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What is a false positive?

A screening alert that flags an innocent individual or entity because they share similar name characteristics with a restricted party.

Last Reviewed: 2026-05-27Plain-English reference · not legal advice

Plain-English Summary

A false positive is a screening match that occurs because a cleared counterparty (visitor, vendor, student) has a name that is phonetically or structurally similar to a name on a restricted list. The reviewer compares details like Date of Birth or Address and confirms that the individual is not the person listed on the watchlist.

Why This Matters

Fuzzy matching is designed to catch name variations to prevent evasion, which naturally generates many false positives — frequently the large majority of all alerts in name-screening programs. Reviewers must systematically clear false positives in a documented manner to keep business operations moving smoothly without creating compliance gaps.

Explanation Depth

Concept Explanation

Because many people share similar names, the system might occasionally flag an innocent person (like a visitor) by mistake. This is a false positive. A manager checks additional details, like birthdates, to clear the match so they can proceed.

When You'll See This in SecurePoint

In SecurePoint, false positives are adjudicated and cleared by selecting the appropriate disposition code. Once cleared, the visitor check-in or transaction is released, and the clearing justification is written to the audit log.

What You Should Do Next

Review the biographical mismatch details in the adjudication screen. Compare secondary identifiers such as birthdates, middle names, and nationalities. If the details do not match, document the specific mismatch in the adjudication screen and clear the alert.

What Can Go Wrong

Failing to document the basis for clearing a false positive leaves your organization vulnerable during audits, as you cannot prove why you bypassed the alert. Conversely, clearing a true match by misinterpreting it as a false positive can lead to severe criminal and civil penalties under sanctions law.

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