# OFAC Sanctions List Name Screener (`vex_workflow/ofac-sanctions-screener`) Actor

Screen customer, supplier and counterparty names against the current US Treasury OFAC SDN list and consolidated non-SDN lists. Fuzzy matching catches spelling variants, reordered names and aliases; every potential match comes with score, program and list details for review.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/vex_workflow/ofac-sanctions-screener.md
- **Developed by:** [Ian McCann](https://apify.com/vex_workflow) (community)
- **Categories:** Business, Automation, Developer tools
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

Pay per event

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.

Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md.

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below.

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).

# README

### What does OFAC Sanctions List Name Screener do?

It checks a list of names (companies, people, vessels or aircraft) against the **current US Treasury OFAC sanctions lists**, downloaded fresh at the start of every run:

- The **Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list**, including all aliases (a.k.a., f.k.a., n.k.a.)
- The **consolidated non-SDN lists** (optional, on by default)

Matching is **fuzzy**: it ignores accents, punctuation, word order and legal suffixes like LLC, Ltd or JSC, and scores similar spellings. Every potential match comes with the **score**, the **name or alias that matched**, the **list**, **entry ID**, **type** and **sanctions programs**, so a reviewer can clear or escalate it quickly.

### Who is it for?

- **Fintechs, payment and crypto companies** screening customers and counterparties
- **Exporters, freight forwarders and marketplaces** checking buyers, suppliers and consignees
- **Compliance and procurement teams** re-screening vendor lists on a schedule
- **Developers** adding a sanctions check to onboarding through the API

### How to use it

1. Paste names, one per line.
2. Keep the **minimum match score** at 0.88 for a good balance, or lower it to catch more spelling variants.
3. Run, then review rows where `potentialMatch` is true.

Tip: schedule it weekly to re-screen your whole customer or vendor list as the lists change.

#### Input example

```json
{ "names": ["Banco Nacional de Cuba", "Acme Widgets LLC", "Aerocaribbean Airlines"], "minScore": "0.88" }
```

#### Output example

```json
{
  "input": "Banco Nacional de Cuba",
  "potentialMatch": true,
  "bestScore": 1,
  "matchCount": 1,
  "matches": [{
    "score": 1,
    "matchedName": "BANCO NACIONAL DE CUBA",
    "matchedOn": "primary name",
    "listedName": "BANCO NACIONAL DE CUBA",
    "list": "SDN",
    "entryId": 306,
    "type": "entity",
    "programs": ["CUBA"]
  }],
  "listsChecked": ["SDN", "Non-SDN consolidated"]
}
```

### How much does it cost?

| Event | Price |
|---|---|
| Actor start | $0.001 per GB of memory (default 1 GB) |
| Name screened | **$0.004** per name |

1,000 names cost about **$4**.

### Important

- A **potential match is not a confirmed match**. Compare dates of birth, addresses, nationality and other identifiers in the `remarks` before acting.
- A **no-match result is not legal clearance**. This tool is a screening aid, not legal advice, and covers only the OFAC lists named above (not EU, UK or UN lists).
- Data comes from the public OFAC Sanctions List Service. This tool is not affiliated with or endorsed by the US Treasury.

# Actor input Schema

## `names` (type: `array`):

Company, person, vessel or aircraft names, one per line.

## `minScore` (type: `string`):

How similar a listed name must be to report it. Lower finds more spelling variants but needs more review.

## `entityType` (type: `string`):

Restrict matches to one kind of listed party.

## `includeNonSdnLists` (type: `boolean`):

Also screen against OFAC's consolidated non-SDN lists (for example the Sectoral Sanctions and NS-MBS lists).

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "names": [
    "Banco Nacional de Cuba",
    "Acme Widgets LLC",
    "Aerocaribbean Airlines"
  ],
  "minScore": "0.88",
  "entityType": "any",
  "includeNonSdnLists": true
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `dataset` (type: `string`):

One row per name with potential matches, scores and list details.

## `summary` (type: `string`):

Names screened, names with potential matches and list size.

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "names": [
        "Banco Nacional de Cuba",
        "Acme Widgets LLC",
        "Aerocaribbean Airlines"
    ]
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("vex_workflow/ofac-sanctions-screener").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = { "names": [
        "Banco Nacional de Cuba",
        "Acme Widgets LLC",
        "Aerocaribbean Airlines",
    ] }

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("vex_workflow/ofac-sanctions-screener").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "names": [
    "Banco Nacional de Cuba",
    "Acme Widgets LLC",
    "Aerocaribbean Airlines"
  ]
}' |
apify call vex_workflow/ofac-sanctions-screener --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,vex_workflow/ofac-sanctions-screener"
        }
    }
}
```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/Ln9jV02TTJNNI5nAV/builds/ErDfDlYxMSkFWomSg/openapi.json