(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
1005.9 or section 1005.10(a); or
(vii) The consumer’s request for documentation
required by section 1005.9 or section 1005.10(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 1005.9, 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 1005.6(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 of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Securities
Credit by Brokers and Dealers, 12 CFR part 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 provisional 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 (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 1005.14 of this
part, 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.