The Latin American Association of Operators Electronic Funds Transfer and Information Services (ATEFI) has signed an Agreement of Understanding and Mutual Cooperation with The Police Community of the Americas (AMERIPOL). This public-private sector Agreement, signed in in Buenos Aires (Argentina), enables ATEFI and AMERIPOL, through collaboration and mutual professional training, to carry out preventive and investigative actions through forensic analysis of fraud and cybercrime cases.

In May 2016 EAST and ATEFI joined forces to to further strengthen inter-regional cooperation in combating all types of payment crime including payment card fraud, hi-tech crime and ATM cyber and physical attacks and in October 2015 EAST participated in a two-day meeting  in Bogota (Colombia) to discuss payment card fraud overseas and money withdrawals in Latin America.  This meeting, attended by AMERIPOL, was organised by Europol in cooperation with the Colombian authorities (Policia Nacional and its Liaison Bureau at Europol) with the financial support of the Romanian authorities.

This new public-private sector initiative in Latin America is welcomed by the industry in Europe as another step forward in global efforts to tackle transnational payment fraud and financial crime.  EAST has worked with Europol since 2004, a partnership that was strengthened in June 2015 by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), and in June 2017 EAST and ASEANAPOL formalised collaboration.  ASEANAPOL is the National Police organisation for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).