CENTRALIZATION OF PAYMENT INCIDENTS IN CAMEROON - REGIONAL FILES
A Central Payment Incident Registry is established within the CEMAC region and managed by the Central Bank. It comprises three files to wit:
- The Regional File of Customers and Bank Accounts:
- The File of Payment Incidents;
- The File of Irregular Payment Instruments.
The processing of personal data collected for the Central Payment Incident Registry is for the purpose of preventing and penalizing fraud related to payment methods and incidents in Cameroon and CEMAC.
The operating procedures for these files are determined by instruction from the Governor of the Central Bank.
The Regional File of Customers and Bank Accounts lists the customers of the institutions subject to this registry and their accounts.
A comprehensive census of existing customers and accounts will be conducted on the day the Registry is established.
Access to Information in the Regional Files
Access to the information contained in this file is restricted to:
- The client regarding their personal data;
- Magistrates acting within the framework of legal proceedings;
- Judicial police officers acting on the instructions of the Public Prosecutor or on a rogatory commission.
Access to the information contained in this file is free of charge.
Incidents Recorded in the Payment Incident File
The Payment Incident File records:
- Interbank and intrabank payment incidents involving checks, bills of exchange, promissory notes, and direct debits;
- Cancellations of interbank and intrabank payment incidents involving checks, bills of exchange, promissory notes, and direct debits;
- Customer regularization of payment incidents;
- Judicial prohibitions and liftings of bans on issuing checks or using a payment card.
However, with regard to bills of exchange and promissory notes, the declaration to the Central Bank only applies to accepted bills of exchange and bank-domiciled promissory notes with an amount exceeding 500,000 CFA francs.
The Register of Irregular Payment Instruments records information on checks or payment cards:
- Linked to closed accounts and accounts whose holders are subject to a banking or judicial ban;
- Reported for loss, theft, fraud, forgery, or misuse.
Any interested person domiciled in one of the CEMAC member states can verify the validity of a check or payment card presented for payment by consulting the Register of Irregular Payment Instruments.