Sanctions Hit vs False Positive
The distinction between a sanctions hit and a false positive — and the triage that decides.
The definitions
| Result | Meaning | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Hit | Real match to a listed party | Block + report |
| False positive | Match, but not the sanctioned party | Release after review |
Why the difference matters
Every flag must be triaged. A false positive costs minutes; a real hit costs $356,000 if released. The review workflow decides which is which.
The triage
- Compare identifiers: name, DOB, jurisdiction, aliases
- Check the 50-percent rule for entities
- Document the decision — release or block
The honest framing
Wallet screening is exact (no false positives). Name screening is fuzzy (false positives by design — recall over precision).