Getting to Know: Cornerstone

Cornerstone

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Cornerstone detects and closes down weaknesses within U.S. financial, trade and transportation sectors that can be exploited by criminal networks. Law enforcement entities share criminal typologies and methods with businesses and industries that manage the very systems that terrorists and criminal organizations seek to exploit. This sharing of information allows the financial and trade community to take precautions to protect itself from exploitation. In return, ICE receives information to more thoroughly investigate these complex and sophisticated criminal schemes.

Financial Investigations Topics of Interest

ICE uses financial investigations to beat criminals at their trade. By following the money trail, law enforcement can identify and dismantle international criminal networks, seizing the networks’ proceeds and related assets. ICE, along with other Department of Homeland Security component agencies, is charged with protecting the nation's borders. One way ICE does this is by investigating the illicit flow of money in and out of the United States. (read more)

Mass-Marketing Fraud

ICE is a participant in the International Mass-Marketing Fraud Working Group to combat international consumer fraud, such as email and telephone scams. Read more about mass-marketing fraud, including the 2010 Mass-Marketing Fraud threat assessment.

2010 Bi-national Criminal Proceeds Study

ICE joined with the DHS Office of Counternarcotics Enforcement and the government of Mexico to conduct a comprehensive study of how criminal enterprises collect, transport and deliver illegally-derived proceeds across international borders. (read more)

How You Can Help

Protecting America is more than just a responsibility for government agencies; it's a shared mission for all Americans. The importance of private sector partnership in this shared mission cannot be overstated. There are several ways individuals and businesses can help:

• Become a private sector partner with ICE by contacting your local ICE Homeland Security Investigations office and arranging a Cornerstone presentation for your business or organization.
• Report suspicious financial, commercial or trade activity by contacting your local ICE Homeland Security Investigations office, or by calling 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.
• Read the Cornerstone Report, ICE's quarterly newsletter devoted to the financial and trade sectors.

Red Flag Indicators

Certain types of financial transactions serve as indicators, or "red flags," that call for further scrutiny by the financial, commercial, trade and transportation sectors. (read more)