Poland’s competition and consumer protection authority has ordered ING Bank Śląski, Bank Ochrony Środowiska, Nest Bank and Plus Bank to change their procedures for disputed transactions. inPoland.net.pl reported the decision on Wednesday, November 4.

The watchdog found that the lenders had frequently treated a PIN entry or approval through a banking application as sufficient proof that a customer consented to a payment. UOKiK President Tomasz Chróstny said authentication alone cannot justify rejecting a refund, as banks must establish that the client knowingly authorized the operation or acted with gross negligence.

Polish rules generally require a bank to restore money taken through an unauthorized transaction by the end of the next working day after it is reported. This does not apply when there are grounds to suspect customer fraud or when more than 13 months have passed since the operation.

The four institutions must reassess complaints submitted from November 16, 2022, and make refunds in justified cases no later than December 31, 2027. They must also contact eligible former customers, publish the regulator’s decisions, notify clients through mobile apps and report on compliance to UOKiK by April 30, 2028.