SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY REPORTS

Attached is a copy of the June 2001 issue of SAR Bulletin , published by the Department of the Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). The publication is part of a series of overviews of trends and patterns in money laundering derived from the Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) database that can help financial institutions prevent and detect financial crime. The SAR Bulletin also may be found on FinCEN's Web site at www.fincen.gov/ .

Also attached is a copy of the second edition of The SAR Activity Review , published semiannually by FinCEN. The publication provides feedback to financial institutions about suspicious activity reported to FinCEN by the institutions. It contains SAR statistics; patterns and trends of suspicious activity that have been reported; tips and guidance for financial institutions on form preparation and filing; and information about law enforcement cases in which SAR information played an important role in a successful investigation and/or prosecution of criminal financial activity. The SAR Activity Review and FinCEN's press release about the publication also may be found on FinCEN's Web site.

In a continuing effort to assist banks in Bank Secrecy Act compliance, anti-money laundering efforts, and prevention and detection of other financial crimes, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) will forward issues of SAR Bulletin and The SAR Activity Review to FDIC-supervised banks. Please circulate copies to each department of your institution with Bank Secrecy Act compliance and internal security responsibilities.

Comments about FinCEN's publications should be addressed to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, Office of Strategic Analysis, U.S. Department of the Treasury, Suite 200, 2070 Chain Bridge Road, Vienna, VA 22182. Comments may also be faxed to FinCEN at (703) 905-3698. E-mail comments may be addressed to vogtd@fincen.gov .

For your reference, all FDIC Financial Institution Letters published since January of 1995 maybe found on the FDIC's Web site at www.fdic.gov under "Newsroom, Events & FOIA." To learn how to automatically receive FDIC Financial Institution Letters through e-mail, please visit http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/announcements/index.html .

Attachments:

• SAR Bulletin, Issue 3, June 2001
  (PDF 99 KB File - PDF Help or Hard Copy )
• Identity Theft Highlighted in SAR Activity Review, June 18, 2001
  (PDF 32 KB File - PDF Help or Hard Copy )
• The SAR Activity Review - Trends, Tips & Issues, Issue 2, June 2001
  (PDF 968 KB File - PDF Help or Hard Copy )

Distribution: FDIC-Supervised Banks (Commercial and Savings)

NOTE: Paper copies of FDIC financial institution letters may be obtained through the FDIC's Public Information Center, 801 17th Street, NW, Room 100, Washington, DC 20434 (800-276-6003 or (703) 562-2200).