In March, we rolled out several updates to the Sardine platform to help risk teams move faster and make more accurate decisions.

These included a visual Workflow builder with rollout and versioning controls, True Location for more accurate geolocation than traditional IP-based methods, and real-time OFAC screening with support for transaction memos.

We also launched automated SARs filing to FinCEN, and enhanced dashboards that give merchant acquirers deeper visibility into chargebacks and rule performance.

Workflow

Our new Workflows solution makes it easy for risk teams to automate decisioning logic without needing engineering support.

Using a visual, drag-and-drop interface, you can build workflows that combine your data, rules, machine learning models, and decision tables to automate risk decisions and adapt customer flows based on real-time risk signals. These workflows make it easy to create progressive checks, such as triggering 3DS risk-based authentication for high-risk transactions, stepping up users for enhanced due diligence during onboarding, or adding extra verification steps during credit underwriting to more accurately assess credit risk.

Workflows are also designed to make iteration safe. Every update is versioned, so you can see what changed and easily roll back if needed. You can also A/B test different workflow variations to safely compare outcomes before rolling out updates more broadly.

Common use cases:

• Onboarding risk assessments
• Credit underwriting workflows
• Progressive fraud and authentication checks
• Transaction monitoring for AML compliance
• Dynamic step-ups and alert review routing

Fraud Prevention

Higher accuracy geolocation with True Location

Traditional IP-based geolocation methods can sometimes be unreliable. Users who connect through VPNs, proxies, or anonymizing tools can appear to be in the wrong country, region, or city — making it harder for risk teams to trust location signals during onboarding, authentication, or transaction monitoring. IP addresses alone can also be stale, reassigned, or incorrectly mapped, increasing the risk of false positives or missed fraud.

To solve this, we built True Location. Instead of relying on a single signal, True Location triangulates a user's location using multiple verification methods. When VPNs or proxies are detected, our system can pierce through them to determine the true connection source with a high degree of confidence. This works at the country, region, and even city level.

More accurate location data leads to smarter risk scoring, better dynamic decisioning, and stronger compliance with AML, KYC, and data residency requirements. This is included for all customers using our Device Intelligence and Behavior Biometrics.

Common use cases:

• Detecting fake account signups and fraud rings
• Identifying bot attacks masked behind VPNs or proxies
• Enforcing geofencing for sanctions compliance
• Improving onboarding risk assessments
• Flagging high-risk transactions from unexpected geographies

Enhanced Merchant Risk dashboard for acquirers

Managing merchant risk has become harder as payment networks tighten chargeback thresholds and regulatory expectations grow. Without clear, real-time insights, merchant acquirers risk missing early signs of trouble, leading to rising chargebacks, penalties, and reputational damage.

To help acquirers stay ahead, we've enhanced our dashboard with deeper merchant-level and rule-level monitoring, such as expanded metrics, segmented views by merchant portfolio, and detailed tracking of rule firings and chargeback trends over time.

With better visibility, acquirers can spot emerging risk faster, adjust merchant rules proactively, and align more closely with evolving payment network compliance thresholds. This reduces financial exposure, minimizes the risk of penalties, and helps acquirers maintain operational stability across their merchant portfolios.

Common use cases:

• Monitoring high-risk merchants for early chargeback spikes
• Adjusting merchant-specific risk rules based on real-time trends
• Proactively managing portfolio-level chargeback ratios
• Investigating transaction patterns that trigger frequent disputes
• Strengthening compliance with payment network requirements (e.g., Visa, Mastercard)

Bank account validation for wire accounts

We’ve expanded Sardine’s Bank Account Validation solution to cover wire transfer accounts. Some banks use different routing numbers for wires, which can make traditional validation methods unreliable. Now, Sardine can validate wire accounts to confirm account ownership, check account standing, and assess risk before funds are sent. This helps businesses prevent fraud, reduce payment failures, and protect high-value transfers.

Common use cases:

• Verifying account ownership for outgoing wires
• Detecting identity mismatches on wire accounts
• Reducing fraud risk in high-value transfers
• Preventing invalid or misrouted wire payments
• Strengthening onboarding for business accounts

Compliance

Real-time OFAC Screening for entities and transactions

Screening for sanctions risk often relies on limited information, which can cause false positives or let risky transactions slip through. Important details, like names or descriptions buried in a transaction memo, are often missed if they aren't screened in real time.

With Sardine's real-time OFAC screening, you can now submit transaction memos through our API and screen them instantly against OFAC watchlists. Screening results appear on the dashboard in real time, giving your team faster visibility and control over potential sanctions risks.

This update builds on Sardine’s broader sanctions screening solution, which monitors entities across 197 countries, 24 million risk profiles, and 528 million entities. Our platform screens against global sanctions and watchlists, politically exposed persons (PEPs), and adverse media to give compliance teams comprehensive risk coverage.

By screening more detailed transaction information earlier, businesses can block high-risk payments before they settle, reduce false positives, and strengthen compliance with global regulations.

Common use cases:

• Screening transaction memos for sanctions-related keywords
• Blocking transactions to flagged or sanctioned entities
• Enhancing compliance checks for cross-border payments
• Reducing false positives with richer transaction context
• Strengthening OFAC, global sanctions, and AML compliance programs

Automated SAR Filing via FinCEN

Manual SAR filing can be slow, error-prone, and strain compliance teams as filing volumes grow. Sardine now automates SAR filing by submitting reports directly to FinCEN, with built-in validation checks to reduce errors and rejections.

Automation saves hundreds of hours each month, improves reporting accuracy, and helps teams meet regulatory deadlines with less manual work. If you're exploring ways to speed up case resolution even further, we recently published a whitepaper on how to safely deploy AI to streamline compliance workflows.

Common use cases:

• Submitting SARs automatically after case escalation
• Reducing filing errors and rejections
• Meeting tight regulatory reporting deadlines
• Freeing up compliance analysts for investigations

We’re continuing to invest in building the fastest, most adaptable risk platform for fraud, compliance, and credit teams. The updates we announced this month are designed to give you more control, better insights, and faster ways to act on risk. If you’d like to see any of these new features in action or learn how Sardine can support your team, we'd love to hear from you.