Bank Secrecy Act The SAR Activity Review By the Numbers, May 2006

Highlights: 

• FinCEN issued the sixth edition of The SAR Activity Review By the Numbers . The report is a compilation of numerical data gathered from Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) filed by depository institutions, casinos and card clubs, certain money services businesses, and certain segments of securities and futures industries. 
• The SAR Activity Review By the Numbers is generally published twice annually with activity covering two filing periods: January 1 to June 30, and July 1 to December 31. The current edition can be accessed at www.fincen.gov/sar_review_by_the_numbers_issue6.pdf . 
• The SAR Activity Review By the Numbers serves as a companion report to The SAR Activity Review – Trends, Tips & Issues . 
• As of December 31, 2005, over 3.1 million SARs have been filed with FinCEN. Of that total, over 2 million were filed by depository institutions. 
• Bank Secrecy Act/structuring/money laundering continues to be the leading characterization of suspicious activity. 
• A comparison of SAR filing trends between 2004 and 2005 includes: a 41% increase in mortgage loan filings; a 55% increase in consumer loan fraud filings; a 77% increase in false statement filings; and a 35% decrease in computer intrusion filings. 

Distribution: 
FDIC-Supervised Banks (Commercial and Savings) 

Suggested Routing: 
Chief Executive Officer 
BSA Compliance Officer 

Note: 
FDIC Financial Institution Letters (FILs) may be accessed from the FDIC's Web site at www.fdic.gov/news/financial-institution-letters/2006/index.html . 

To receive FILs electronically, please visit http://www.fdic.gov/about/subscriptions/fil.html . 

Paper copies of FDIC FILs may be obtained through the FDIC's Public Information Center, 801 17th Street, NW, Room 100, Washington, DC 20434 (1-877-275-3342 or 703-562-2200).