CPD · Financial and insurance services

Reporting suspicious activity

Knowing the signs and the correct internal route.

about this course

What you will be able to do

L4 PractitionerAbout 2 hours (120 minutes) of CPDSelf-study plus role-playFinancial and insurance services

Knowing the signs and the correct internal route.

Identify warning signs, given 10 transactions, with at least 8 correct.
Report a concern, given your internal route, within the stated time and without tipping off.
Record the facts, given a scenario, with who, what, when and how much.
Explain why confidentiality matters, given a case, in two sentences.

Task, condition and standard

Task

Identify warning signs of suspicious activity in sample transactions, report a concern by the local route within the time stated, record the facts and avoid tipping off (warning the customer).

Condition

Given six sample transactions, a local route card naming the reporting officer, and a four-line report template, working in a two-hour supervised session.

Standard

Identify at least 5 of 6 transactions correctly marked, send the report within the card's time, record who, what, when and why, and never warn the customer.

These courses teach process, communication and recording. They give no clinical, legal, tax, financial or engineering sign-off. A named subject expert must review every line, and you must check your own professional body's current CPD rules, before you rely on a certificate.

sessions

8 modules

Module 1 What warning signs look like 20 min

Know the common signs
Look at behaviour and pattern
Reasonable suspicion is enough to report

Worked example. Three warning signs: cash deposits just under a reporting limit, such as 9,500 against an example limit of 10,000 (real limits differ by place; use your route card); sudden unexplained wealth; reluctance to give identity details. One sign alone may be harmless; look at the picture.

Practise: Practise with a case card or template for "what warning signs look like": identify warning signs, given 10 transactions, with at least 8 correct.

Standard to meet. Recognise warning signs of suspicious activity, such as cash just under a reporting limit, unexplained wealth or reluctance to give identity details.

Module 2 Six sample transactions 30 min

Mark concern or no concern
Give a reason each time
Add up the pattern

Worked example. Six samples with an example limit of 10,000: T1 cash 9,500, concern. T2 monthly salary 2,100, no concern. T3 three deposits of 3,300 in one day = 9,900, concern. T4 utility bill 85, no concern. T5 customer refuses identity details, concern. T6 normal rent 900, no concern. Total 3 concerns.

Practise: Practise with a case card or template for "six sample transactions": report a concern, given your internal route, within the stated time and without tipping off.

Standard to meet. Review six sample transactions, marking each as concern or no concern and giving a reason for each decision.

Module 3 The local route card: who, how fast 20 min

Name who receives it
Name how fast
Use the route on the card
If you turn out to be wrong, reporting in good faith is expected.

Worked example. Sample route card: report to the reporting officer within the time on the card (for example the same working day), by the internal form. You send the report by that route, not to a friend or colleague on your team.

Practise: Practise with a case card or template for "the local route card: who, how fast": record the facts, given a scenario, with who, what, when and how much.

Standard to meet. Use the local route card to name who receives a report and how quickly it must be made, and send a report by that route.

Module 4 Not telling the customer 15 min

Never tell the customer
Do not change your manner
Use neutral words

Worked example. Customer asks, "Is something wrong?" Safe line: "I cannot complete this now. A colleague will follow our standard steps." Do not say a report was made or hint at it.

Practise: Practise with a case card or template for "not telling the customer": explain why confidentiality matters, given a case, in two sentences.

Standard to meet. Explain why the customer must not be told about a report and avoid any words or actions that would warn them.

Module 5 Practice 10 min

Facts only
Include date and time
Four lines

Worked example. Four-line report: Who: customer C-77. What: three cash deposits of 3,300 each, total 9,900. When: 14 May, 10:05 to 10:40. Why: just under the example 10,000 limit, same day, customer asked how the limit works.

Practise: Run one full practice round for "reporting suspicious activity" on a case card or template: work through each outcome in turn (identify warning signs; report a concern; record the facts; explain why confidentiality matters).

Standard to meet. Practise writing a four-line report covering who, what, when and why it worries you, using facts only, with date and time.

Module 6 Check 5 min

Short written check
Three points
Own words

Worked example. Check: route (the named officer, within the card's time), the ban on telling the customer, content of a report (who, what, when, why). 3 of 3 correct.

Practise: Take the end check for "reporting suspicious activity": show that you can explain why confidentiality matters, given a case, in two sentences, and meet every outcome standard above.

Standard to meet. Show in a short check that you know the reporting route, the ban on telling the customer and the content of a report.

Module 7 Second case: many small deposits 10 min

Work case card 2
Add up the deposits
Write the four-line report

Worked example. Case card 2 (invented figures): 12 deposits of 900 over 5 days, example limit 1,000. Total 12 x 900 = 10,800. Then the customer asks to send 10,500 abroad. Each deposit is under the limit, but together they are a pattern. Report by the route card.

Practise: Practise with a case card or template for "second case: many small deposits": explain why confidentiality matters, given a case, in two sentences. Use a new case this time (round 2).

Standard to meet. Report the many-small-deposits case by the route card, adding up the total and writing who, what, when and why in four factual lines.

Module 8 Teach-back and peer check 10 min

Explain route and ban on tipping off
Peer checks your report
Fix any opinion in the facts

Worked example. Teach-back: "I report to the named officer within the card's time. I never tell the customer. My report says who, what, when, why. Reasonable suspicion is enough." Peer marks 4 of 4.

Practise: Practise with a case card or template for "teach-back and peer check": explain why confidentiality matters, given a case, in two sentences. Use a new case this time (round 2).

Standard to meet. Explain the reporting route, the ban on telling the customer and the report content in your own words so that a peer can confirm all are correct.

practice

Worked example and case cards

Worked example warning signs

cash deposits just under a reporting limit; sudden unexplained wealth; reluctance to give identity details.

Rule

follow your internal route; do not tell the customer ("tipping off" is an offence in many places; check yours).

Case card

6 invented transactions; learners mark concern/no concern and write a report in four lines.

Case card 2

A customer deposits many small amounts just under a limit, then asks to move it abroad. Learners report using the card.

checks

10 check questions with model answers

Who do you report to?

Model answer: Your named reporting officer or route. (Covered in module 3: The local route card: who, how fast. To pass that module: Use the local route card to name who receives a report and how quickly it must be made, and send a report by that route.)

May you tell the customer?

Model answer: No. (Covered in module 4: Not telling the customer. To pass that module: Explain why the customer must not be told about a report and avoid any words or actions that would warn them.)

What goes in the report?

Model answer: Who, what, when, why it worries you. (Covered in module 5: Practice. To pass that module: Practise writing a four-line report covering who, what, when and why it worries you, using facts only, with date and time.)

Do you need proof?

Model answer: No; reasonable suspicion is enough to report. (Covered in module 1: What warning signs look like. To pass that module: Recognise warning signs of suspicious activity, such as cash just under a reporting limit, unexplained wealth or reluctance to give identity details.)

Who do you tell?

Model answer: The named officer on the route card. (Covered in module 3: The local route card: who, how fast. To pass that module: Use the local route card to name who receives a report and how quickly it must be made, and send a report by that route.)

May you warn the customer?

What if you are wrong?

Model answer: Reporting in good faith is expected. (Covered in module 3: The local route card: who, how fast. To pass that module: Use the local route card to name who receives a report and how quickly it must be made, and send a report by that route.)

What do you record?

Model answer: Facts you saw, with date and time. (Covered in module 5: Practice. To pass that module: Practise writing a four-line report covering who, what, when and why it worries you, using facts only, with date and time.)

When report?

Model answer: At once, within the card's time. (Covered in module 3: The local route card: who, how fast. To pass that module: Use the local route card to name who receives a report and how quickly it must be made, and send a report by that route.)

Three cash deposits of 3,300 are made in one day and the reporting limit is an example 10,000. What is the total, and is it a concern?

Model answer: The total is 9,900, just under the limit, so it is a concern to report by the route card. (Covered in module 2: Six sample transactions. To pass that module: Review six sample transactions, marking each as concern or no concern and giving a reason for each decision.)

glossary

Words used in this course

warning sign, route card, reporting officer, tipping off, good faith.

marking

How the practice and assessment are marked

Level	Meaning	Marks of 4
Secure	Meets the standard in the outcome every time, no prompts	4
Meeting	Meets the standard with one small slip, corrected when prompted	3
Developing	Meets part of the standard; needs a re-attempt	2
Not yet	Standard not met	1

Pass = average 3 or more, and no outcome at 1. You may re-attempt after feedback. The subject expert sets any stricter pass mark.

where next

Ladder L1 to L7, slide by slide with notes

Slide 1: L1 Basic: Why we report. Speaker note: Money services can be misused. Learners at this level know that staff are expected to pass on worries (check your local rule) and that this protects customers and the firm. They can say it in one sentence.
Slide 2: L2 Awareness: Warning signs. Speaker note: Show cash just under a limit, unexplained wealth and refusal of identity checks. Learners recognise the signs but know that a sign is a reason to look, not proof of wrongdoing.
Slide 3: L3 Foundation: Mark the transactions. Speaker note: With a mentor, learners mark six sample transactions as concern or no concern and give a reason for each, then practise finding the route card and the name of the reporting officer.
Slide 4: L4 Practitioner: Report by the route. Speaker note: This course sits here. The learner identifies warning signs in six transactions, reports a concern by the local route within the stated time, records the facts and never tips off the customer.
Slide 5: L5 Specialist: Patterns over time. Speaker note: The specialist spots patterns across several days or accounts, such as many small deposits that add up under a limit, and writes reports that give the officer enough facts to act on.
Slide 6: L6 Advanced: Supporting the officer. Speaker note: The advanced worker reviews quality of reports, trains colleagues, tracks time to report and helps the officer improve the route card, while keeping the confidentiality rule at the centre.
Slide 7: L7 Super expert: A reporting culture. Speaker note: The super expert designs the firm's whole reporting framework: signs, routes, speed targets, training and feedback to staff. They make it easy and safe to report in good faith.

This course sits at L4 Practitioner. Credits stack; aligned with, not accredited by, any framework.

jobs this leads to

Where this takes you

Customer service assistant
Cashier
Financial services administrator
Compliance assistant
Operations support officer

assessment and certificate

How you are checked

Each outcome is checked against its standard with a checklist or a short test. A digital CPD record shows the hours. Keep evidence in My page. Aligned with common CPD practice; not accredited. Learners check their own body's rules.

ten locations and global

Your place

Use your own body's forms, units and currency. Local professional bodies set the rules for CPD hours; check them first.

India (Bengaluru)

Language: English, Hindi, Kannada. Personal data: Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023. Credit and levels: National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) and the national credit framework.

Netherlands (Eindhoven area)

Language: Dutch, English. Personal data: EU GDPR (Dutch: AVG), supervised by the Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens. Credit and levels: the Dutch qualification framework (NLQF) linked to the European Qualifications Framework.

UAE (Dubai and Abu Dhabi)

Language: Arabic, English. Personal data: Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 (personal data protection). Credit and levels: the emirate education and training regulators (for example KHDA in Dubai) and the national qualifications framework.

Brazil (Sao Paulo)

Language: Portuguese (Spanish and English support). Personal data: LGPD (Lei Geral de Protecao de Dados). Credit and levels: the national technical-education catalogue and the national S-system training bodies.

Canada (Toronto)

Language: English, French. Personal data: PIPEDA, with provincial rules where they apply. Credit and levels: the provincial colleges framework and the national credential-recognition guidance.

United States

Language: English, Spanish. Personal data: state privacy laws (for example California), and COPPA for children under 13. Credit and levels: state and community-college credit systems.

Singapore

Language: English, Mandarin, Malay, Tamil. Personal data: Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA). Credit and levels: the Singapore national skills frameworks and the national credit system.

Australia

Language: English. Personal data: the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles. Credit and levels: the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) levels.

Hong Kong (Eastern Asia)

Language: Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin), English. Personal data: the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance. Credit and levels: the Hong Kong Qualifications Framework.

Georgia and Israel (Western Asia)

Language: Georgian, Hebrew, Arabic, English. Personal data: the personal data law of the country where the learner lives. Credit and levels: the national qualifications framework of that country.

Cayman Islands (Caribbean)

Language: English. Personal data: the Data Protection Act. Credit and levels: the local education and training framework.

Mexico

Language: Spanish, English. Personal data: the federal law on personal data held by private parties. Credit and levels: the national competency certification system and the education ministry levels.

Draft

Draft CPD course. It opens only after final checks. No fee is shown.

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