# SanctionsChecker.org

> REST API for screening names against PEP databases, global sanctions lists, and AI-analyzed adverse media. Designed for AML/KYC compliance workflows.

The API has three endpoints. All use HTTPS, accept JSON, and authenticate with a Bearer App ID created in the dashboard.

## Base URL

https://api.sanctionschecker.org/functions/v1

## Authentication

Header: `Authorization: Bearer YOUR_APP_ID`

Create an App ID at https://sanctionschecker.org/dashboard/app-ids

## Endpoints

- POST /pep-check — Politically Exposed Persons (Denmark, Faroe Islands, Greenland)
- POST /sanctions-check — Sanctions lists (EU, OFAC, UK, UN, SECO)
- POST /adverse-media-check — AI-analyzed adverse media (Google + GPT-4o-mini)

## Common request body

```json
{ "name": "Mette Frederiksen", "match_type": "exact", "external_ref": "customer_123" }
```

- `name` (string, required)
- `match_type` (string, optional, default `"exact"`): `"exact"` requires every term to appear as a complete word; `"fuzzy"` requires every term to appear anywhere in the name. Not supported on `/adverse-media-check`.
- `external_ref` (string, optional): your internal ID, logged for audit/lookup.

## Success response

```json
{
  "success": true,
  "matches": [...],
  "total_matches": 1,
  "query": "Mette Frederiksen",
  "request_id": "uuid",
  "timestamp": "2026-04-28T12:00:00Z"
}
```

## Error response (every error, all endpoints)

```json
{
  "success": false,
  "error": { "code": "INVALID_REQUEST", "message": "Missing or invalid \"name\" parameter", "details": "..." },
  "request_id": "uuid",
  "timestamp": "2026-04-28T12:00:00Z"
}
```

Error codes: `METHOD_NOT_ALLOWED`, `UNAUTHORIZED`, `INVALID_APP_ID`, `INVALID_REQUEST`, `SERVER_CONFIGURATION_ERROR`, `UPSTREAM_ERROR`, `INTERNAL_ERROR`.

## Docs

- [Full reference (LLM-friendly)](https://sanctionschecker.org/llms-full.txt)
- [OpenAPI 3.1 spec](https://sanctionschecker.org/openapi.json)
- [Getting Started](https://sanctionschecker.org/api-docs/getting-started)
- [API Reference](https://sanctionschecker.org/api-docs/reference)
- [Code Examples](https://sanctionschecker.org/api-docs/examples)
- [Authentication](https://sanctionschecker.org/api-docs/authentication)