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Global Watchlist Search: What It Checks and What "Clear" Means

A global watchlist search checks a person against government sanctions lists and most-wanted lists. It is a narrow search, and most people never appear on any of these lists. Pact's Standard ($32) and Premium ($70) packages both include one, run through Checkr. This guide explains which lists Checkr says it covers, what the U.S. Treasury's main sanctions list is, what a "clear" result generally means, and what to do if the search flags the wrong person.

Updated October 14, 2026 · Checked against the official sources listed at the end

What lists the search covers

Checkr, which runs Pact's checks, says its Global Watchlist Records Check covers sources including:

• the OFAC sanctions list;
• the Interpol Most Wanted list;
• various FBI Most Wanted lists;
• the U.S. Department of the Treasury Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons list; and
• the Department of State sanctions list.

What the OFAC SDN list is

OFAC is the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control. It publishes the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List, often called the SDN list.

OFAC says the list includes people and companies owned or controlled by, or acting for, targeted countries, and also people and groups, such as terrorists and narcotics traffickers, designated under programs that aren't country-specific. Their assets are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from dealing with them.

The list changes often. OFAC says there is no set timetable: names are added or removed as needed. Anyone can search it for free with OFAC's Sanctions List Search tool.

Why some employers run it

A watchlist search is a quick check for a rare but serious problem. It is part of both Pact packages, so you don't have to order it separately. Whether your business has its own legal duty to screen against sanctions lists depends on what you do. That is a question for your attorney, not something this search answers.

What a "clear" result generally means

In general, a clear result on a watchlist search means the search found no entry that matched the person. It does not mean the person was checked against every list in the world. It covers the lists the screening company searches.

The exact status words and their meanings depend on the screening company. If you see a status on your report and aren't sure what it means, ask Pact: 901-666-6970.

What happens with a possible match

Names repeat. A possible match is not proof the person is on a list. OFAC's own advice for anyone who finds a match is to do a little more research. Is it an exact name match, or very close? Is the person in the same general area as the list entry? If not, OFAC says it may be a "false hit."

A background check company must also follow reasonable procedures to assure maximum possible accuracy (15 U.S.C. 1681e(b)). The CFPB has said that matching records to a person by name only is not a reasonable procedure. Other details, such as date of birth, help tell people apart.

Sanctions lists are not criminal records

A watchlist hit and a criminal record are different things. Sanctions lists, like OFAC's, name people and groups the government has designated under sanctions programs. Most-wanted lists name people law enforcement is looking for. Neither is a court record of a conviction.

That is why a watchlist search sits next to the criminal searches in a package rather than replacing them. In Pact's packages, the criminal side is the national criminal search (both packages) and the 7-year county criminal search (Premium).

Where the search fits in a Pact order

You don't order the watchlist search on its own. It is one of four searches in Standard ($32), with an SSN trace, a national criminal search and a sex offender registry search. Premium ($70) includes all four, plus a county criminal search covering the last 7 years and a FACIS Level 3 healthcare sanctions search.

After you pay, Checkr emails the person being checked a secure link. They enter their details and sign the disclosure and authorization on Checkr's site. Nothing runs before they consent. The report goes to the person and to the employer or program named at checkout. All sales are final.

Orders are taken now and start when Pact's Checkr account opens; Checkr then emails the person.

If you are flagged by mistake

If the record is on your background report and it isn't you, dispute it with the consumer reporting agency. For a Pact order, that is Checkr. Under 15 U.S.C. 1681i, the agency must do a free, reasonable reinvestigation, generally within 30 days.

OFAC says that if you have been mistaken for a sanctioned person, for example because your name is a close match to a listed person, you can contact OFAC's Compliance Hotline. Its removal process is for people who are actually listed.

If an employer plans to act on the result, the FCRA requires them to give you a copy of the report and a summary of your rights first (15 U.S.C. 1681b(b)(3)).

Common questions

Sources

• Checkr: Which background check is right for you?
• U.S. Treasury OFAC: FAQs on Specially Designated Nationals and the SDN List
• 15 U.S.C. 1681e: Compliance procedures (Cornell LII)
• CFPB Advisory Opinion: Name-Only Matching Procedures (Nov. 4, 2021)
• 15 U.S.C. 1681i: Procedure in case of disputed accuracy (Cornell LII)
• 15 U.S.C. 1681b: Permissible purposes of consumer reports (Cornell LII)

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• How Much Does a Background Check Cost? 2026 Guide
• Background Checks (and Drug Tests) for Volunteers
• County vs National Criminal Search: What Each One Covers