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Product context is educational relevance, not a feature-status or compliance claim.

Context: Visitor
Context: Education
Context: Trade
Context: Regulated Access
Screening
Identity Resolution
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What is a false positive?

A potential screening match that, after review of available identifiers and context, is reasonably determined not to be the listed party.

Last Reviewed: 2026-09-19Plain-English reference · not legal advice

Plain-English Summary

A false positive occurs when screening surfaces a potential match but the available facts support the conclusion that the screened party is not the listed individual or entity. OFAC notes that many potential matches are false positives and directs organizations to compare the complete list entry against the information available about the transaction or party.

Why This Matters

Screening is designed to surface candidates for review, not to prove identity from a similar name. A disciplined false-positive process lets legitimate activity continue while preserving the evidence showing why the potential match was disqualified.

Explanation Depth

Concept Explanation

A screening system can flag two different people or companies because their names look alike. A false positive is the result after a reviewer checks the details and can reasonably show that the screened party is not the one on the government list.

When You'll See This in SecurePoint

SecurePoint records false-positive or equivalent clear dispositions inside product-specific review flows. Downstream release still follows the owning product’s other gates; for example, a Visitor compliance clearance may still require host attestation before a badge can print.

What You Should Do Next

Compare the full list entry and available identifiers, including date of birth, identification numbers, nationality, address, location, aliases, or corporate registration information as applicable. If the available information reasonably disqualifies the potential match, record the specific basis for that conclusion under your organization’s procedures.

What Can Go Wrong

Treating missing information as if it were a mismatch can clear a real match without evidence. The opposite error is blocking a legitimate party based only on a similar name. OFAC recommends an initial analysis and human review before treating a software alert as a valid sanctions match.

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What is a false positive? | Compliance Academy | SecurePoint USA