VIENNA, Va. - A critical component of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network's (FinCEN's) information technology (IT) modernization efforts is now available for use by its law enforcement and regulatory partners. Today, FinCEN held the second of two meetings with Federal law enforcement officials and representatives from Federal inspectors general offices to introduce them to FinCEN Query - the new search application for authorized users to access FinCEN data. FinCEN Query maximizes data integrity and increases the value of information provided to FinCEN's stakeholders.
"Modernization of government IT systems is vitally important to leverage the efforts by industry to protect the integrity of U.S. financial systems, to detect and deter financial crime, and to strengthen national security," said FinCEN Director James H. Freis, Jr. "FinCEN Query exemplifies a part of an overall Federal IT program that is on schedule and within cost, and which through effective collaboration with our stakeholders, will benefit hundreds of Federal, State, and local government agencies."
FinCEN Query is a tool designed to improve authorized users' ability to access and analyze FinCEN data. It is intended to meet the mission needs of FinCEN's analysts as well as Federal, State, and local law enforcement, and regulatory users. FinCEN Query allows users to easily access, query, and analyze 11 years of FinCEN data; apply filters and narrow search results; utilize enhanced data; and import lists of data (e.g., names, identification numbers, and addresses). In addition, FinCEN Query includes an audit tool that allows FinCEN to monitor and inspect the proper use of data. FinCEN will offer Web-based training on FinCEN Query to all authorized users.
FinCEN Query replaces the Web Based Currency and Banking Retrieval System (WebCBRS), and differs from the former system in several ways. It has been designed and built using modern Web search technology. It allows users to easily search FinCEN data, build complex queries, and save queries for later use. Users will have more robust query capabilities and the ability to perform integrated analysis of the complete FinCEN dataset, as well as other information sources. Unlike WebCBRS, FinCEN Query allows users to import lists of data to support their search requests.
FinCEN works to ensure that its data is available for authorized Federal, State, and local law enforcement users, as they leverage FinCEN's capabilities to enhance investigatory efforts. FinCEN's database includes reports that financial institutions submit to FinCEN; these reports are the cornerstone of the U.S. Government's efforts to disrupt illicit financial activity. There are currently more than 10,000 authorized users of FinCEN data. Technical support for authorized users of FinCEN Query is available via the FinCEN Application Service Desk at 866-346-9478 (Monday - Friday from 6:30 a.m. until 7 p.m. Eastern time).
FinCEN first began its Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) IT Modernization Program in May 2010 to provide a modernized foundation for the collection, storage, safeguarding, analysis, and sharing of data collected pursuant to FinCEN's regulatory authority under the BSA, together with other relevant information. As part of its modernization efforts, FinCEN has mandated the electronic filing of FinCEN reports via the BSA Electronic Filing System, and released new versions of its suspicious activity and currency transaction reports. The bureau's progress toward IT modernization has been praised by Congress and law enforcement officials. To view comments from external stakeholders or for more information on FinCEN's BSA IT Modernization Program, please see https://www.fincen.gov/fincens-it-modernization-efforts .