<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".04" citation="COMAR 09.03.16.04" title_num="09" subtitle_num="03" chapter_num="16" heading="Fee Refunds for Fraudulent Transactions.">
  <paragraph num="A.">
    <text>Scope.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>This regulation governs the procedure by which a User may request a Fee Refund on a transaction the User alleges is a Fraudulent Transaction.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>A User’s rights under this regulation are in addition to any rights a User may have under any applicable law.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="B.">
    <text>Definitions.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>In this regulation, the following terms have the meanings indicated.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Terms Defined.</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>“Fee Refund” means a refund under this regulation of the Fee charged to that User.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>“Refund Claim” means a User’s claim for a Fee Refund.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>“Refund Denial” means an Operator’s denial of a Refund Claim.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>“Written Confirmation” means a written confirmation of a verbally given Notice of Fraud.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="C.">
    <text>Notice of Fraud by User.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>An Operator shall treat any Notice of Fraud as a Refund Claim.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>A User must provide a Notice of Fraud to an Operator no more than 90 calendar days after the alleged Fraudulent Transaction.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>A Notice of Fraud is sufficient for this regulation if it:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Includes the User’s name;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Provides a copy of the Receipt or otherwise provides information sufficient to identify the Virtual Currency Services the User obtained through the Operator’s Kiosk; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Contains a brief description of why the User believes the transaction was a Fraudulent Transaction.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>An Operator may not engage in any act or subterfuge to make it difficult for a User to provide a Notice of Fraud.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="D.">
    <text>Place of Notice.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>An Operator must offer a User:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>At least one method to submit an Electronic Notice of Fraud; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>At least one method to submit a Non-electronic Notice of Fraud.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>The Operator shall conspicuously include information on its website and in any promotional materials explaining how a User may submit:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>An Electronic Notice of Fraud; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>A Non-electronic Notice of Fraud.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>An Operator may require the User to submit a Non-electronic Notice of Fraud only to a telephone number or address disclosed on the Receipt, provided that the Operator:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Has reasonable procedures to redirect a User to the specified telephone number or address if the User attempts to provide a Non-electronic Notice of Fraud by other means;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Has reasonable procedures to route any written Non-electronic Notice of Fraud the Operator receives at any other address to the department or personnel responsible for investigating and resolving a Refund Claim; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Conspicuously displays the designated telephone number or address for a User to provide a Non-electronic Notice of Fraud on any website the Operator maintains.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>If a User provides a written Notice of Fraud to an address other than the address designated by the Operator and the Operator receives such Notice of Fraud:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>The Operator must process the Notice of Fraud as a Refund Claim in accordance with this regulation; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>The time frame for investigating and resolving the Refund Claim shall begin 5 business days after the Operator’s receipt of the Notice of Fraud at the incorrect address.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="E.">
    <text>Written Confirmation.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>An Operator may require a User to provide Written Confirmation of a verbal Non-electronic Notice of Fraud within 30 calendar days of the verbal Non-electronic Notice of Fraud.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>An Operator requiring a Written Confirmation under this Section shall:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>At the time of the verbal Non-electronic Notice of Fraud:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>Inform the User that the Operator must receive a Written Confirmation; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>Inform the User that the Operator will mail the User a notice concerning the Written Confirmation; and</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Within 3 business days of the verbal Non-electronic Notice of Fraud, mail the User written notice stating:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>The Operator requires a Written Confirmation;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>A specific date at least 30 calendar days after the date of the notice by which the User must submit the Written Confirmation;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>The address to send the Written Confirmation; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iv)">
          <text>The User’s failure to timely provide a Written Confirmation may result in a Refund Denial.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>An Operator may not require the Written Confirmation to include information inconsistent with the definition of a Non-electronic Notice of Fraud.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>A User who verbally provides a Non-electronic Notice of Fraud within the time frame established by §E(2) of this regulation has timely submitted a Notice of Fraud.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(5)">
      <text>If a User fails to provide the Written Confirmation within 30 calendar days of the Operator’s full compliance with §E(2) of this regulation:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>The Operator may mail written notice to the User:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>Informing the User that the Operator has not received the Written Confirmation;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>Requiring the User to provide the Written Confirmation within 30 calendar days of the notice; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>Informing the User the Operator may deny the Refund Claim if the User fails to provide the Written Confirmation within 30 calendar days of the notice.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>A User’s failure to provide a timely Written Confirmation following the Operator’s compliance with §E(5)(a) of this regulation constitutes grounds to issue a Refund Denial.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="F.">
    <text>Investigation and Resolution.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Except as otherwise expressly set forth in this regulation, an Operator shall have 30 calendar days from receipt of a Notice of Fraud to investigate and resolve the Refund Claim.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>If the Operator requested a Written Confirmation in compliance with §E of this regulation, the Operator shall have 30 calendar days from receipt of the Written Confirmation to investigate and resolve the Refund Claim.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>In connection with its investigation of a Refund Claim, an Operator may:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Inquire if the User filed a police report;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Inquire if the User possesses any documents or communications relating to the alleged Fraudulent Transaction; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Request copies of any police report filed or documents possessed by the User and relating to the alleged Fraudulent Transaction.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>In connection with its investigation of a Refund Claim, an Operator may not:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Require the filing of a police report;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Require the User to provide copies of a filed police report or documents relating to the alleged Fraudulent Transaction;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Imply that a failure to file a police report, provide copies of a filed police report, or provide copies of documents relating to the alleged Fraudulent Transaction will impact the Refund Claim;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>Issue a Refund Denial based on a failure to file a police report, failure to provide copies of a filed police report, or failure to provide copies of documents relating to the to the alleged Fraudulent Transaction; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(e)">
        <text>Charge any cost, fee, or other amount to investigate and resolve a Refund Claim.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(5)">
      <text>A User shall reasonably cooperate with the Operator’s investigation of a Refund Claim by answering questions concerning the Fraudulent Transaction.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(6)">
      <text>Within 3 business days of completing its investigation, an Operator shall resolve a Refund Claim by mailing the User either:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>A Refund Denial; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>A statement granting the Refund Claim.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(7)">
      <text>A Refund Denial must:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Generally describe the Operator’s investigative process;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>List any facts the Operator relied on for the Refund Denial;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Describe any other factors the Operator relied on for the Refund Denial;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>Inform the User of the right to file a complaint regarding the Refund Denial with the Commissioner; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(e)">
        <text>Provide the User with a link or other information needed to reach the Commissioner.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(8)">
      <text>An Operator may not issue a Refund Denial based on any of the following:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>User’s negligence;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>User’s failure to consider or act upon warnings and disclosures provided by the Operator;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>User’s responses to questions posed by the Operator when the User obtained the Virtual Currency Services; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>User submission of a Notice of Fraud for a prior transaction.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(9)">
      <text>A Fee Refund shall be issued promptly in United States currency.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(10)">
      <text>A User receiving a Refund Denial may file a complaint with the Commissioner.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(11)">
      <text>A complaint concerning a Refund Denial must be filed with the Commissioner within 3 years of the User’s receipt of the Refund Denial.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
</regulation>