Confirmation of Payee (CoP) Guide

When CoP Is Mandatory

Before initiating a GBP payout via CHAPS or FPS, a valid Confirmation of Payee (CoP) check for the target payee is required.

If there is no valid CoP result for a payee, GBP payout creation to that account must be rejected.

Why CoP Is Required

CoP verifies that the payee name and account details match records at the receiving bank or PSP.

This reduces risks of fraud and misdirected payments.

What To Send In CoP Request

Provide:

1. Payee type: individual or corporate.
2. Payee name.
3. Payee sort code and account number.
4. Optional secondaryReferenceData (only when required by beneficiary institution).

CoP Response And How To Use It

CoP response includes:

1. matched: true for match, false for no match or partial match.
2. expirationTimestamp: validity period of current CoP result.

Recommended handling:

1. Cache each CoP result until expirationTimestamp.
2. If matched=true, proceed with payout.
3. If matched=false, review payee details and re-run CoP before payout.
4. If account does not exist (for example AC01), payout attempt must be rejected.

False/partial match details may contain:

1. code
2. description
3. name (suggested payee name when provided by receiving institution)

CoP Reason Codes

Code	Description	Comments and recommendations
ANNM	Name mismatch. You can proceed with the payment request, but we recommend updating the Payee name and running CoP check again.	Name mismatch. There is a different name for this account in the books of the beneficiary bank. You can proceed with the payment request, but we recommend updating payee details and running CoP check again. Initiating payment with current details may lead to funds being transferred to the wrong account and we may not be able to recover the funds.
MBAM	Close name match. You can proceed with the payment request, but we recommend updating the Payee name and running CoP check again.	Close name match. Name on the account is a close match. In this case name suggestion is returned from the beneficiary bank. You can proceed with the payment request, but we recommend updating Payee details with suggested name and running CoP Check again. Initiating payment with current details may lead to funds being transferred to the wrong account and we may not be able to recover the funds.
BANM	Close name match. You can proceed with the payment request, but we recommend updating the Payee type and running CoP check again.	Close name match. The account is registered as a corporate not an individual. You can proceed with the payment request, but we recommend updating Payee type and running CoP Check again. Initiating payment with current details may lead to funds being transferred to the wrong account and we may not be able to recover the funds.
PANM	Close name match. You can proceed with the payment request, but we recommend updating the Payee type and running CoP check again.	Close name match. The account is registered as an individual not corporate. You can proceed with the payment request, but we recommend updating Payee type and running CoP Check again. Initiating payment with current details may lead to funds being transferred to the wrong account and we may not be able to recover the funds.
BAMM	Close name match. You can proceed with the payment request, but we recommend updating the Payee name and type and running CoP check again.	Close name match. The account is registered as corporate not individual and the name on the account is a close match. In this case name suggestion is returned from the beneficiary bank. You can proceed with the payment request, but we recommend updating Payee type and name and running CoP Check again. Initiating payment with current details may lead to funds being transferred to the wrong account and we may not be able to recover the funds.
PAMM	Close name match. You can proceed with the payment request, but we recommend updating the Payee name and type and running CoP check again.	Close name match. The account is registered as an individual not corporate. Name on the account is a close match. In this case name suggestion is returned from the beneficiary bank. You can proceed with the payment request, but we recommend updating Payee type and name and running CoP Check again. Initiating payment with current details may lead to funds being transferred to the wrong account and we may not be able to recover the funds.
AC01	This account number does not exist. Payment to this account will be declined.	This account number does not exist. Payment to this account will be declined. You need to change payee details and run CoP check again.
IVCR	Unable to confirm secondary reference data. We recommend double checking the payee details before proceeding with the payment request.	Unable to confirm. Beneficiary bank was unable to locate the account based on secondary reference data. You can proceed with the payment request, but we recommend updating payee details and running CoP check again. Initiating payment with current details may lead to funds being transferred to the wrong account and we may not be able to recover the funds.
ACNS	Unable to confirm. We recommend double checking the payee details before proceeding with the payment request.	Unable to confirm. Beneficiary account is not supported by CoP. We recommend double checking payee details before proceeding. Initiating payment with current details may lead to funds being transferred to the wrong account and we may not be able to recover the funds.
OPTO	Unable to confirm. We recommend double checking the payee details before proceeding with the payment request.	Unable to confirm. It is not possible to check beneficiary account details. We recommend double checking payee details before proceeding. If payment is sent to a wrong account, funds may not be recoverable.
CASS	Account details changed (switched). You can proceed with the payment request, but we recommend contacting the recipient for updated account details and running CoP check again.	Account details changed (switched). You can proceed, but we recommend contacting recipient for updated account details and running CoP check again. Initiating payment with current details may lead to funds being transferred to the wrong account and we may not be able to recover the funds.
SCNS	Unable to confirm. We recommend double checking the payee details before proceeding with the payment request.	Unable to confirm. It is not possible to check current account. We recommend double checking payee details before proceeding. Initiating payment with current details may lead to funds being transferred to the wrong account and we may not be able to recover the funds.
SCNF	Unable to confirm. We recommend double checking the payee details before proceeding with the payment request.	Unable to confirm. Beneficiary bank is not a CoP participant. We recommend double checking payee details before proceeding. If payment is sent to the wrong account, funds may not be recoverable.
TECH_ERROR	Technical error, unable to confirm. You can proceed with the payment request or try to check details later.	Technical error, unable to confirm. You can proceed or try later. If payment is sent to the wrong account, funds may not be recoverable.
Any other reason code	Unable to confirm. We recommend double checking the payee details before proceeding with the payment request.	Unable to confirm details. Response code is not familiar. Recheck payee details before proceeding. If payment is sent to the wrong account, funds may not be recoverable.