Checking and delisting
False positives and name matching in sanctions screening
Short answer
- OFAC search method
- Character, string and phonetic matching on the name field 3
- Default score
- 100, an exact match 3
- Recommended threshold
- None. OFAC does not recommend one 3
- OFAC reporting deadline for blocks or rejects
- Within 10 business days 1
- Canada certificate decision
- Within 30 days of receiving the application 5
Why innocent names get flagged
Screening tools look for names that are close to a listed name, not only identical ones. OFAC's Sanctions List Search uses approximate string matching to catch misspellings and near matches 2. Lowering the match score broadens the results 3. OFAC says many alerts are false positives 1.
OFAC's tool applies fuzzy logic only to the name field 3. Other details, such as nationality or date of birth, do not change the score 3.
How OFAC's search scores a name
OFAC explains the scoring in its search FAQs 3. The tool first filters candidates by matching the first letter and checking for at least 50 percent edit-distance similarity 3. It then scores with Jaro-Winkler and Soundex, comparing the full name and its parts, and shows the higher result 3.
The Minimum Name Score slider defaults to 100, which returns only exact matches 3. Lower values return names that are less similar 3. OFAC does not recommend a threshold and tells users to set one based on their own risk assessment 3. The search page says use of the tool is not a substitute for due diligence and does not limit civil or criminal liability 2.
The review steps OFAC suggests
- Identify the list. Check whether the alert matches an OFAC list or a list kept by another agency 1.
- Identify the type of link. A name match goes to the next step. A link to a sanctioned country, government or blocked party under the 50 Percent Rule goes to a supervisor or compliance team 1.
- Judge the match quality. Compare aliases, nationality, identification numbers, place and date of birth and addresses with your records 1.
- Handle a likely match under internal procedures and check for a general or specific licence 1.
- Block or reject where the rules require it 1.
- Keep records and report any block or reject to OFAC within 10 business days 1.
Official routes for people wrongly matched
| Regime | Route | What the source says |
|---|---|---|
| United States 4 | OFAC Compliance Hotline 4 | Reconsideration is only for listed persons, and people confused with a listed person should contact the hotline 4 |
| Canada (Russia regulations) 5 | Application to the Minister for a certificate 5 | The Minister issues the certificate or gives notice of the determination within 30 days 5 |
| United Nations 6 | Focal Point for Delisting 6 | The Focal Point receives mistaken identity communications and forwards them to the committee 6 |
| United Kingdom 7 | Request to vary a designation 7 | Covers designations where particular details, such as a date of birth, are incorrect 7 |
What regulators do not do
OFAC does not confirm potential matches or false positives for screening firms. It encourages risk-based decisions 1. The UK guidance does not describe a separate mistaken identity procedure. Its variation route is for errors in the designation itself 7.
Common questions
Will OFAC tell my bank I am not the sanctioned person?
OFAC says it does not confirm potential matches or false positives 1. People confused with a listed person can contact the Compliance Hotline 4.
What match score should I use in OFAC's search tool?
OFAC does not recommend a threshold. Users set their own based on internal risk assessments 3.
Can I get a document in Canada saying I am not a listed person?
Under the Russia regulations, a person with the same or a similar name can apply for a certificate, decided within 30 days 5.
Does fuzzy matching use my date of birth?
No. In OFAC's tool only the name field uses fuzzy logic and affects the score 3.
Rules and charges change. Check the official source linked on this page before you pay or travel. Spotted an error? Email hello@sanctionslistsexplained.com.
Sources
- Office of Foreign Assets Control: When screening for sanctions, how do I determine if I have a valid match to a name on one of OFAC's lists? (FAQ 5, updated 9 September 2026)
- Office of Foreign Assets Control: Sanctions List Search
- Office of Foreign Assets Control: How to Search OFAC's Sanctions Lists (FAQs released 2013 to 2021)
- Office of Foreign Assets Control: How can I ask OFAC to remove me or my organization from an OFAC sanctions list? (FAQ 897, updated 29 June 2026)
- Justice Laws Website: Special Economic Measures (Russia) Regulations (SOR/2014-58)
- United Nations Security Council: Focal Point for Delisting
- GOV.UK, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office: How to request variation or revocation of a sanctions designation or review of a UN listing (first published 6 July 2020, updated 2 February 2023)
Related
- How to check sanctions status on official tools
The official search tools and files for the UN, US, EU, UK, Canadian and Australian sanctions lists, and how OFAC says to judge a possible match.
- OFAC delisting and administrative reconsideration
How OFAC delisting petitions work under 31 CFR 501.807: who can file, what to show, OFAC's target times, outcomes, refiling and State Department cases.
- How delisting from a sanctions list works
How names come off US, UN, EU, UK and Canadian sanctions lists: who decides, the grounds each regime accepts, published timelines and UN case figures.
- Sanctions, debarment and PEP status compared
How a sanctions listing, a debarment and politically exposed person (PEP) status differ in legal effect, who decides, how long they last and how they end.