Establish what is wrong and who can request the change
Record the disputed field, the requested correction and the supporting information. Confirm the requester appropriately, particularly where contact or payment instructions are changing. Separate a simple transcription error from a contested ownership or authority change. Use a secure channel and avoid asking for unrelated identification merely to correct a minor administrative detail. Where facts remain disputed, make that visible and allocate a reviewer rather than silently choosing one version.
Apply privacy correction and retention requirements together
APP 13 addresses reasonable steps to correct inaccurate, outdated, incomplete, irrelevant or misleading personal information, including procedures when a correction is refused. AML record-keeping requirements remain relevant. Keep the current record accurate and preserve necessary earlier evidence or a change history with clear status and access controls. Do not assume either that every historical copy must be deleted or that retention permits unrestricted ongoing use of known incorrect information.
Reassess the checks and decisions that used the field
For example, correcting a birth date after a screening search may change the candidate match analysis. Identify the earlier result, assess whether another check or review is required and link the new conclusion to the correction. A new company identifier may reveal that records were attached to the wrong legal entity. Investigate the affected service decisions and disclosures; a cosmetic field edit does not repair an underlying customer mix-up.
Communicate and close the correction deliberately
Record what changed, who authorised it, the evidence, date and completed follow-up. Consider any applicable duty to notify another recipient of a correction, including the conditions in APP 13, and restrictions on disclosure. Explain the outcome through an appropriate channel without revealing protected reporting information. If correction is refused, follow the relevant notice and statement-association requirements. Review recurring errors for import, form or staff-training causes rather than repeatedly fixing the same symptom.
Official sources
Use these primary sources to confirm the current rules and apply them to your circumstances.
Sources checked .
Frequently asked questions
Must every correction trigger a new paid check?
No. Assess whether the changed information affects a required matter or previous result, and apply the relevant policies and legal requirements.
Can an audit log replace correcting the current record?
No. A history should explain what happened while current information and decisions accurately reflect the correction or the unresolved dispute.
Should a customer receive all associated internal notes?
Handle access and correction requests under the applicable law. Protected reporting information and other disclosure restrictions require separate assessment.
Put it into practice
Cassandra AML turns these obligations into a working system: designated-service decisions, customer due diligence, screening, monitoring and reporting records — hosted in Sydney, free to start.
This guide is general information for Australian professionals. It is not legal advice and does not replace the AML/CTF Act, the AML/CTF Rules or AUSTRAC guidance. Confirm your specific obligations with AUSTRAC or a qualified legal adviser. See our editorial and correction standards.