Interagency Identity Theft Red Flags Regulation

Interagency Identity Theft Red Flags Regulation Bank Compliance Association of CT Bristol, CT September 3, 2008

Agenda • Background • Overview of regulation & guidelines • Issues • Exam procedures • Questions

Background • Regulation & guidelines implement sections 114 & 315 of FACT Act of 2003 • FACTA was enacted to help prevent ID theft, improve resolution of consumer disputes, and improve accuracy of consumer records. • Joint final rule: 5 federal banking agencies & FTC • Published in 11/9/07 Federal Register • Effective 1/1/08, compliance by 11/1/08

Overview • Regulation requires 3 things: • Financial institutions and creditors must have a written ID theft prevention program • Debit and Credit Card issuers must assess validity of change of address requests before issuing new cards • Users of consumer reports must reasonably verify that the consumer report relates to the consumer about whom it has been requested, when user receives notice of address discrepancy

Overview • Issuance has 3 parts: • Regulation (covers all 3 provisions) • Guidelines (red flags only) • Supplement to guidelines (red flags only) • Form is confusing, but required by statute

Red Flags Overview • Program must be designed to detect, prevent, and mitigate identity theft in connection with “covered accounts” • Appropriate to size & complexity of the FI and nature & scope of business • Regulation does not require use of automated systems • Board of Directors must approve initial program

Identification of Covered Accounts • Identify covered accounts: • All consumer transactional accounts covered • Any other accounts that pose reasonably foreseeable risk of ID theft to customer or bank • FI must decide whether to cover business accounts, based on: • Methods for opening accounts • Methods for accessing accounts • Previous experiences with ID theft

Identification of Red Flags • Identify relevant red flags from 3 sources: • Incidents of ID theft experienced • Methods of ID theft bank has identified that reflect changes in risks • Supervisory guidance (Appendix + future publications) • Red flags from 5 categories: • Alerts, notices, warnings from CRAs or others • Suspicious documents • Suspicious identifying information • Suspicious account activity • Notice from customers, law enforcement, others

Detection of Red Flags • Program must be able to detect red flags in connection with opening of any covered account or any existing covered account • Guidelines provide 2 examples: • By verifying identity of person opening a covered account, e.g., by using CIP rules • By authenticating customers, monitoring transactions, and verifying change of address requests for existing accounts

Preventing & Mitigating ID Theft • Guidelines list 9 possible responses: • Monitor the account • Contact the customer • Change passwords or security codes • Reopen account with new number • Decline to open new account • Close existing account • Do not attempt to collect on account • Notify law enforcement • Determine that no response is warranted

Preventing & Mitigating ID Theft • Guidelines provide that in determining response, banks should consider aggravating circumstances such as: • Data security incident that results in unauthorized access to customer account records • Notice that customer has provided information to a fraudster, i.e., as a result of phishing attack

Address Discrepancies • Banks that uses consumer reports and receives a notice of address discrepancy from a CRA, must form a reasonable belief that report relates to consumer about whom it has been requested • If not, agencies expect that bank will not use the consumer report

Address Discrepancies • Bank can verify identity by comparing information in consumer report with: • Information bank uses to verify identity in accordance with CIP; • Information in its own records; or • Information obtained from 3rd party sources • Bank can verify information with consumer directly

Address Discrepancies • If bank regularly & in ordinary course of business furnishes information to CRA, then it must furnish confirmed address to CRA when: • It forms reasonable belief that report relates to consumer, and • It establishes a new relationship with that consumer

Change of Address Requests • Bank that issues credit or debit cards must assess the validity of change of address requests if, within a short time thereafter, it receives request for new or replacement card • Request can be from consumer or USPS • Applies to credit, debit and payroll cards • Does not apply to gift cards or other prepaid cards

Change of Address Requests • Bank can choose to verify address change either: • When it receives request for new card; or • When it receives notice of address change • Many banks commented that it may be easier to simply verify all address changes when received

Change of Address Requests • Regulation sets forth 2 methods: • Notify cardholder at former address or by any other means previously agreed to, and • Provide the cardholder a reasonable means to report incorrect address change • Or: • By any other reasonable means in accordance with policies established pursuant to red flags rule

Issues • Interplay among 3 parts can be confusing • Regulation straddles multiple disciplines, e.g., fraud prevention, risk management, IT security, compliance • The structure of ID theft prevention programs will vary; but trade associations working on help documents

Issues • Program can be human based, computer based, or combination of both • Is a business account a “covered account”? • Some banks waiting for exam procedures to begin complying

Exam Procedures • FDIC is still drafting exam procedures • Expect that address changes and address discrepancies will be handled as part of compliance examination. • Red Flag will be part of safety and soundness examination. The BSA and IT examiners will collaborate on the review. • Do not expect a roadmap to compliance; but it is always helpful to see what questions examiners will be asking

Contact Information James Avery, CISA IT Examiner FDIC Email: Jaavery@Fdic.gov

Questions?

Interagency Identity Theft Red Flags Regulation