SmartSearch, an anti-money laundering (AML) firm, is expanding through the mortgage and financial services industry, ahead of the ratification of the fifth money laundering directive. 

SmartSearch’s aim is to make sure that every bank, building society, network or broker can easily and affordably comply with all Money Laundering Regulations.

Its anti-money laundering verification platform conducts both individual and business searches, for the UK and international markets with automatic worldwide sanction and PEP screening, and ongoing monitoring.

Already used by a third of the top 100 accountancy firms and 25% of the top 200 law firms, including three of the top five, SmartSearch intends to expand its reach throughout mortgages and financial services as a whole.

SmartSearch includes access a wide reach of data including Experian, Equifax, Dow Jones and Companies House.

There are no monthly retainers; instead companies buy blocks of credit or searches. The searches leave only a soft footprint on a client’s credit record, so it also has no impact on a client’s ability to get credit.

Martin Cheek, CEO of SmartSearch, said: “With fraud on the rise and the fifth money laundering directive now needing to be implemented, there has never been a time when AML services have been in greater demand. We have therefore specialised in making it quick, easy and cost effective for people across financial services to conduct the most robust range of searches in the UK not only on individuals but also on companies too.

“The value of this has been widely recognised across the legal and accountancy professions, while already a number of lenders, networks, IFAs and brokers have sought us out. It therefore made perfect sense at this crucial time, to make our anti-money laundering services available across the whole financial services market.”