Purpose & Scope
This Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Counter-Terrorist Financing (CTF) Policy has been established by Ranknox, operated by Carlo IT Solutions, to protect the integrity of our digital marketing and SEO services platform from being used as a vehicle for financial crime.
This policy applies to:
- All registered users, clients, and resellers of the Ranknox platform
- All employees, contractors, and agents acting on behalf of Ranknox
- All financial transactions conducted through ranknox.com, including wallet top-ups, service payments, and refunds
- All offices in India, Brazil, Sweden, and the United Arab Emirates
Ranknox is committed to complying with the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) of India, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) recommendations, and applicable AML regulations in all jurisdictions where we operate.
What Is Money Laundering
Money laundering is the process by which individuals or organisations attempt to conceal the origins of illegally obtained money by passing it through a complex sequence of banking transfers or commercial transactions. It typically occurs in three stages:
Terrorist financing, while similar in mechanics, involves channelling funds — whether from legitimate or criminal sources — to finance terrorist activities. Ranknox has zero tolerance for both.
Our Commitment
Ranknox maintains an absolute zero-tolerance stance on money laundering, terrorist financing, fraud, and any other financial crime. We will cooperate fully with law enforcement authorities and regulatory bodies wherever required by law.
Our commitment includes:
- Implementing and maintaining effective AML controls proportionate to the risks we face
- Verifying the identity of all users and businesses transacting on our platform
- Monitoring transactions continuously for unusual or suspicious behaviour
- Reporting suspicious activity to the relevant Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) without tipping off the subject
- Refusing to process transactions where we suspect money laundering or fraud
- Training all staff and relevant contractors on AML obligations and red-flag recognition
Customer Due Diligence (KYC)
Ranknox applies Customer Due Diligence (CDD) and Know Your Customer (KYC) procedures to all account registrations and transactions above applicable thresholds. The level of verification is proportionate to the assessed risk level of the user or transaction.
| CDD Level | Applies To | Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Standard CDD | All new registrations | Full name, verified email address, country of residence, accepted payment method |
| Enhanced CDD | High-value accounts, resellers, bulk orders, flagged transactions | Government-issued photo ID, proof of address, business registration documents, source of funds declaration |
| Simplified CDD | Low-risk, low-value transactions from verified users | Standard account verification already on file |
| Ongoing Monitoring | All active accounts | Periodic re-verification, transaction pattern analysis, account behaviour review |
Ranknox reserves the right to request identity verification documents from any user at any time. Failure to provide required documentation may result in account suspension, transaction holds, or service termination. This is in accordance with our legal obligations and not subject to negotiation.
We collect and process KYC data in accordance with our Privacy Policy. KYC data is stored securely and never shared with third parties except as required by law or regulation.
Risk-Based Approach
Ranknox adopts a risk-based approach (RBA) to AML compliance, allocating greater scrutiny and controls to higher-risk activities, users, and geographies. Risk is assessed across three levels:
High-risk accounts are subject to Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD), senior management approval for transactions, and more frequent review cycles. Ranknox may decline to onboard or may terminate accounts that present an unacceptable AML risk regardless of commercial value.
Payment Controls
To prevent our payment infrastructure from being misused for money laundering or fraud, Ranknox enforces the following payment controls:
All payments must originate directly from the account holder's own verified bank account, registered card, or approved digital wallet. Payments from third parties on behalf of a user will be rejected and may trigger an AML investigation and account suspension.
- Own-account payments only: Every payment must come from a financial instrument registered in the same name as the Ranknox account holder
- Currency consistency: Payments must be made in the invoiced currency; unexplained currency changes may be flagged for review
- No cash transactions: Ranknox does not accept cash payments under any circumstances
- No cryptocurrency anonymity: Where crypto payments are accepted, they must be from verified, non-anonymous wallets compliant with applicable travel-rule requirements
- Refunds to source only: All refunds are returned exclusively to the original payment method; refunds to a different account will not be processed
- Transaction limits: Unusually large or rapid wallet top-ups exceeding normal usage patterns will trigger enhanced review before processing
- Structuring prohibition: Deliberately splitting large transactions into smaller amounts to avoid thresholds (structuring / smurfing) is strictly prohibited and will be reported to authorities
Red Flags & Suspicious Activity
Ranknox's compliance team is trained to identify and escalate the following red flags. Any transaction or behaviour matching these indicators will be subject to immediate enhanced review and may be reported to the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU-IND) or equivalent authority:
If you notice suspicious activity on your account or suspect misuse, please report it immediately to support@ranknox.com.
Reporting Obligations
Where Ranknox suspects or has reasonable grounds to believe that a transaction or activity may constitute money laundering, terrorist financing, or any related offence, we are legally obligated to:
- File a Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) or Suspicious Transaction Report (STR) with the Financial Intelligence Unit – India (FIU-IND) or the relevant national authority
- Freeze or place a hold on the relevant transaction or account pending further investigation
- Cooperate fully with law enforcement authorities, providing all requested documentation and records
- Refrain from "tipping off" — informing the subject of an investigation that a report has been or may be filed, as this is a criminal offence under applicable law
Ranknox staff and management are strictly prohibited from informing any person who is the subject of an AML investigation that a report has been made or that their account is under review. Any breach of this rule may constitute a criminal offence under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.
Ranknox will not be liable to any user for losses arising from account freezes, transaction holds, or service terminations that result from our compliance with AML reporting obligations.
Record Keeping
Ranknox maintains comprehensive records of all customer identification, verification, and transaction data in accordance with legal requirements. Our record retention schedule is as follows:
| Record Type | Retention Period | Format |
|---|---|---|
| KYC & Identity Documents | 5 years after account closure | Encrypted digital files |
| Transaction Records | 7 years from transaction date | Immutable logs, encrypted |
| Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) | 7 years from date of report | Secure compliance archive |
| AML Risk Assessments | 5 years from assessment date | Internal compliance records |
| Staff AML Training Records | 5 years from training date | HR and compliance records |
| Correspondence with Authorities | 10 years | Encrypted secure storage |
All records are stored securely with restricted access. They will be provided to competent authorities upon lawful request without undue delay.
Sanctions Screening
Ranknox screens all new and existing users against applicable international sanctions lists and watchlists, including but not limited to:
- United Nations Security Council (UNSC) consolidated sanctions list
- Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list
- European Union consolidated sanctions list
- UK HM Treasury financial sanctions list
- Indian Ministry of Finance and Ministry of External Affairs designated entity lists
- FATF grey and black-listed jurisdictions
Any individual, organisation, or entity appearing on sanctions lists will be immediately denied access to Ranknox's platform. Existing accounts found to match sanctioned entities will be frozen pending mandatory reporting to the appropriate authority.
Screening is conducted at onboarding and on a periodic ongoing basis. Ranknox does not knowingly conduct business with any person or entity subject to economic or trade sanctions.
Staff Training
Ranknox is committed to ensuring all relevant personnel are adequately trained to recognise, prevent, and report money laundering and financial crime. Our training programme includes:
- Induction training — mandatory AML awareness module for all new employees and contractors with access to financial or customer data
- Annual refresher training — updated yearly to reflect changes in legislation, typologies, and platform-specific risks
- Role-specific training — enhanced modules for compliance officers, finance team members, and account managers who handle high-value or high-risk accounts
- Red-flag recognition — practical scenario-based exercises to identify suspicious patterns
- Policy awareness — all staff must read, acknowledge, and confirm understanding of this AML Policy annually
All AML training completion records are logged and retained for a minimum of 5 years, and are available for inspection by relevant authorities upon request.
Non-Compliance & Penalties
Any user, reseller, or party found to be in breach of this AML Policy or applicable AML legislation will face immediate consequences, which may include:
- Immediate suspension or permanent termination of the Ranknox account
- Freezing of all platform wallet balances and pending transactions
- Mandatory reporting to FIU-IND or other relevant financial intelligence units
- Referral of evidence to law enforcement agencies including the Enforcement Directorate (ED), CBI, or Interpol as applicable
- Civil claims for recovery of any damages suffered by Ranknox as a result of the breach
- No refund of any wallet balance or service fees where a breach is confirmed
Under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA), individuals convicted of money laundering in India face rigorous imprisonment of not less than 3 years, extendable to 7 years (or up to 10 years for offences under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act), and substantial financial penalties. Ranknox will provide full cooperation to enforcement authorities.
Compliance Contact (MLRO)
Ranknox has designated a Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO) responsible for overseeing all AML compliance activities, receiving internal suspicious activity disclosures, and managing all regulatory reporting obligations.
If you have a concern, suspect suspicious activity, or wish to raise an AML-related query, contact our compliance team through the following channels:
| Brand | Ranknox (Carlo IT Solutions) |
| Registered Address | Building No./Flat No. 4/140, Mother Mary Tower, Kidangoor, Kottayam, Kerala – 686572, India |
| Compliance / MLRO Email | support@ranknox.com |
| Phone / WhatsApp | +91 85928 11346 |
| GST Number | 32AAWFC6260C1ZJ |
| Response Time | Within 5 business days for AML enquiries |
All AML disclosures made in good faith to our MLRO are treated with strict confidentiality. Ranknox will not retaliate against any employee, contractor, or user who makes a genuine, good-faith suspicious activity report.
This AML Policy is reviewed at least annually and updated as required to reflect changes in applicable law, FATF guidance, and Ranknox's evolving risk profile. The current version supersedes all prior AML policies issued by Ranknox or Carlo IT Solutions.