Issuance of Amended Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Blocking and Rejecting Transactions and Filing Reports with OFAC

OFAC refreshes blocked- and rejected-transaction guidance. OFAC updated FAQs addressing blocked accounts, rejected payments, false-positive resolution, and reporting through the OFAC Reporting System. The guidance reiterates the ten-business-day reporting period and calls for supporting documents such as payment instructions, checks, letters of credit, bills of lading, and invoices. It also confirms that omnibus blocked accounts require a clear audit trail and disaggregated annual reporting.

This is updated guidance rather than a new sanctions program or deadline. It is directly relevant to U.S. banks and firms handling Mexican transactions following the recent wave of cartel-related designations, especially when resolving common-name matches.