<?xml version="1.0"?>
<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>65335</law_id><section_number>8.4A-208</section_number><catch_line>Misdescription of intermediary bank or beneficiary&amp;#8217;s bank</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="8.4A">Commercial Code &#x2014; Funds Transfers</unit><unit label="part" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="2">Issue and Acceptance of Payment Order</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="a"><p><span class="prefix-number">a.</span> This subsection applies to a payment <span class="dictionary">order</span> identifying an <span class="dictionary">intermediary bank</span> or the beneficiary&#x2019;s bank only by an identifying number. <a id="paragraph-237581" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.4A-208/#a"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="a1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> The receiving bank may rely on the number as the proper identification of the intermediary or beneficiary&#x2019;s bank and need not determine whether the number identifies a bank. <a id="paragraph-237582" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.4A-208/#a1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="a2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> The sender is obliged to compensate the receiving bank for any loss and expenses incurred by the receiving bank as a result of its reliance on the number in executing or attempting to execute the <span class="dictionary">order</span>. <a id="paragraph-237583" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.4A-208/#a2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="b"><p><span class="prefix-number">b.</span> This subsection applies to a payment <span class="dictionary">order</span> identifying an <span class="dictionary">intermediary bank</span> or the beneficiary&#x2019;s bank both by name and an identifying number if the name and number identify different persons. <a id="paragraph-237584" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.4A-208/#b"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="b1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> If the sender is a bank, the receiving bank may rely on the number as the proper identification of the intermediary or beneficiary&#x2019;s bank if the receiving bank, when it executes the sender&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">order</span>, does not know that the name and number identify different persons. The receiving bank need not determine whether the name and number refer to the same person or whether the number refers to a bank. The sender is obliged to compensate the receiving bank for any loss and expenses incurred by the receiving bank as a result of its reliance on the number in executing or attempting to execute the <span class="dictionary">order</span>. <a id="paragraph-237585" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.4A-208/#b1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="b2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> If the sender is not a bank and the receiving bank proves that the sender, before the payment <span class="dictionary">order</span> was accepted, had notice that the receiving bank might rely on the number as the proper identification of the intermediary or beneficiary&#x2019;s bank even if it identifies a person different from the bank identified by name, the rights and obligations of the sender and the receiving bank are governed by subdivision (b) (1) of this section, as though the sender were a bank. Proof of notice may be made by any <span class="dictionary">admissible</span> <span class="dictionary">evidence</span>. The receiving bank satisfies the <span class="dictionary">burden of proof</span> if it proves that the sender, before the payment <span class="dictionary">order</span> was accepted, signed a record stating the information to which the notice relates. <a id="paragraph-237586" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.4A-208/#b2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="b3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> Regardless of whether the sender is a bank, the receiving bank may rely on the name as the proper identification of the intermediary or beneficiary&#x2019;s bank if the receiving bank, at the time it executes the sender&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">order</span>, does not know that the name and number identify different persons. The receiving bank need not determine whether the name and number refer to the same person. <a id="paragraph-237587" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.4A-208/#b3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="b4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> If the receiving bank knows that the name and number identify different persons, reliance on either the name or the number in executing the sender&#x2019;s payment <span class="dictionary">order</span> is a breach of the obligation stated in subdivision (a) (1) of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Obligations of receiving bank in execution of payment order" href="/8.4A-302/">8.4A-302</a>. <a id="paragraph-237588" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.4A-208/#b4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1990, c. 9; 2024, c. 652.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
