Number: RS22594
Title: Check Cashers and Banker's Discontinuance of Services
Authors: Pauline Smale and Walter Eubanks, Government and Finance Division 
Abstract: Check cashers are dependent on access to bank services to operate. Banks provide depository accounts, check collection and clearing operations, funds transfer, and access to lines of credit for liquidity purposes. Banks and check cashers are both subject to Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) regulations. The BSA is an anti-money laundering and antiterrorism financing statute. Federal regulators have cautioned banks that nonbank money service businesses (an umbrella term that includes check cashing enterprises) can present heightened money laundering risks. Consequently, some banks have discontinued their business relations with check cashers. The discontinuance of services to check cashers brought about complaints to regulators and increased lobbying of Congress. Bank regulators have issued guidance to clarify BSA compliance expectations. Congress held hearings on the concerns of banks and check cashers.
Pages: 6
Date: February 2, 2007