Is checking online banking, being aware of a loss?
11/10/2024
Can a bank use the customer’s history of access to their online banking, to determine when the customer was aware of a loss such as an unauthorized electronic funds transfer?
Brian Crow | CAMS
Bio:
A BSA/AML master, Brian brings 20+ years of banking experience to his current role as EVP at Thomas Compliance Associates, inc.
Brian Crow is Executive Vice President at Thomas Compliance Associates, Inc. in Chicago, IL. Brian brings 20 years of prior banking experience to the consulting field. He was most recently Assistant Vice President and BSA Administrator for a suburban Chicago bank, where his responsibilities included preparing the bank's annual BSA risk assessment and audit documentation. Earlier as Operations Officer at the same bank, Brian monitored AML activity, aided in the implementation of the bank's AML software, and designed the bank's authentication blocking program that helped to reduce debit card fraud losses by 95 percent. Brian's responsibilities also included managing the bank's Regulation E claims, managing the bank's courtesy overdraft program, reviewing Reg CC hold notices for accuracy, and processing claims for fraudulent signatures and endorsements.
Mr. Crow has been an education consultant for BOL Learning Connect, conducting webinars that have covered VISA/MasterCard chargebacks, debit card compliance and fraud prevention for hundreds of banks. It was in this role that Mr. Crow was recognized as a Bankers Online Guru in 2011.
Like many of us, Mr. Crow began his banking career as a teller, working his way up to head teller and then branch management responsibilities. He earned a B.A. degree in Theology from Concordia University, River Forest, Illinois. Because of his education background, Brian has been given the unofficial title of "Security Evangelist" as he strives to help financial institutions protect their bottom line from losses related to fraud.
Contact info:
You can contract Brian at b_crow@tcaregs.com.
Questions Answered
Conditioning Overdrafts on Opt-in
11/03/2024
Reg E (12 CFR 1005.17(b)(2)) says we cannot condition the payment of checks and other transaction on the whether the consumer has opted into overdrafts via ATM and one-time debit card transactions. However, it does not clarify whether the opposite is allowed – meaning can you condition ATM and one-time debit card transactions on whether someone has opted into overdrafts via check and other transactions? I can't find any guidance on this question, so any advice is much appreciated.
Where are Check Return Limits Specified
11/03/2024
Where in the regulations does it spell out the time limits and liabilities for banks regarding counterfeit checks, altered checks, forged endorsements, etc?
Next Day - Same Day Availability
10/27/2024
We were recently audited and it was noted that because a customer can immediately withdraw funds from a deposit made that same day, that we should be disclosing as a same day availability bank. instead of next day availability. What is your opinion and how do you recommend wording the change on policy, notices, and disclosures? It seems most examples I find are all next day examples.
Reasonable Cause Holds
10/27/2024
We are a small community bank that maintains strong connections with our customer base. From time to time, a customer we know well brings us a check for deposit that's accompanied by a seemingly legitimate backstory. But the appearance of the check, based on our experience leads us to believe that the check may not be paid because not ALL of the boxes can be checked to rule out that that it's a fraudulent check. Knowing our customers we tend to give them the benefit of the doubt by accepting the check for deposit and placing a Reasonable Cause hold for 4-5 days. Our acceptance of the check is done in good faith that our customer's story is legitimate and our Reasonable Cause hold is done as a means of ensuring that our customer doesn't end up on the wrong side of a scam. I have read several opinions which state the ONLY course of action that's entirely compliant is to refuse to accept the check for deposit. Most opinions are that we simply cannot place a hold for Reasonable Cause to Doubt Collectibility in this situation. Even after completing due diligence on the check and the facts offered by the customer, by refusing a check where some facts indicate authenticity and others indicate potential fraud, why would we not be allowed to try in good faith to accept the check, while protecting our customer from potential loss by way of a Reasonable Cause hold? After all, the teller has formed a "well grounded belief that the check MIGHT not be paid," but is also acting in good faith on behalf--and in favor--of our customer. We are all advocates for our customers, and simply refusing to accept a check for deposit simply because we couldn't check off EVERY box that it isn't a fraudulent check, seems counterintuitive to the consumer-favoring language of Reg CC.
Can this error claim be denied?
09/29/2024
I am working on a Reg E dispute where a customer insists, he did not make a transfer on Western Union, and it is fraudulent. Western Union denied the chargeback and sent thetransaction to me which has all of customer's information as sender, including name, email address, home address, and phone number, and they state it was authorized...The only thing I see as "off" is the IP address is out of state. Can I revoke provisional and deny the claim based on this proof from Western Union or not, since customer insists he did not do it?
Are All Private ATM Owners Equal
09/29/2024
I have read through several articles on private ATM owners and the enhanced due diligence on these; however, none seem to call out private ATM owners that do not have access to fill the ATM. Would these customers have the same expectations? Would it be necessary to tag these customers, obtain contracts/agreements and do yearly reviews of activity?
Lost Debit Card
08/25/2024
We have a customer that lost their debit card but didn't notify us until day five. Under Visa's zero liability policy, would this be considered "gross negligence"? The charges do not all add up to $500.00, so are we required to give the customer any credit at all?
Recognizing recurring and non-recurring debit card
08/11/2024
Can a merchant force a debit card transaction by claiming that the transaction is a recurring transaction event though it's not? For example, the customer opted out of overdraft service for ATM and one-time POS debit card transactions, but a merchant forced the transaction by claiming it's recurring.
Handling a charged-back cash advance
06/30/2024
If we do a cash advance for a customer on a card that was issued by another financial institution and deposit the cash into the customer's account at our institution, are we allowed to pull the funds back out of the account if a dispute is filed that results in a chargeback on the cash advance transaction?