Alert! Regulators Issue New SAR Confidentiality Guidance

On September 2, 2026 the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Federal Reserve), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) (collectively, the Agencies), and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued a statement to clarify confidentiality requirements related to Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs), particularly when financial institutions communicate with their accountholders regarding potentially fraudulent transactions, other suspicious activity (e.g., payment fraud, including check fraud), or account closures.

Learn how financial institutions can ensure compliance with SAR confidentiality requirements and provide transparent and timely communication as part of a fraud investigation, which may result in one or more SAR filings and potential closure of the account. We will also review how and when to provide law enforcement with supporting documentation.