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World-Check Risk Screening Database:
PEPs, Sanctions, Adverse Media
Being listed in World-Check can quietly close your access to international finance — even if you’ve done nothing wrong.
At Avagard Global, we regularly help clients who discover their names in this database. Here’s what World-Check is, why it matters, and how to screen and remove your profile.
At Avagard Global, we regularly help clients who discover their names in this database. Here’s what World-Check is, why it matters, and how to screen and remove your profile.
Get a consultation on World-Check
World-Check is an online service used by major international banks and organizations to assess the risks of working with individuals and legal entities.
Inclusion in the database indicates a potentially heightened risk profile, possibly due to factors such as alleged involvement in corruption, money laundering, sanctions violations, criminal records, political connections (PEP-status), or suspected ties to terrorism. However, being listed doesn't automatically imply criminal activity. But first, let's take a closer look.
Inclusion in the database indicates a potentially heightened risk profile, possibly due to factors such as alleged involvement in corruption, money laundering, sanctions violations, criminal records, political connections (PEP-status), or suspected ties to terrorism. However, being listed doesn't automatically imply criminal activity. But first, let's take a closer look.
Contact us
Contact us to see if your name is in the World-Check, Dow Jones, or LexisNexis databases. Our experts will conduct a comprehensive audit of your profile and advise on mitigating compliance risks.
Real-World Consequences of Being Listed in World-Check
For most people, discovering their name in the World-Check database happens by accident. A declined bank transfer, an unexpected account closure, or a polite email from a compliance officer saying “we are unable to proceed due to internal policies” — that is usually how it starts.
From that point, every international step becomes complicated. Even though Refinitiv World-Check is officially only a risk-assessment reference tool, many banks, payment systems, and immigration authorities treat its data as a decisive factor. When a person or a company appears in the database, the institution’s software automatically flags the profile for deeper review — or simply blocks the operation.
What this can mean in practice:
X Banking issues: refusal to open new accounts, frozen transactions, or termination of long-standing relationships.
X Visa and residency denials: immigration authorities often rely on background checks performed through World-Check or similar screening tools.
X Cancelled contracts: international partners may withdraw from deals once a “compliance alert” appears.
X Complications with property and investment: transactions abroad can stall for months while additional verification is performed.
Being listed in World-Check doesn’t imply wrongdoing — but it can instantly restrict access to financial, legal, and migration systems worldwide.
From that point, every international step becomes complicated. Even though Refinitiv World-Check is officially only a risk-assessment reference tool, many banks, payment systems, and immigration authorities treat its data as a decisive factor. When a person or a company appears in the database, the institution’s software automatically flags the profile for deeper review — or simply blocks the operation.
What this can mean in practice:
X Banking issues: refusal to open new accounts, frozen transactions, or termination of long-standing relationships.
X Visa and residency denials: immigration authorities often rely on background checks performed through World-Check or similar screening tools.
X Cancelled contracts: international partners may withdraw from deals once a “compliance alert” appears.
X Complications with property and investment: transactions abroad can stall for months while additional verification is performed.
Being listed in World-Check doesn’t imply wrongdoing — but it can instantly restrict access to financial, legal, and migration systems worldwide.
In our experience, even a single outdated mention in World-Check can cause a cascade of refusals — from banking to immigration.”
— Adrian Keller, Director at Avagard Global
Why Most Banks Rely on World-Check (and How It Started)
The global rise of World-Check began with a simple need: to prevent financial institutions from unknowingly dealing with high-risk clients.
After several compliance scandals in the early 2000s — including major enforcement cases against U.S. and European banks — regulators introduced stricter “Know Your Customer” (KYC) and “Anti-Money Laundering” (AML) standards. Banks urgently needed a reliable source that could centralize information about sanctions, political exposure, and adverse media.
That gap was filled by World-Check, founded in 1999 by David Leppan and Laura Aboli (South Africa / UK). Initially created for private-bank compliance teams, it quickly became a reference point for institutions worldwide.
According to an early World-Check press-release, more than 80% of the world’s top 50 banks were already using World-Check intelligence by 2005 — evidence of how rapidly it became embedded in screening workflows.
Over the following decade, ownership changed hands as the product expanded. Thomson Reuters acquired World-Check in 2011, integrating it into its financial-data suite. In 2018 it became part of Refinitiv, which was later acquired by the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) in 2021 — making Refinitiv World-Check one of LSEG’s core compliance and risk-intelligence assets.
Today, together with Dow Jones Risk & Compliance and LexisNexis WorldCompliance, World-Check remains one of the three most widely used databases for global client screening and due diligence.
After several compliance scandals in the early 2000s — including major enforcement cases against U.S. and European banks — regulators introduced stricter “Know Your Customer” (KYC) and “Anti-Money Laundering” (AML) standards. Banks urgently needed a reliable source that could centralize information about sanctions, political exposure, and adverse media.
That gap was filled by World-Check, founded in 1999 by David Leppan and Laura Aboli (South Africa / UK). Initially created for private-bank compliance teams, it quickly became a reference point for institutions worldwide.
According to an early World-Check press-release, more than 80% of the world’s top 50 banks were already using World-Check intelligence by 2005 — evidence of how rapidly it became embedded in screening workflows.
Over the following decade, ownership changed hands as the product expanded. Thomson Reuters acquired World-Check in 2011, integrating it into its financial-data suite. In 2018 it became part of Refinitiv, which was later acquired by the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) in 2021 — making Refinitiv World-Check one of LSEG’s core compliance and risk-intelligence assets.
Today, together with Dow Jones Risk & Compliance and LexisNexis WorldCompliance, World-Check remains one of the three most widely used databases for global client screening and due diligence.
For compliance officers, a World-Check search is often the first step before onboarding a new client. The system was built to highlight potential red flags early, long before manual verification begins.
— Adrian Keller, Director at Avagard Global
What Data the World-Check Contains
The World-Check database collects information from thousands of public and institutional sources — including sanctions registers, court filings, regulatory notices, corporate ownership databases, and media archives. Each entry is designed to flag potential compliance risks before a business relationship or transaction begins.
The data is structured into categories that reflect different levels of exposure. These include:
Such classifications help institutions identify elevated risks, yet they also create room for over-inclusion and outdated links.
The data is structured into categories that reflect different levels of exposure. These include:
- Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs): current and former officials, legislators, and executives of state-linked companies.
- Associates of PEPs: relatives, business partners, or intermediaries with close ties.
- Sanctioned individuals and entities: people or organizations listed under international or national restrictions and those who have business or personal ties to them.
- Adverse media subjects: persons or companies featured in reports about corruption, fraud, or investigations.
- State-linked or state-influenced enterprises: companies where public ownership or control is significant.
Such classifications help institutions identify elevated risks, yet they also create room for over-inclusion and outdated links.
Being listed in World-Check may result simply from public association — not from proven misconduct.
At Avagard Global, we often encounter clients whose inclusion stems from indirect connections rather than their own actions.
In one case, a business owner was repeatedly denied banking services after a local publication speculated about his former business partner’s political ties. The article was later retracted, but its archived copy remained accessible — and was eventually cited by Refinitiv World-Check. After a formal clarification request supported by documented evidence, the record was corrected and the client’s profile cleared.
In one case, a business owner was repeatedly denied banking services after a local publication speculated about his former business partner’s political ties. The article was later retracted, but its archived copy remained accessible — and was eventually cited by Refinitiv World-Check. After a formal clarification request supported by documented evidence, the record was corrected and the client’s profile cleared.
World-Check analysts rely on both verified data and open-source information, which can vary in reliability. Understanding which source triggered the entry is key to resolving it correctly.
— Adrian Keller, Director at Avagard Global
Ultimately, the database’s purpose is preventive — to help institutions manage risk. But without context, even neutral mentions can appear as red flags in automated screening systems.
How Reliable Is the Information in World-Check
While Refinitiv World-Check is positioned as a trusted intelligence source, the accuracy of its records depends entirely on the reliability of the underlying data. The platform aggregates information from both official and open sources: government lists, court decisions, and regulatory bulletins on one side; and media articles, blogs, and social-media content on the other.
This mixed sourcing is what makes the system both powerful and vulnerable. Official records provide verifiable facts, yet open-source information can include outdated, biased, or even false content. Once added, such data may remain in the database for years unless formally reviewed or contested.
This mixed sourcing is what makes the system both powerful and vulnerable. Official records provide verifiable facts, yet open-source information can include outdated, biased, or even false content. Once added, such data may remain in the database for years unless formally reviewed or contested.
According to Avagard Global’s internal statistics, fewer than 15 percent of the World-Check profiles reviewed contain fully accurate or up-to-date information.
That means the majority of entries include partial, obsolete, or contextually incorrect data — often based on secondary publications that were never verified. These inaccuracies can lead to unnecessary risk flags and automatic compliance alerts that affect otherwise legitimate clients.
“We often find that a person was listed not because of confirmed allegations, but because of a single misleading article. Once that information is indexed in search engines, it circulates for years unless someone actively requests a correction.”
— Adrian Keller, Director at Avagard Global
Therefore, it's crucial to check your World-Check status before engaging in international activities, such as pursuing overseas deals, establishing a company, or applying for residency abroad. This proactive step allows you to assess potential complications and take appropriate measures in advance.
How to Check Whether You Are Listed
Many people suspect they might be in Refinitiv World-Check but are unsure how to confirm it.
Under international data-protection laws — including the UK Data Protection Act and the EU’s GDPR — every individual or legal entity has the right to know whether their personal data is being processed. This means you can formally request a copy of any World-Check profile that includes your name or organization.
The process itself is not complex, but it must be done precisely. Refinitiv accepts data-access requests through a specific form and requires proof of identity or corporate authorization.
Once submitted, the company typically responds within 14 days, providing either confirmation of a record or a statement that no data is held.
Under international data-protection laws — including the UK Data Protection Act and the EU’s GDPR — every individual or legal entity has the right to know whether their personal data is being processed. This means you can formally request a copy of any World-Check profile that includes your name or organization.
The process itself is not complex, but it must be done precisely. Refinitiv accepts data-access requests through a specific form and requires proof of identity or corporate authorization.
Once submitted, the company typically responds within 14 days, providing either confirmation of a record or a statement that no data is held.
Submitting a data-access request is the only legitimate way to verify your World-Check status — there is no public search or open access.
In practice, the challenge is not the request itself but interpreting the response.
The report may include references to external sources, partial excerpts, or outdated media links that are difficult to contextualize without compliance expertise.
At Avagard Global, we facilitate and guide the entire process of World-Check screening — helping clients prepare correctly worded requests, verify which materials caused the listing, and interpret the returned data.
This allows clients to focus on addressing the root causes of their inclusion rather than getting lost in procedural details.
The report may include references to external sources, partial excerpts, or outdated media links that are difficult to contextualize without compliance expertise.
At Avagard Global, we facilitate and guide the entire process of World-Check screening — helping clients prepare correctly worded requests, verify which materials caused the listing, and interpret the returned data.
This allows clients to focus on addressing the root causes of their inclusion rather than getting lost in procedural details.
Clients often come to us after several failed attempts to get a clear answer. We make sure the submission follows the correct format and that the subsequent response is translated into actionable steps.
— Adrian Keller, Director at Avagard Global
Knowing whether you are listed is the foundation for any next move — whether that means correcting outdated data or requesting complete removal.
How Removal and Correction Work
Once you have confirmed the presence of a World-Check record, the next step is to understand what information triggered it and how to correct your World-Check profile.
Each case requires a tailored approach, but the underlying logic remains similar: identify the sources, remove or clarify them, and then submit a formal request for review.
At this stage, precision matters more than speed. Refinitiv analysts rely on publicly available evidence — so if misleading or outdated materials remain online, they can continue to influence the record.
Each case requires a tailored approach, but the underlying logic remains similar: identify the sources, remove or clarify them, and then submit a formal request for review.
At this stage, precision matters more than speed. Refinitiv analysts rely on publicly available evidence — so if misleading or outdated materials remain online, they can continue to influence the record.
Effective removal always starts outside the database: by correcting the open sources that created the entry in the first place.
The process typically includes three main phases:
- Source audit: mapping every mention or publication linked to your profile that may have triggered the inclusion.
- Reputation correction: de-indexing, archiving, or clarifying inaccurate materials; publishing verified information where appropriate.
- Formal request: submitting a documented explanation and evidence package to Refinitiv to support the review or removal of the entry.
The strongest submissions are not emotional appeals — they are factual, documented, and well-structured. When the information is presented clearly, Refinitiv analysts can verify and update records much faster.
— Adrian Keller, Director at Avagard Global
Beyond formal correction, one crucial factor often overlooked is digital reputation.
Search engines, media archives, and public databases form the informational environment that compliance systems analyze. When negative or outdated materials dominate online results, they continuously reinforce a “high-risk” image — even after a database update.
Search engines, media archives, and public databases form the informational environment that compliance systems analyze. When negative or outdated materials dominate online results, they continuously reinforce a “high-risk” image — even after a database update.
“We’ve seen many clients submit removal requests on their own — without addressing even one outdated link — and receive a formal refusal from World-Check analysts. After we corrected the client’s digital footprint and clarified the public record, the profile was successfully updated.”
— Adrian Keller, Director at Avagard Global
Sustainable results therefore depend on maintaining a consistent and verifiable digital footprint: replacing noise with accurate context, strengthening visibility of official data, and ensuring that public sources reflect the current reality.
A successful review can lead to the correction or complete removal of the record, depending on the evidence presented. While no external consultant can guarantee a specific outcome, systematic preparation and long-term reputation management significantly increase the likelihood of achieving lasting results.
A successful review can lead to the correction or complete removal of the record, depending on the evidence presented. While no external consultant can guarantee a specific outcome, systematic preparation and long-term reputation management significantly increase the likelihood of achieving lasting results.
How can Avagard Global help
At Avagard Global, we combine compliance expertise with strategic reputation management.
Our team helps clients verify, clarify, and maintain accurate information across all major databases and public channels — ensuring that due diligence reflects facts, not outdated assumptions.
If you suspect your name or company might appear in World-Check, Dow Jones Risk & Compliance, or LexisNexis WorldCompliance, it’s worth reviewing it early.
We provide confidential consultations to help you understand your status, plan corrective steps, and rebuild a verifiable digital profile that supports your global reputation.
Our team helps clients verify, clarify, and maintain accurate information across all major databases and public channels — ensuring that due diligence reflects facts, not outdated assumptions.
If you suspect your name or company might appear in World-Check, Dow Jones Risk & Compliance, or LexisNexis WorldCompliance, it’s worth reviewing it early.
We provide confidential consultations to help you understand your status, plan corrective steps, and rebuild a verifiable digital profile that supports your global reputation.