Watchlist Screening
Last updated May 6th, 2026
Overview
Watchlist Screening is a Mono Lookup product designed to help businesses identify potential compliance risks when onboarding individuals and companies (entities). It enables automated screening against global and local watchlists, including sanctions lists, politically exposed persons (PEPs), and other high-risk datasets.
Screening can be performed in real-time or in batches, with results including match status, risk level, match score, and detailed explanations. The system also supports continuous monitoring, allowing businesses to receive alerts if a previously screened entity is later flagged.
To use Watchlist Screening, partners must have access to Mono Lookup and integrate with the Watchlist Screening APIs.
Why Use Watchlist Screening?
Compliance Readiness: Meet regulatory requirements by screening customers against global sanctions lists, PEP databases, and adverse media during onboarding.
Risk Mitigation: Detect high-risk individuals and entities before account creation, reducing exposure to fraud, money laundering, and reputational damage.
Continuous Monitoring: Start recurring checks on previously screened profiles to stay informed about changes in risk status over time.
Audit Trail: Maintain comprehensive records of all screening activities for compliance reviews, investigations, and regulatory audits.
Automated Workflow: Integrate seamlessly into your onboarding flow with webhooks and polling endpoints for real-time status updates.
Features
1. Multi-Dataset Screening
Screen against multiple global and local risk datasets in a single API call.
- Sanctions Lists: Screen against OFAC, EU, UN, and local regulatory sanctions.
- PEP Databases: Identify politically exposed persons across global and regional lists.
- Adverse Media: Flag individuals with negative press coverage or criminal records.
- Custom Watchlists: Support for entity-specific and industry-specific risk lists.
2. Individual and Entity Screening
Comprehensive screening coverage for both personal and corporate profiles.
- Individual Screening: Screen using name, date of birth, gender, BVN, and country.
- Entity Screening: Screen companies using name, address, and country of operation.
3. Batch Screening
Screen multiple individuals or entities in a single API call.
- Bulk Operations: Process hundreds of screenings simultaneously.
- Efficiency: Improve operational efficiency for large-scale onboarding.
4. Risk Scoring and Match Analysis
Get actionable insights from screening results with detailed match analysis.
- Match Score: Numerical confidence score indicating the strength of a match.
- Risk Level: Categorical risk classification (low, medium, high).
- Matched Fields: Detailed breakdown of which input fields matched risk records.
- Risk Reason: Clear explanation of why a match was flagged.
5. Continuous Monitoring
Set up ongoing monitoring to track previously screened subjects for future risk changes.
- Recurring Checks: Automatically re-screen monitored profiles on a schedule.
- Real-time Alerts: Receive webhooks when a monitored subject's risk status changes.
- Stop/Start Anytime: Control monitoring lifecycle with simple API calls.
6. Audit Logging
Maintain comprehensive records of all screening activities for compliance and investigative purposes.
- Event Timestamps: Track when each screening lifecycle event occurred.
- Event Types: Record match found, match updated, and screening created events.
- Searchable Records: Easily retrieve audit logs by screening ID.
7. Screening Reports
Generate downloadable PDF reports for compliance reviews and regulatory submissions.
- Executive Summary: High-level risk assessment for stakeholders.
- Detailed Match Analysis: In-depth breakdown of all matched records.
- Source Documentation: Reference to the datasets that flagged each match.
Risk Scoring & Field Derivation
Mono Watchlist Screening uses a data-driven engine to determine the accuracy of matches and the severity of risks. Results are based on two primary metrics: Match Score and Risk Level.
1. Match Score (Confidence)
The Match Score is a weighted composite score (0-100) that indicates the strength of a match across different input fields.
| Field | Weight (Individual) | Weight (Entity) |
| Name | 40% | 60% |
| Date of Birth | 35% | - |
| Gender | 10% | - |
| Country | 15% | 15% |
| Address | - | 25% |
2. Risk Level (Severity)
Risk Level is a categorical classification (Low, Medium, High) driven by the highest-risk authoritative source matched. If an entity is found on multiple lists, the overall risk level will reflect the most severe classification.
Core Principle
Risk level is driven by the highest-risk authoritative source matched. For example, a person found on both a high-risk Sanctions list and a medium-risk PEP list will be classified as High Risk.
Risk Classifications
| Category | Datasets | Risk Level |
| Sanctions | OFAC, UN Security Council, EU, UK HMT, CA/AU/JP/CH Sanctions, etc. | High |
| Criminal Lists | Interpol Red Notices, FBI/Europol Most Wanted, Interpol UN Notices. | High |
| Enforcement | US SEC/CFTC, UK FCA, AU ASIC, SG MAS, HK SFC. | High/Medium |
| PEPs | Wikidata PEPs, EveryPolitician, ANN PEP Positions, NG Join Dots. | Medium |
| Adverse Media | OpenSanctions Watchlist, Crime/Corruption Watchlists. | Medium |
PEP Notice
Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) are not prohibited from transacting, but their status always requires Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD).
Use Cases
Watchlist Screening is designed for businesses that need to meet compliance requirements and reduce risk during onboarding and ongoing customer relationships.
Customer Onboarding (KYC/KYB): Screen individuals or companies during onboarding to ensure they are not on sanctions lists or flagged as high-risk entities.
Compliance & AML Checks: Meet regulatory requirements by performing mandatory AML checks against global and local watchlists.
Ongoing Monitoring: Continuously monitor customers and receive alerts if their risk status changes over time.
Batch Screening: Screen multiple users or entities at once to improve operational efficiency.
Pricing
Pricing is charged per successful screening or active monitored subject.
| Feature | Cost |
| Screening | NGN 1,000 |
| Monitoring | NGN 5,000 / month per subject |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Watchlist Screening?
It is a feature that allows businesses to check individuals or companies against sanctions lists, PEP databases, and other risk datasets.
Can I screen multiple users at once?
Yes, batch screening is supported.
How do I get notified of matches?
Webhooks are sent when screening is completed or when a monitored subject is flagged.
Does it support ongoing monitoring?
Yes, businesses can enable monitoring to receive alerts on future risk changes.
What kind of results are returned?
Results include match status, risk level, match score, explanation, and optional PDF reports.