Money Services Businesses (MSBs)are commonly recognized by regulatory and supervisory authorities as havinghigher inherent AML/CFT risk, particularly due to certain business characteristics.
Option B – The prevalence of international wire transfers:
MSBs often facilitatecross-border transactions, which present a higher money laundering and terrorist financing risk due to challenges in verifying customer identity, the origin of funds, and the end destination—especially when dealing with higher-risk jurisdictions.
Option D – The cash-intensive nature of the services offered:
Many MSBs deal primarily incash, which increases the risk ofanonymous transactionsandfunds layering, making it harder to trace illicit activity. Cash is the most vulnerable medium for placement of illicit funds into the financial system.
Option AandOption E, while involving modern technologies,can actually reduce riskwhen implemented with proper controls (e.g., secure digital onboarding and traceable payments enhance auditability).
Option Cdoes not in itself signal high AML risk unless combined with other red flags.
[Reference: ACAMS CAMS Study Guide – 6th Edition, Chapter:Industry-Specific Risks– Section:Money Services Businesses (MSBs) and Their Risk Characteristics, , , , , , ]
