§ 1010.415 - Purchases of bank checks and drafts, cashier's checks, money orders and traveler's checks.

§ 1010.415 Purchases of bank checks and drafts, cashier's checks, money orders and traveler's checks.

(a) No financial institution may issue or sell a bank check or draft, cashier's check, money order or traveler's check for $3,000 or more in currency unless it maintains records of the following information, which must be obtained for each issuance or sale of one or more of these instruments to any individual purchaser which involves currency in amounts of $3,000-$10,000 inclusive:

(1) If the purchaser has a deposit account with the financial institution:

(i)

(A) The name of the purchaser;

(B) The date of purchase;

(C) The type(s) of instrument(s) purchased;

(D) The serial number(s) of each of the instrument(s) purchased; and

(E) The amount in dollars of each of the instrument(s) purchased.

(ii) In addition, the financial institution must verify that the individual is a deposit accountholder or must verify the individual's identity. Verification may be either through a signature card or other file or record at the financial institution provided the deposit accountholder's name and address were verified previously and that information was recorded on the signature card or other file or record; or by examination of a document which is normally acceptable within the banking community as a means of identification when cashing checks for nondepositors and which contains the name and address of the purchaser. If the deposit accountholder's identity has not been verified previously, the financial institution shall verify the deposit accountholder's identity by examination of a document which is normally acceptable within the banking community as a means of identification when cashing checks for nondepositors and which contains the name and address of the purchaser, and shall record the specific identifying information (e.g., State of issuance and number of driver's license).

(2) If the purchaser does not have a deposit account with the financial institution:

(i)

(A) The name and address of the purchaser;

(B) The social security number of the purchaser, or if the purchaser is an alien and does not have a social security number, the alien identification number;

(C) The date of birth of the purchaser;

(D) The date of purchase;

(E) The type(s) of instrument(s) purchased;

(F) The serial number(s) of the instrument(s) purchased; and

(G) The amount in dollars of each of the instrument(s) purchased.

(ii) In addition, the financial institution shall verify the purchaser's name and address by examination of a document which is normally acceptable within the banking community as a means of identification when cashing checks for nondepositors and which contains the name and address of the purchaser, and shall record the specific identifying information (e.g., State of issuance and number of driver's license).

(b) Contemporaneous purchases of the same or different types of instruments totaling $3,000 or more shall be treated as one purchase. Multiple purchases during one business day totaling $3,000 or more shall be treated as one purchase if an individual employee, director, officer, or partner of the financial institution has knowledge that these purchases have occurred.

(c) Records required to be kept shall be retained by the financial institution for a period of five years and shall be made available to the Secretary upon request at any time.