Access to the data of the Interbank Register of Bad Cheques and Payment Cards (CAI)and requests for clarification as to how the Register works

What is this service?

The service allows people to check the data registered under their name in the Interbank Register of Bad Cheques and Payment cards (CAI), to verify whether a cheque or a payment card has been blocked, or to ask for clarifications on how the CAI works. This service is free of charge.

The CAI serves the purpose of preventing and fining the irregular use of bank and postal cheques and payment cards, to improve the security of these instruments and increase users' trust in these payment instruments. It is managed by the Bank of Italy and it contains the following data for the length of time indicated in brackets:

• the personal details of persons who have written bank or postal cheques with no authorization or without having sufficient funds (data kept for: six months);
• identification data for bank and postal cheques issued with no authorization or without sufficient funds (data kept for: six months);
• identification data for bank and postal cheques not returned following the revocation of authorization (data kept for: ten years);
• identification data for bank and postal cheques reported as stolen or lost or that have been blocked for other reasons (data kept for: ten years);
• the personal details of persons whose authorization to use payment cards has been revoked because of missed payments or lack of funds to cover the transactions made (data kept for: two years);
• the data for payment cards that have been revoked, stolen or lost (data kept for: two years);
• the personal details of persons who have been fined or subjected to accessory administrative sanctions by the prefect of police for issuing bank or postal cheques lacking authorization or funding (data kept for: from two to five years);
• the personal details of persons subjected to penal sanctions by the judicial authorities for violation of the obligations imposed as accessory administrative sanctions (data kept for: from two to five years).

The data are kept for the length of time indicated and are automatically deleted on the expiry date, so there are no 'historical data' in the archive.

Private (banks, post offices and intermediaries that issue payment cards) and public (Prefectures and judicial authorities) reporting entities input data directly into the archive.

Any objections or requests for correction or deletion of data held by the CAI must be sent to the reporting entities, who are responsible for the accuracy of the information entered and are obliged to delete and to correct any wrongly reported information as quickly as possible.

Who can use it?

• Natural persons can access the information registered under their names, either directly or via a request submitted by their guardian, trustee or heir (including 'subjects with title to inheritance'), delegate, OCC (Organismo di Compensazione delle Crisi), and so on.
• Legal persons, such as companies, associations, entities and organizations can access the information registered under their name, via a request from their legal representative (or from an authorized natural person under their respective statutes or legal systems), from shareholders in limited companies and shareholders with unlimited liability in partnerships, from an authorized liquidator, and so on.

You can also access data without names to verify whether a cheque (if you know the cheque number and the issuing bank's ABI and CAB codes) or a payment card has been blocked (if you know the Primary Account Number (PAN): this is the identification number provided by the issuer in the contract, which may not coincide with the number stamped on the card).

How does it work?

• You can contact the Banca d'Italia:
• via the 'Online services', platform, by clicking on the 'Submit a request for data' box. The request must be accompanied by supporting documentation in pdf form. The Bank of Italy will send the outcome of the request to the postal address or to the certified email address (PEC) indicated by the user.
• by submitting a request in paper form, in which you provide your personal details (surname, name, tax code, date of birth), or using a form that you can download from this page or find at one of the Bank's branches. You can send the request via PEC, email, regular mail or fax to any of the Bank of Italy Branches that provide this service, with a legible copy of a valid identity document attached. The response will be sent to the postal address or certified email address indicated in the request. The request can also be delivered in person to any of the Branches providing this service, as long as the person in question has an identity document with them and provides their tax code; in this case a response is usually given immediately.

You can also delegate another person, who will need to bring the proxy document and a photocopy of the delegating party's identity document.
Depending on the type of request, you may need to provide further supporting documentation.
The Bank of Italy provides this service free of charge.

• by submitting a request to the private reporting entities (banks, post offices and supervised financial intermediaries that issue payment cards), which are obliged to provide information relating to personal data and can provide a consultation service for lost, stolen or blocked payment cards and bank and postal cheques.
• via the Nexi Payments SpA website, where you can verify the proper circulation of cheques if you know the cheque numbers and the issuing bank's ABI and CAB codes. The data are updated daily.

Requests for clarification

The Bank of Italy allows anyone who is interested to ask for information about how the CAI functions. The request can be sent via the 'Online services' platform, by clicking on the 'Ask for information' box; alternatively, you can send a written request via PEC, email, regular mail or fax to any of the Bank of Italy Branches that provide this service.

Useful information

Private reporting entities (banks, post offices and supervised financial intermediaries that issue payment cards) and public ones (Prefectures and judicial authorities) are responsible for the accuracy of the reports sent to the CAI. Any objections or requests for correction or deletion must therefore be addressed directly to the reporting entities, which are obliged to delete and to correct any wrongly reported information as quickly as possible.

You can make a report to the Bank of Italy about irregular behaviour or misconduct on the part of banks, post offices or financial intermediaries that issue payment cards by making a complaint.

To protect your rights and interests, you can contact the Banking and Financial Ombudsman (ABF), which is an independent and alternative organization for settling disputes between customers and banking and financial intermediaries, the Data Protection Authority or the judicial authorities.