or action)

[Start of video]

[Music]

At the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (or FINTRAC), we are committed to helping regulated businesses meet their compliance obligations.

This includes the fundamental requirement to verify the identity of a client when conducting certain transactions.

Text on screen: Verifying the identity of a client – Reliance method

Text on screen: Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada

Animation: FINTRAC logo with 10 icons representing the following sectors:

  1. accountants
  2. agents of the Crown
  3. British Columbia notaries
  4. casinos
  5. dealers in precious metals and precious stones
  6. financial entities
  7. life insurance companies, brokers and agents
  8. money services businesses
  9. real estate
  10. securities dealers

There are 5 methods you can use to verify the identity of a person.

Text on screen (next to the silhouette of a person):

  1. Government-issued photo identification document
  2. Credit file
  3. Dual-process
  4. Affiliate or member
  5. Reliance

This video explains how to use the reliance method.

Aimation: The list of methods disappear but the silhouette of a person remains in the frame. Beside the person, on the left of the frame, is a smaller version of the sector wheel without the FINTRAC logo.

Text on screen (title above the laptop and person): 5) Reliance method

To use this method, you must rely on identity verification measures that were previously taken by another regulated business referred to in section 5 of the PCMLTFA;

Animation: The sector wheel remains in the frame and the person is replaced by a closed legal book.

Text on screen (title of the book): Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act

Animation: The title of the book is replaced by its acronym form (PCMLTFA) as the book then opens to a centrefold page.

Text on screen:
Regulated businesses
PCMLTFA
Section 5

or by a foreign affiliate of yours or another regulated business that carries out activities outside of Canada that are similar to those referred to in paragraphs 5(a) to (g) of the PCMLTFA.

Animation: The sector wheel is replaced by a spinning globe while the open book remains in the frame.

Text on screen: Foreign entity

Animation: The page turns.

Text on screen:
PCMLTFA
Section 5(a) to 5(g)
Financial entities
Trust and loan companies
Life insurance companies
Securities dealers

Before relying on measures previously taken by a foreign affiliate, you must consider the risk of money laundering or terrorist activity financing in their jurisdiction.

Animation: All icons disappear from the frame except for the globe. Circling the globe are 2 icons representing money laundering and terrorist activity financing.

You must also be satisfied that their policies are similar to that of the client identity verification, record keeping, and compliance program requirements under Canada’s PCMLTFA.

Animation: A manual replaces the globe and the 2 other icons disappear behind it.

Text on screen (title of the manual): Compliance policies

Animation: Dotted lines extend from the manual to 3 other icons that appear one-at-a-time around the manual:

  1. a silhouette of person with a green check mark and ID card
  2. a file folder, and
  3. a ribbon with a star

Text on screen:
Name (on the ID card)
Client identity records (on the file folder)
PCMLTFA (below the ribbon with a star)

These include:

  • the requirement to develop and apply policies and procedures to assess the risk of a money laundering offence or a terrorist activity financing offence; and
  • the requirement to take enhanced measures where the risk has been identified as high

Animation: The manual opens to a centerfold page with a meter icon that ranges from “low risk” to “high risk” on the left page, and the icons for money laundering and terrorist activity financing on the right page. The needle on the meter moves from “low risk” to “high risk”

Animation: A stamp appears across the 2 icons for money laundering and terrorist activity financing on the right page

Text on screen (stamped text): Enhanced measures

The foreign affiliate’s compliance with those policies must also be subject to the supervision of a competent and legal authority of that jurisdiction, like FINTRAC.

Animation: The manual closes revealing its title once again. A magnifying glass enters the frame and its lens scans across the cover of the manual.

Text on screen:

  • Compliance policies (title of the manual)
  • Legal authority (label on the magnifying glass)

When you rely on measures previously taken by another regulated business, or foreign affiliate, you must confirm that the information you acquired from them is that of the person whose identity you are verifying.

Animation: The frame is replaced by the silhouette of a person in the center, the sector wheel rotating clockwise reappears on the right side of the silhouette, and a spinning globe reappears on the left side of the silhouette. Lines carrying information move from the sector wheel and globe to the silhouette.

Text on screen (same information appearing twice and moving from the globe and the sector wheel to the silhouette):

  • Name
  • DOB
  • Address

Animation: A green checkmark appears in front of the silhouette.

You must be satisfied that:

  • the information is valid and current; and
  • the person's identity was verified using:
    • the government-issued photo ID method
    • the credit file method, or
    • the dual-process method

Animation: The globe, sector wheel and lines carrying information are replaced by unfolding scrolls on either side of the silhouette.

Text on screen:

valid
/ˈvaləd/ (adjective)
legitimate or authentic and does not appear to have been altered or had any information redacted

current
/ˈkərənt/ (adjective)
up to date and is not expired when the ID is verified

Animation: The scrolls roll back up and disappear. Dotted lines extend from the silhouette connecting to 3 icons that pop up beside it. The icons include:

  • an ID card
  • a credit file
  • a stamped envelope paired with a certificate branded with a star

Text on screen:
ID Card
Credit file

You must also have a written agreement or arrangement in place with the other regulated business, foreign affiliate or the foreign affiliate of another regulated business that, upon request and as soon as feasible, requires them to provide you with a detailed description of the method they used and the information they referred to in order to verify the person's identity.

Animation: A document floats across the frame, landing on the left side of the silhouette, as folder appears on its right side.

Text on screen:

Agreement (titled document)
Client identity record (titled folder)

Animation: A hand cursor icon appears in the frame, tapping the folder open to reveal a document with recorded information about the person whose identity is being verified.

Text on screen:

John Doe

Personal information
Name: John Doe
Address: 123 FINTRAC Street
DOB: November 1, 1982

Method used
ID Card
Name: John Doe
Address: 123 FINTRAC Street
DOB: November 1, 1982

Animation: A green checkmark appears on the silhouette of the person.

This video series is designed to help businesses understand their identity verification obligations under Canada’s federal anti-money laundering/anti-terrorist financing law.

Animation: The frame transforms into the FINTRAC logo with 10 icons representing the following sectors:

  1. accountants
  2. agents of the Crown
  3. British Columbia notaries
  4. casinos
  5. dealers in precious metals and precious stones
  6. financial entities
  7. life insurance companies, brokers and agents
  8. money services businesses
  9. real estate
  10. securities dealers

Text on screen: Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act

Please refer to the PCMLTFA and associated Regulations for the full description of your obligations.

Text on screen: PCMLTFA

Together, we can all help to safeguard Canadians and the integrity of Canada’s financial system.

Animation: Then the logo morphs into a map of Canada where lines light up as they crisscross and connect various dots on the map.

[Music fading out]

Text on screen: For more information about your compliance obligations, including other ways to verify the identity of a client, visit: fintrac-canafe.canada.ca

[End of video]

Canada wordmark

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