How should bank staff handle suspicious transactions without accusing the customer?

Question

Suspicious transactions are one of the hardest conversations at a branch because the customer may be completely innocent, but the risk is still sitting in front of you. A rushed wire, an older customer being coached on the phone, a cash deposit that does not match the account history, or a business customer suddenly sending money to a new country can all put staff in a tight spot. I have learned…

jet · Answer

Having a standard pause phrase helps staff a lot. Something like "I need to verify a couple details before we can process this" keeps it procedural instead of personal.

charles · Answer

Framing the questions around the transaction helps. Asking about purpose, timing, and who requested it feels less accusatory than saying the activity looks suspicious right away.