Overview
Submitting a transaction means sending the transaction data to Sigma so it can be analysed for fraud and risk. Every transaction your customers make (transfers, deposits, withdrawals, payments) can be submitted to Sigma in real time. Sigma evaluates the transaction against your configured rules and returns a decision: approve, review, or reject.Submission Methods
There are two ways to submit a transaction:| Method | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Instant | Sigma processes the transaction and returns a decision synchronously in the same API response | Real-time transaction flows where you need an immediate decision before proceeding |
| Webhook | You submit the transaction and Sigma sends the result asynchronously to your configured webhook URL | Background processing where you don’t need to block the transaction flow |
What to Send
When submitting a transaction, include as much data as you have. The more context Sigma receives, the more accurate its analysis. Key fields include:| Field | Description |
|---|---|
transaction_id | Your unique identifier for the transaction |
amount | Transaction amount |
type | debit or credit |
channel | How the transaction was initiated: card, transfer, ussd, mobile, etc. |
transaction_date | ISO 8601 timestamp |
sender_account_number | Sender’s account number |
receiver_account_number | Receiver’s account number |
sender_bank_code | Sender’s bank code |
receiver_bank_code | Receiver’s bank code |
device | Device details (ID, model, OS, location) used for device-based fraud detection |
anonymized_user_data | User profile data: account age, verification status, location, etc. |
screeningData | Names to screen against PEP, sanctions, and adverse media lists (see Screening) |
For a complete list of accepted fields and their formats, see the Historical Data page which documents the full transaction data structure.
Understanding the Response
Sigma returns three key values in the transaction result:action: what Sigma recommends you do with the transaction:
| Action | Meaning |
|---|---|
APPROVE | No significant risk detected. Transaction can proceed. |
REVIEW | Risk indicators found. Flag for manual review before proceeding. |
REJECT | High-risk signals detected. Block the transaction. |
risk_level: the overall risk score assigned to the transaction (low, medium, high).
triggered_rules: a list of any rules that fired on this transaction, helping you understand why a decision was made.
How to Handle Each Outcome
- APPROVE: proceed with the transaction as normal
- REVIEW: hold the transaction and queue it for a compliance team member to investigate. You can view flagged transactions in the Sigma dashboard under Transaction Monitoring
- REJECT: block the transaction and notify the user. Log the decision for audit purposes
API Reference
Instant Submission
Submit a transaction and receive a synchronous decision.
Webhook Submission
Submit a transaction and receive the result via webhook callback.