When you receive a check payment through Swan, we first verify its validity with the "Banque de France" and notify you of the result before you proceed with accepting the payment. This verification protects you from cashing fraudulent checks.
FNCI database
The National Register for Irregular Checks (FNCI) is a database maintained by the Banque de France. It tracks stolen and disputed checks, reducing the risk of fraudulent transactions.
Interpreting FNCI results
The results from a FNCI verification are accessible in your Web Banking app. Here’s how to interpret these results:
Color codes
Color codes show the status of the issued check.
Color codes | Explanation | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
Green | ✅ The check is clear of any issues and unlikely to be fraudulent. | Deposit this check after looking at the Check Payment Control (CPT) and issuing bank. |
Orange, White, or Red | ❌ The check is irregular and possibly fraudulent. This indicates an issue such as a closed account, a ban on the account holder from issuing checks, or reports of the check being lost or stolen. |
Don’t deposit this check. Request a valid check or new form of payment. |
Checks flagged with orange, white, or red will not be accepted, and the transaction will be stopped.
You should request a new, valid check or another form of payment from the issuer.
Check Payment Control (CPT)*
The CPT measures how many FNCI verifications are done to check the status of a bank account holder's issued checks over a specific time period. Conducting these checks tracks how often and how recently the account holder has issued checks, helping to identify potential fraud.
Check Payment Control | Explanation |
---|---|
CPT1 | Number of FNCI checks performed on the current day for checks issued by the account holder. |
CPT2 | Number of FNCI checks conducted in the past few days for checks issued by the same account holder. |
CPT3 | Number of FNCI checks in recent days for checks issued by the same account holder, typically over a different or extended period compared to CPT2. |
Issuing Bank
The bank that created and issued the check.
If the issuing bank is different from the bank listed in the FNCI result, it may indicate fraud, even if the color code is green.
If you're having trouble accepting a check payment, submit a request to Swan Support.
Footnotes
*Check Payment Control is the English translation of the French term "Contrôle de Paiement des Titres".