UnknownCharges

ACH Standard Entry Class (SEC) Code

What does TEL mean on a bank statement?

TEL

· Code definition documented · Sources checked

08/05 CONEDISON OF NY TEL PMT $45.20

Illustrative entry. The example date and amount do not establish your bank’s format or a real transaction.

Plain-English Definition

TEL stands for Telephone Initiated Entries. TEL is an ACH consumer-debit class associated with telephone authorization or initiation under an eligible standing authorization. It does not identify a telephone company or prove that the account holder consented to a particular debit.

Important: What this code is NOT

TEL is not a telephone-service fee or a merchant identity. Its presence does not demonstrate that a valid authorization was obtained. Whether a covered transfer was unauthorized depends on the facts, not these three letters.

Understanding TEL (Telephone Initiated Entries)

TEL can cover single or recurring consumer debits. A subsequent payment under a standing authorization can also use TEL when the applicable initiation conditions are met.

Nacha’s public oral-authorization guidance distinguishes single entries from recurring entries. A single oral authorization can be recorded or confirmed by written notice before settlement. Recurring oral authorizations require retained audio and evidence that an authorization copy was supplied under Regulation E; these are not interchangeable universal options.

Standing authorizations permit later payments initiated by further consumer action. The channel used for that later instruction may differ from the original authorization channel. Ask what arrangement the biller relies on rather than inferring a one-time payment from TEL.

Find the transaction details

Read the complete entry and its direction before looking for a company. A code may describe a deposit, payment type or status; it does not necessarily identify a purchase:

  1. Step 1 Read the company name, amount and date in the expanded statement information. Ask the bank to clarify missing or abbreviated transfer details.
  2. Step 2 Compare the entry with any billing-call confirmation or payment arrangement you actually recognize. If none matches, tell the bank that instead of guessing which company called.
  3. Step 3 Ask the bank or biller what authorization supports the debit and request available supporting records. Do not assume a complete call recording or transcript exists or must be supplied in that format; notify the bank promptly of a suspected error.

Example statement lines

These are lookup illustrations. Bank layouts vary, and an example does not establish a particular originator or authorization:

  • CONEDISON OF NY TEL PMT
  • PROGRESSIVE CAS TEL DEBIT
  • QUEST DIAGNOSTICS TEL BILL
  • WELLS FARGO AUTO TEL PAY

Questions about TEL

What does TEL stand for on a bank statement?

TEL stands for Telephone Initiated Entries. TEL is an ACH consumer-debit class associated with telephone authorization or initiation under an eligible standing authorization. It does not identify a telephone company or prove that the account holder consented to a particular debit.

Is TEL the name of a company?

TEL is not a telephone-service fee or a merchant identity. Its presence does not demonstrate that a valid authorization was obtained. Whether a covered transfer was unauthorized depends on the facts, not these three letters.

How can I find the originator or merchant for a TEL entry?

Read the company name, amount and date in the expanded statement information. Ask the bank to clarify missing or abbreviated transfer details. Compare the entry with any billing-call confirmation or payment arrangement you actually recognize. If none matches, tell the bank that instead of guessing which company called. Ask the bank or biller what authorization supports the debit and request available supporting records. Do not assume a complete call recording or transcript exists or must be supplied in that format; notify the bank promptly of a suspected error.

Source references

Source notes below describe the claims checked and their limits.

  • Nacha: ACH classes and originator fields https://achdevguide.nacha.org/ach-file-details

    Defines CIE, CCD, TEL and WEB classes, company fields and trace information; does not establish individual authorization or literal example descriptors.

    Source checked

  • Nacha: oral and standing authorizations https://www.nacha.org/rules/meaningful-modernization

    Distinguishes single, recurring and subsequent entries, oral authorization records and alternative initiation channels. Public rule-change explanation effective September 17, 2021, not a complete current Rules subscription.

    Source checked

  • CFPB: Regulation E account and unauthorized-transfer definitions https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1005/2/

    Consumer-account scope and unauthorized-transfer definition; a classification code alone cannot establish the facts of authority and benefit.

    Source checked

  • CFPB: transfer information on periodic statements https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1005/9/

    Covered statement information includes amount, date, direction/type and third-party identification; formatting and terminology can vary.

    Source checked

  • CFPB: transfer error inquiries and documentation https://www.consumerfinance.gov/rules-policy/regulations/1005/11/

    Covered consumer-transfer error notices and clarification requests; not a promise of a refund, universal deadline or particular audio record.

    Source checked