TN 231 (01-23)

GN 02402.442 Coding Cameroon Bank Data on the Master Beneficiary Record (MBR)

A. Background for coding Cameroon bank data

This section describes how to code bank data for international direct deposit (IDD) of Title II benefits to a financial institution (FI) in Cameroon. We store IDD bank data on the MBR in the same fields used for U.S. direct deposit.

Special coding identifies the bank data as a Cameroon direct deposit. This allows us to route benefit payments through the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City (FRBKC) and the processor bank in Cameroon to the beneficiary's local FI.

If you receive an IDD request in a U.S. domestic (i.e, non-border) field office (FO), forward all appropriate information to the Office of Earnings and International Operations, (OEIO), Division of International Operations (DIO) to process.

For detailed instructions on IDD requests and forwarding information, see

  • GN 02402.201 Background and Policy for Direct Deposit Outside the U.S.

  • GN 02402.205, Direct Deposit Enrollment Outside the U.S.

  • GN 01010.255, Adjudication of Foreign Claims

  • GN 01702.310C Routing of Claims for U.S. Benefits Involving Totalization

B. How we receive IDD bank data

We receive requests to input bank data by mail, phone, or fax in the following formats:

  • Blank check;

  • SSA-1199-OP121 International Direct Deposit Signup Form for Cameroon ; or

  • Any document that contains required banking information.

If you receive information with discrepancies, see the following instructions:

  • GN 00203.020 Identity of Claimants

  • GN 02402.025 Direct Deposit Post Entitlement Interview

C. Multi-country contract

The processing FI in Cameroon will have a prefix of “72” at the beginning of the Routing and Transit Number (RTN). The first letter of the Depositor Account Number (DAN) field has the letter “W” assigned for Cameroon.

D. Overview of IDD for Cameroon

IDD payments sent to Cameroon must be in U.S. Dollars (USD) accounts at local FIs. The beneficiary must provide complete information to DIO or the Federal Benefits Unit (FBU) for input. DIO faxes incomplete forms to the FBU that serves Cameroon. The FBU contacts the beneficiary or FI for the additional information.

E. Description of Cameroon IDD bank data

The data to code IDD for Cameroon comes from banks determined by the FRBKC. The bank data on the MBR reflects 27 characters including the country code of W.

F. Procedure for coding Cameroon bank data

The FRBKC relies on us to provide the complete bank data to ensure correct posting of payments to a customer’s account. If the information is incomplete, the FRBKC rejects the payment and returns the funds to our agency.

You may establish or change IDD bank data for Cameroon using an SSA system (e.g. Modernized Claims System (MCS), Manual Adjustment Credit and Award Data Entry (MACADE)).

You must then go to ITS.gov to enter the following data:

  • account ownership

  • account type;

  • account number

  • beneficiary address; (no P.O. box address allowed)

  • beneficiary phone number;

  • country;

  • enrollment status;

  • first and last name of the beneficiary;

  • payee indicator;

  • bank name and address

  • Society for Worldwide Internet Financial Telecommunication-Business Identifier Code (SWIFT-BIC).

1. Obtain Swift-BIC code from the FI

The SWIFT code contains a minimum of 8 characters, and a maximum of 11 characters:

  • first four characters - bank code (alpha only);

  • next two characters - ISO 3166-1 alpha 2 country code (alpha only);

  • next two characters - location code (alpha and numeric) (passive participants have "1" in the second character); and

  • last three characters - branch code, optional ('XXX' for primary office) (alpha and numeric).

2. Process initial award

You must update ITS.gov with the bank account information prior to processing an initial award to ensure that the beneficiary receives payment. If the complete bank account information is not in ITS.gov when the payment processes, the payment rejects and returns to our agency.

3. Add or update bank data using SSA systems

When you add or update IDD bank data using SSA system (e.g. Post Entitlement Online System (POS), MACADE), you must:

  • update ITS.gov on the same day;

  • enter all POS direct deposit changes according to normal procedures;

  • use procedures outlined in the following chart when processing within four business days of the current operational month (COM) cutoff date.

Step

Action

1

Are you coding an initial claim?

If yes, go to step 3.

If no, go to step 2.

2

Is the beneficiary's address on the MBR in a foreign country (PCOC = 8)?

If no, STOP.

REASON: The MBR does not accept the IDD information unless the address is in a foreign country.

If yes, go to step 3.

3

Is the beneficiary's account a USD account in Cameroon? If no, STOP.

REASON: Beneficiaries in Cameroon can only receive IDD payments in USD accounts.

If yes, go to step 4.

4

The RTN is 720000160 RTN for Cameroon . It contains the:

  • Multi-country prefix of “72 ” for Cameroon IDD;

  • U.S. check digit code of “0 ” at the end of the RTN for all IDD accounts in Cameroon .

No need to obtain the check digit code from Title II Interactive Comps.

5

Code the account type:

  • “S” for savings, or

  • “C” for checking.

If the beneficiary does not indicate an account type, use a “C” for checking account.

6

To code the Depositor Account Number (DAN) for Cameroon , code:

  • W ” is designated for Cameroon ,

  • 16 digits of the 27-digit account number,

7

You must take action on the same business day to enter into ITS.gov all the information listed in GN 02402.442F.

You must access ITS.gov or ask a co-worker to update the required information into ITS.gov.

REMINDER: When information is not available, FRBKC rejects the payment and returns it to our agency.

G. Example of coding Cameroon direct deposit

The customer provides us with a signup form for Cameroon containing the account number: “123456789011223344556677889.”

1. Derive the RTN

The technician enters the information for the RTN.

  • Code the RTN of 720000160

  • Code the type of account as a “C” for checking or an “S” for savings. If no account type indicated, use a “C” for checking.

2. Derive the DAN

The technician codes the DAN.

  • Start with the country code of “W ” designated for Cameroon ; and

  • Code 16 digits of the 27-digit account number “1234567890112233”

3. Obtain the following information:

  • RTN: 720000160

  • Checking

  • DAN: WO234567890112233

a. POS reflects the direct deposit information

  • DIRECT DEPOSIT ROUTING TRANSIT NUMBER: 720000160 ACCOUNT TYPE (C/S): C

  • DEPOSITOR ACCOUNT NUMBER: WO234567890112233

  • CANCEL DIRECT DEPOSIT (Y):

  • DIRECT EXPRESS (Y):

b. The MBR reflects the following information

  • RTN- 720000160

  • DAN- CW1234567890112233

H. References

  • GN 00203.020 Identity of Claimants

  • GN 01010.255 Adjudication of Foreign Claims

  • GN 01702.310C Routing of Claims for U.S. Benefits Involving Totalization

  • GN 02402.025 Direct Deposit Post Entitlement Interview

  • GN 02402.201 Background and Policy for Direct Deposit Outside the U.S.

  • GN 02402.205 Direct Deposit Enrollment Outside the U.S.

  • ITS.gov International Treasury Services (U.S. Treasury system)


To Link to this section - Use this URL:
http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0202402442
GN 02402.442 - Coding Cameroon Bank Data on the Master Beneficiary Record (MBR) - 01/25/2023
Batch run: 01/19/2024
Rev:01/25/2023