(a) Definition of error.
(1) Types of
transfers or inquiries covered. The term error means—
(i) an unauthorized electronic fund transfer;
(ii) an incorrect electronic fund transfer
to or from the consumer’s account;
(iii) the omission of an electronic
fund transfer from a periodic statement;
(iv) a computational or bookkeeping
error made by the financial institution relating to an electronic
fund transfer;
(v)
the consumer’s receipt of an incorrect amount of money from an electronic
terminal;
(vi) an
electronic fund transfer not identified in accordance with section
205.9 or 205.10(a) of Regulation E; or
(vii) the consumer’s request for documentation
required by section 205.9 or 205.10(a) or for additional information
or clarification concerning an electronic fund transfer, including
a request the consumer makes to determine whether an error exists
under paragraphs (a)(1)(i) through (vi) of this section.
(2) Types of inquiries not covered. The term error does not
include—
(i) a routine inquiry about the consumer’s
account balance;
(ii) a request for information for tax or other recordkeeping purposes;
or
(iii) a request
for duplicate copies of documentation.
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(b) Notice of error from consumer.
(1) Timing; contents. A financial institution shall comply with the requirements of this
section with respect to any oral or written notice of error from the
consumer that—
(i) is received by the institution no
later than 60 days after the institution sends the periodic statement
or provides the passbook documentation, required by section 205.9,
on which the alleged error is first reflected;
(ii) enables the institution to identify
the consumer’s name and account number; and
(iii) indicates why the consumer believes
an error exists and includes to the extent possible the type, date,
and amount of the error, except for requests described in paragraph
(a)(1)(vii) of this section.
(2) Written confirmation. A financial institution may require the consumer to give written
confirmation of an error within 10 business days of an oral notice.
An institution that requires written confirmation shall inform the
consumer of the requirement and provide the address where confirmation
must be sent when the consumer gives the oral notification.
(3) Request for documentation or clarifications. When a notice of
error is based on documentation or clarification that the consumer
requested under paragraph (a)(1)(vii) of this section, the consumer’s
notice of error is timely if received by the financial institution
no later than 60 days after the institution sends the information
requested.
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(c) Time
limits and extent of investigation.
(1) Ten-day period. A financial
institution shall investigate promptly and, except as otherwise provided
in this paragraph (c), shall determine whether an error occurred within
10 business days of receiving a notice of error. The institution shall
report the results to the consumer within three business days after
completing its investigation. The institution shall correct the error
within one business day after determining that an error occurred.
(2) Forty-five day
period. If the financial institution is unable to complete its
investigation within 10 business days, the institution may take up
to 45 days from receipt of a notice of error to investigate and determine
whether an error occurred, provided the institution does the following:
(i) Provisionally credits the consumer’s account in the amount of
the alleged error (including interest where applicable) within 10
business days of receiving the error notice. If the financial institution
has a reasonable basis for believing that an unauthorized electronic
fund transfer has occurred and the institution has satisfied the requirements
of section 205.6(a), the institution may withhold a maximum of $50
from the amount credited. An institution need not provisionally credit
the consumer’s account if—
(A) the institution requires
but does not receive written confirmation within 10 business days
of an oral notice of error; or
(B) the alleged error involves an account
that is subject to Regulation T (Securities Credit by Brokers and
Dealers, 12 CFR 220);
(ii) Informs the consumer, within two
business days after the provisional crediting, of the amount and date
of the provisional crediting and gives the consumer full use of the
funds during the investigation;
(iii) Corrects the error, if any, within
one business day after determining that an error occurred; and
(iv) Reports the results
to the consumer within three business days after completing its investigation
(including, if applicable, notice that a provisonal credit has been
made final).
(3) Extension
of time periods. The time periods in paragraphs (c)(1) and (c)(2)
of this section are extended as follows:
(i) The applicable
time is 20 business days in place of 10 business days under paragraphs
(c)(1) and (c)(2) of this section if the notice of error involves
an electronic fund transfer to or from the account within 30 days
after the first deposit to the account was made.
(ii) The applicable time is 90 days
in place of 45 days under paragraph (c)(2) of this section, for completing
an investigation, if a notice of error involves an electronic fund
transfer that—
(A) was not initiated within a state;
(B) resulted from a point-of-sale
debit card transaction; or
(C) occurred within 30 days after the first deposit to the account
was made.
(4) Investigation. With the exception
of transfers covered by section 205.14, a financial institution’s
review of its own records regarding an alleged error satisfies the
requirements of this section if—
(i) the alleged error concerns
a transfer to or from a third party; and
(ii) there is no agreement between the
institution and the third party for the type of electronic fund transfer
involved.
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(d) Procedures if financial institution determines
no error or different error occurred. In addition to following
the procedures specified in paragraph (c) of this section, the financial
institution shall follow the procedures set forth in this paragraph
(d) if it determines that no error occurred or that an error occurred
in a manner or amount different from that described by the consumer.
(1) Written explanation. The institution’s report of the results
of its investigation shall include a written explanation of the institution’s
findings and shall note the consumer’s right to request the documents
that the institution relied on in making its determination. Upon request,
the institution shall promptly provide copies of the documents.
(2) Debiting provisional credit. Upon debiting
a provisionally credited amount, the financial institution shall—
(i) notify
the consumer of the date and amount of the debiting;
(ii) notify the consumer that the institution
will honor checks, drafts, or similar instruments payable to third
parties and preauthorized transfers from the consumer’s account (without
charge to the consumer as a result of an overdraft) for five business
days after the notification. The institution shall honor items as
specified in the notice, but need honor only items that it would have
paid if the provisionally credited funds had not been debited.
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(e) Reassertion
of error. A financial institution that has fully complied with
the error resolution requirements has no further responsibilities
under this section should the consumer later reassert the same error,
except in the case of an error asserted by the consumer following
receipt of information provided under paragraph (a)(1)(vii) of this
section.