(a) A credit card issuer that mails an offer or solicitation to receive a credit card and, in response, receives a completed application for a credit card that lists an address that is different from the address on the offer or solicitation shall verify the change of address by contacting the person to whom the solicitation or offer was mailed.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a person to whom an offer or solicitation to receive a credit card is made shall not be liable for the unauthorized use of a credit card issued in response to that offer or solicitation if the credit card issuer does not verify the change of address pursuant to subdivision (a) prior to the issuance of the credit card, unless the credit card issuer proves that this person actually incurred the charge on the credit card.

Terms Used In California Civil Code 1747.06

  • Card issuer: means any person who issues a credit card or the agent of that person for that purpose with respect to the credit card. See California Civil Code 1747.02
  • Cardholder: means a natural person to whom a credit card is issued for consumer credit purposes, or a natural person who has agreed with the card issuer to pay consumer credit obligations arising from the issuance of a credit card to another natural person. See California Civil Code 1747.02
  • Credit card: means any card, plate, coupon book, or other single credit device existing for the purpose of being used from time to time upon presentation to obtain money, property, labor, or services on credit. See California Civil Code 1747.02
  • response: is a writing that is responsive to an inquiry and mailed to the cardholder's address last known to the card issuer. See California Civil Code 1747.02
  • Unauthorized use: means the use of a credit card by a person, other than the cardholder, (1) who does not have actual, implied, or apparent authority for that use and (2) from which the cardholder receives no benefit. See California Civil Code 1747.02

(c) When a credit card issuer receives a written or oral request for a change of the cardholder‘s billing address and then receives a written or oral request for an additional credit card within 10 days after the requested address change, the credit card issuer shall not mail the requested additional credit card to the new address or, alternatively, activate the requested additional credit card, unless the credit card issuer has verified the change of address.

(d) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2000.

(Added by Stats. 1999, Ch. 423, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2000. Section operative July 1, 2000, by its own provisions.)

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