HR-9331 — STOP Payments Fraud Act of 2026

YourVoice.Now Summary

Your MoneyCorporate BenefitsTransparency & Accountability

Banks could hold checks and wires they suspect are fraud for up to 45 days — with written reasons required.

Your Money

Protection from overdraft fees during unnoticed wire holds

If a bank holds a wire it suspects is fraud and does not give you written notice when it delays the money, it cannot charge you an overdraft fee caused by that missing money.

Access to deposited checks — fraud suspicion allows 45-day holds

If your bank has a reasonable suspicion a check is fake or unauthorized, it could hold the money. Rules would set a first hold of up to 10 days and a longer hold of up to 45 days, and could vary the limits by dollar amount.

Access to incoming wire transfers — suspected fraud allows 45-day holds

The same 10-day and 45-day hold limits would apply to wires the bank reasonably suspects are fraud. Today wired money must be ready the next business day. A bank could not hold wires just because of the type of wire or the type of person sending or getting it.

Next-day access to Treasury and cashier's checks — one-year pauses

U.S. Treasury checks and cashier's checks must now be ready the next business day. If fraud losses are high, the Federal Reserve and consumer finance agency could treat them like ordinary checks, which can take a day longer, for up to one year per decision. They must first decide within six months whether to do so.

Quick access to deposits after fraud warnings — up to 60 days

The agencies would list situations tied to higher fraud risk. When one happens, even an old account could get the slower rules now used for brand-new accounts, for up to 60 days each time.

Duty to keep shortening check hold times — made optional

Current law tells the Federal Reserve and consumer finance agency they shall cut check hold times to as short as possible. The bill changes this to 'may' and drops the 'as short as possible' goal.

Corporate Benefits

Banks' leeway to delay deposits they suspect are fraud

Banks would gain new legal grounds to hold checks and wires on reasonable suspicion of fraud, not only when a check seems uncollectible. This can limit the fraud losses banks carry.

Transparency & Accountability

Bank's reasons for a fraud hold — required in notice

The notice a bank sends when it holds a check or wire for suspected fraud must list the warning signs behind the hold. Rules may add more status updates for the depositor and others.

Bank examiners checking wire-hold rules — at every regular exam

Federal bank regulators would check that banks follow the wire-hold rules during each regular exam. Banks must keep a record of every hold notice they send.

More about this bill

If your bank thinks a check or wire you deposit might be fraud, it could hold the money much longer. The first hold could last up to 10 days. A longer hold could last up to 45 days. Today, most deposits must be ready in one or two business days. The bank would have to tell you its reasons in writing. If a wire hold makes your account go negative and you got no written notice, the bank could not charge an overdraft fee. The Federal Reserve and the consumer finance agency would write the rules within a year. The new holds start 60 days after that. The two agencies could also slow access to U.S. Treasury checks and cashier's checks for up to a year at a time when fraud losses are high. After signs of fraud risk, any account could face new-account limits for up to 60 days. A House committee approved it; the full House has not voted.

Congressional Summary

Strengthening Transaction Oversight and Preventing Payments Fraud Act of 2026 or the STOP Payments Fraud Act of 2026 This bill establishes additional grounds for banks to pause the processing of deposited checks and wire transfers. Under current law, banks are generally required to make deposited funds available in one to two business days, depending on the type of deposit and with limited exceptions. Under the bill, receiving banks are allowed to delay the processing of checks or wire transfers that they reasonably suspect are fraudulent. The bill allows for an initial hold that is not to exceed 10 days and an extended hold that is not to exceed 45 days. If an account is overdrawn due to a hold on a wire transfer and the depositor did not receive written notice, no overdraft fees may be applied. The bill allows the Federal Reserve Board and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to determine when to apply safeguards to accounts determined to be at greater risk of fraud. Such safeguards must not apply for more than 60 days for each occurrence. These changes take effect 60 days after the issuance of implementing rules, which must be issued within one year of the bill's enactment. The bill also requires (1) the board and CFPB to determine whether to remove Treasury checks and cashier’s checks from expedited classification due to material losses from fraud, and (2) the Government Accountability Office to report on issues relating to the availability of funds and fraud protection.

Legislative Subjects

Bank accounts, deposits, capitalBanking and financial institutions regulationFraud offenses and financial crimesUser charges and fees

Details

Congress: 119th
Chamber: House
Status: summarized
Action: Reported to House
Action Date: 2026-09-01
Date Added: 2026-09-23
Source: Congress.gov →

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