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How to Screen Names Against the OFAC SDN List
This guide walks through the exact steps to ensure OFAC compliance for your AI agents and applications. Every step uses real OFAC data and produces an audit-ready screening trail.
- Step 1. Collect the full legal name of each counterparty.
- Step 2. Call GET /sanctions?name=John+Doe for each name.
- Step 3. Review fuzzy match results for aliases and transliterations.
- Step 4. Flag any match above your confidence threshold for manual review.
- Step 5. Log every screen with timestamp and SDN list version.
Example: screen a wallet
curl "https://sanctionsai.dev/sanctions?wallet=0x098B716B8Aaf21512996dC57EB0615e2383E2f96"Free tier: 5 checks/day, no API key. Real OFAC data, refreshed daily.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a sanctions screen take?
Under 100ms per check. The sanctionsai.dev API runs on real OFAC data and returns instant results.
Do I need an API key?
No. The free tier allows 5 checks per day by IP address with no signup or API key.
What happens if I miss a sanctioned party?
OFAC operates under strict liability. You are liable even if you did not know the party was sanctioned. Penalties start at $356,571 per violation.