Protect BSA records, agent terminals and customer IDs at every counter

Money Services Businesses IT Services

Money services businesses live and die by their records: if a currency transaction report, a suspicious activity filing or a customer ID log goes missing or gets altered, the problem lands on your examination and your license, not just your IT budget.

Talk to Us About Money Services Businesses IT 888.792.8080

SOC 2 Aligned

Responsive Support

20+ Years Experience

At a glance

Check cashers, money transmitters, currency exchangers and the agent locations that sell transfers all run counter terminals, sanctions screening and filing workflows that criminals and insiders both target.

We run IT and cybersecurity for independent MSBs, multi-location check cashing operators and principal transmitters supporting agent networks.

That includes the counter PCs and agent software, BSA recordkeeping systems, FinCEN filing access and the network that ties stores together. We support MSBs in Texas and nationwide.

IT that keeps counters open, filings on time, records intact.

Security for money services businesses whose BSA records, cash drawers and transfer terminals all sit behind one counter.

Behind the teller window

Your records are the license

A customer cashes a payroll check, sends money home and buys a money order in one visit. Your teller scans an ID, screens a name against sanctions lists, runs the transfer through a provider terminal and logs it all for BSA purposes. Examiners will later read those records to judge your whole compliance program.

01 · The pressure

Every transaction has to be logged, screened and kept

Paydays and holidays bring lines out the door, and each transaction touches the check cashing system, a money transfer provider’s terminal, an ID scanner and your BSA recordkeeping. Your compliance officer depends on that data to aggregate cash activity, file reports with FinCEN and spot structuring. An outage means lost customers and gaps in the record. A breach exposes IDs and transfer histories and puts your state licenses and provider agreements under review.

Payday lines can’t wait on a frozen terminal
Aggregation depends on complete records
A breach can put licenses under review

02 · How it breaks

Insider edits, shared tellers and a phished owner

A teller splits a large cash transaction across shared logins to stay under reporting thresholds, and nobody can trace it. The owner’s mailbox gets phished, and an attacker uses the FinCEN filing login saved in the browser. A money transfer terminal runs next to a counter PC that browses freely. Remote access software installed by a former IT contractor still works. Fraudsters call stores pretending to be the transfer provider’s help desk and ask tellers to install a support tool.

Shared teller logins hide structuring
Saved filing credentials in a phished browser
Fake provider help desk calls to the counter

03 · What we change

Named tellers, locked terminals, protected filings

Each teller gets an individual login to the check cashing and recordkeeping systems, with overrides limited to supervisors. Counter PCs run a locked-down build with EDR, application allowlisting and web filtering. Transfer provider terminals sit on their own network segment. The BSA officer’s filing access moves to a dedicated, MFA-protected account. We remove stale remote tools, back up transaction and ID records so they can’t be quietly deleted, and train staff to verify provider calls.

Individual teller logins with supervisor overrides
Provider terminals on their own network segment
Tamper-resistant backups of BSA records

04 · The after

Examinations read clean records, not excuses

When a state examiner or your independent AML reviewer asks for transaction histories, you produce complete records with a name on every entry. Your compliance officer trusts the data enough to catch structuring patterns across stores. Transfer providers reviewing your agent location see segmented terminals and named users. And the owner stops wondering who else still has remote access to the back-office PC, because that list is short and documented.

Complete records with a teller on every entry
Provider reviews find segmented terminals
A short, documented list of remote access

Systems we keep running

FinCEN BSA E-Filing System
NMLS
Western Union agent platform
MoneyGram agent platform
Ria agent platform
QuickBooks Online

Rules we help you meet

Bank Secrecy Act AML program rules for MSBs (31 CFR 1022.210)
FinCEN MSB registration (31 CFR 1022.380)
FinCEN suspicious activity reporting for MSBs (31 CFR 1022.320)
OFAC sanctions regulations (31 CFR Chapter V)
FTC Safeguards Rule (16 CFR 314)
State money transmitter and check casher licensing laws

What We Offer

Comprehensive solutions tailored for Houston-area businesses

BSA Recordkeeping Integrity

Your AML program depends on records that are complete and haven’t been changed. We protect the databases behind your check cashing and transaction logs with role-based access, audit logging, immutable backups and alerting on bulk deletions, so the records your compliance officer and examiners rely on hold up when someone questions them.

Teller Workstation Lockdown

Counter PCs handle cash transactions, ID scans and sanctions checks all day. We build them to a standard image with EDR, application allowlisting, blocked USB storage and filtered browsing, so a teller can’t accidentally install something and an attacker has very little to work with if they get a foothold.

Agent Terminal Segmentation

Money transfer providers supply their own terminals and software, and they expect you to protect them. We place provider devices on isolated network segments, keep them away from general browsing PCs, document the setup for provider reviews and coordinate with the provider’s support team before any change touches their equipment.

FinCEN and Regulator Portal Access

Filing CTRs and SARs through the BSA E-Filing System and maintaining state licenses through NMLS means a few logins carry serious authority. We move them to individual, MFA-protected accounts on a dedicated workstation, remove saved passwords from browsers and confirm access is revoked when a compliance staffer leaves.

Sanctions Screening Uptime

OFAC screening has to run before money moves. Whether it’s built into your transfer provider’s platform or a separate tool, we keep the workstations, connections and list updates working, alert when screening services fail and help you document the fallback procedure for an outage, so tellers know to pause transfers rather than guess when a check can’t complete.

Multi-Store Network and Backup Internet

Stores need reliable connections to the central system, provider platforms and card processors. We standardize firewalls and switches across locations, add cellular failover, monitor every circuit and give each store the same secure configuration so a new location opens without improvising. Camera recorders and guest Wi-Fi stay off the network that carries transactions.

Why Choose LayerLogix?

Serving businesses throughout the Greater Houston area including Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, Atlanta, Nationwide.

Records That Stand Up

Named logins, audit trails and immutable backups mean your transaction history is complete and traceable. That’s the foundation your compliance officer, independent reviewer and examiners all build on when they assess your program. Gaps in the record stop being something you have to explain away.

Fewer Insider Opportunities

When every override and edit carries a teller’s name, structuring and skimming are harder to hide. Store managers investigate with facts, and honest employees aren’t lumped in with whoever misused a shared login. The deterrent effect alone changes behavior at the counter.

Stronger Standing With Providers

Transfer providers and banking partners review their agents and customers. Segmented terminals, documented controls and a written security program make those reviews shorter and help protect the relationships your business depends on. Losing a provider or a bank account can close an MSB faster than any fine.

Counters Open on Payday

Standard builds, failover internet and monitored systems keep lines moving when traffic peaks. When a store PC or circuit does fail, U.S.-based engineers handle it during business hours, with after-hours emergency response for active incidents. Customers stay in your line instead of walking across the street.

Our Process

Survey each store’s counter PCs, provider terminals, ID scanners, network gear and every remote access tool, including ones left by past vendors.

Review who can log into check cashing, recordkeeping, filing and licensing systems, then map gaps against your written AML and security programs.

Issue individual teller and compliance accounts with MFA, restrict overrides to supervisors and remove shared or saved credentials.

Lock down teller workstations, segment provider terminals onto their own network and add cellular failover internet at every location.

Protect BSA records with audit logging and immutable backups, and test that you can restore a store’s data.

Train tellers on fake provider calls and phishing, then review access, logs and remote tools each quarter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which regulations shape IT for a money services business?▼

The Bank Secrecy Act is the big one. MSBs register with FinCEN, maintain a written AML program, file currency transaction and suspicious activity reports, and keep records for set periods. OFAC sanctions screening applies to every transaction. MSBs are also financial institutions under the FTC Safeguards Rule, which requires a written information security program. Most states license money transmitters and check cashers separately. Your compliance officer and counsel own the program; we make sure the systems and records behind it are secure and reliable.

How can IT help us catch structuring by employees?▼

Structuring hides best behind shared logins and editable records. Once each teller has an individual account, every transaction and override is attributed. We turn on audit logging in your transaction systems, alert on unusual edits or voids, and make sure records are backed up in a way staff can’t alter. Your compliance officer still does the analysis and decides what to file. IT’s job is to make sure the data they’re reviewing is complete and trustworthy.

Our money transfer provider installed its own terminal. Who’s responsible for securing it?▼

Usually both of you. The provider manages its software and device, and your agent agreement typically requires you to protect the location, the network and your staff’s use of it. We put provider terminals on their own network segment, keep general web browsing off them, control physical access and document the arrangement. Any change to the terminal itself gets coordinated with the provider’s support team, not done on our own.

Someone called a store claiming to be our transfer provider’s support. What should tellers do?▼

Hang up and call back on the number printed in the provider’s official materials or your agent portal. Impersonating provider support is a known trick to get tellers to install remote access software or reveal login codes, then send fraudulent transfers. We help by blocking unapproved remote tools on counter PCs, keeping a short written script tellers can follow and alerting us if new remote access software appears on any store machine.

How long do we have to keep BSA records, and where should they live?▼

BSA recordkeeping rules set minimum retention periods for many MSB records, and your state may add its own. Your compliance officer and counsel confirm the specifics for your business. On the IT side, we store those records with access controls and audit logs, keep backups in a separate, immutable location and test restores. If ransomware hits a store, the records an examiner might request next year are still there and provably unchanged.

We’re a principal transmitter with independent agents. Can you help with them?▼

Yes, within what your agreements allow. We help you write the minimum security standards agents must meet, like individual logins, MFA on your platform, supported operating systems and no shared terminals. We harden your agent portal with MFA and session controls, monitor for unusual agent activity patterns and build a simple checklist your field team can use during agent visits. Agents run their own stores, but your platform and data stay protected.

Do you provide Money Services Businesses IT Services in Houston and nearby areas?▼

Yes. LayerLogix is based in the Greater Houston area and delivers money services businesses IT services to businesses across Houston and the surrounding communities, including The Woodlands, Spring, Katy, Sugar Land, Conroe, Cypress, and Pearland. For most Houston-area clients we can be on-site the same day when something needs hands-on attention, and our help desk is available during business hours, with after-hours emergency support. Call 713-571-2390 to check coverage for your specific address.

What does Money Services Businesses IT Services cost for a Houston business?▼

Pricing depends on your size and what you need, so we do not publish a one-size-fits-all number — but Houston businesses generally pay a flat, predictable monthly fee rather than surprise hourly bills. We start with a free, no-obligation assessment of your current setup, then give you a clear quote in plain English with no hidden costs. That way you know exactly what you are getting and what it costs before you commit.

Ready to Get Started?

Contact LayerLogix today for a free consultation. We serve businesses throughout Houston, Dallas, Austin, and the surrounding Greater Houston area.

Schedule Free Consultation Call 888.792.8080