STAR Network Advisory Group:

The STAR Network Advisory Group is an advisory committee that represents the STAR Network Membership by providing guidance and recommendations to the STAR Network staff on product, Rule, and procedural changes. The committee is composed of representatives of STAR Member financial institutions selected by STAR Network staff and represents the diverse types and sizes of STAR Network Members. The STAR Network Advisory Group considers matters referred to them by the STAR Network Membership, STAR Network Advisory Board, and the staff of the STAR Network. The STAR Network Advisory Group does not have independent policy making authority but provides recommendations to the STAR Network. The STAR Network Advisory Group acts as the Arbitration Committee in resolving disputes between STAR Members.

STAR Network and Merchant Sponsorship (Sponsor Financial Institution):

The STAR® Network defines a sponsor financial institution as a STAR member that sponsors eligible STAR retailers, Internet merchants, IAOs, ESOs or ISOs into the STAR Network. As sponsors, financial institutions provide an enhancement to their merchant services program while offering value-added services to their commercial customers.

STAR POB Transaction Set

• Withdrawal, the automated dispensing of United States currency from a STAR Cardholder’s checking or savings Accounts to the STAR Cardholder.
• Inquiry, an inquiry by a STAR Cardholder as to the balance of the STAR Cardholder’s checking or savings Accounts.
• Deposit, the deposit of currency and other negotiable items at an ATM for credit to a STAR Cardholder’s checking or savings Accounts.
• Cash Check, the deposit of a negotiable item to a STAR Cardholder’s checking or savings Account and return of cash to the STAR Cardholder for the full value of the negotiable item.

STAR POS Scrip:

Paper that is redeemable for cash, goods, or services in the legal currency of the country in which such paper is issued. POS Scrip shall not include cards, such as automated fare cards, with an electronically pre-encoded value.

STAR POS Scrip Terminal:

Any unattended, cardholder-operated, card-activated STAR POS Terminal at which a STAR Cardholder may initiate and perform POS Scrip Transactions.

STAR POS Scrip Transaction:

A STAR POS Transaction performed at a STAR POS Scrip Terminal that involves the purchase of POS Scrip.

STAR POS Terminal:

Any POS Terminal that is sponsored by an Acquirer Member, is governed by a Merchant Agreement, and allows STAR Cardholder to use STAR Cards to effect STAR Transactions. A STAR ATM is considered a STAR POS Terminal for purposes of a purchase transaction expressly permitted by STAR.

STAR POS Transaction:

See STAR Transaction

STAR POS Transaction Set:

Any of the following functions attempted by a STAR Cardholder to access a Deposit Account at a STAR POS Terminal, STAR POS Scrip Terminal, or a telephone (PIN-less Utility Bill Payments only):

• Purchase, a financial STAR Transaction that, if approved, results in a debit to a STAR Cardholder’s Deposit Account. The Purchase may be solely in payment for goods and/or services, may include cash paid to the STAR Cardholder of some or the entire amount, or may involve the purchase of POS Scrip.
• Purchase Correction/Cancellation, a financial transaction initiated by a STAR Cardholder or STAR Merchant that, if approved, results in a credit to a STAR Cardholder’s Deposit Account. A correction/cancellation is intended to correct an incorrect or miskeyed transaction amount.
• POS Balance Inquiry, a non-financial STAR Transaction that enables a STAR Cardholder to obtain the current or available balance of a Deposit Account at a STAR Cardholder-operated STAR POS Terminal.
• Pre-Authorization/Pre-Authorization Completion, a two-step STAR Transaction, the first being a non-financial STAR Transaction (“Pre-authorization”) that, if approved, represents to the Acquirer Member or STAR Merchant that sufficient funds are available, and the second a financial STAR Transaction (“Pre-authorization Completion”) for the same amount or a lesser amount than approved at the time of the Pre-authorization.
• PIN-Less Utility Bill Payment Transaction, a funds transfer from a STAR Cardholder’s Deposit Account to a Utility Company that is initiated by the STAR Cardholder through the use of a STAR Card on a telephone using a voice response unit (VRU) and without PIN entry or PIN verification but with Authentication of the STAR Cardholder by the Utility or its agent pursuant to the Bill Payment Authentication Program. (Effective June 1, 2003)
• STAR MoneyGram Money Transfer, a purchase of a STAR-approved form of electronic money transfer order at a participating STAR ATM. Also known as a STAR MoneyGram Send Transaction.

STAR Primary Service Area:

The service area of the STAR Network prior to January 1, 2002 and which comprised the following states or districts: Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, and Washington.

STAR Processor Agreement:

An agreement between STAR and each Processor which provides that a Processor may process STAR Transactions.

STARsf℠:

A service mark owned by STAR and utilized as an identifier for the No Convenience Fee Program.

STAR STATION®:

An automated system that enables Members connected to the STAR Southeast, Central, and West Switch Platforms to submit and receive Exception Items, terminal location directory information and contact directory information, and to access STAR Network manuals and documentation.

STAR Switch:

The telecommunications systems and STAR Switch Platforms operated by STAR for routing STAR ATM Transactions, STAR POB Transactions, and STAR POS Transactions among Issuer Members and Acquirer Members.

STAR Switch Fee:

The fee that STAR collects from Issuer Members and/or Acquirer Members for STAR Transactions, as established from time to time by the STAR Network.

STAR Switch Platforms:

The data processing platform(s) used by STAR for processing STAR Transactions and includes the following: STAR Northeast Switch (“STAR Northeast Switch”) located in Wilmington, DE; STAR Southeast Switch (“STAR Southeast Switch”), located in Maitland, FL; STAR Central Switch (STAR Central Switch”), located in Maitland, FL; and the STAR West Switch (“STAR West Switch”), located in Atlanta, GA.

Star Systems® (STAR®):

Star Networks, Inc., d/b/a Star Systems® and its predecessors, a Concord EFS, Inc. company.

STAR Terminal:

Any ATM, POB, POS, or Scrip Terminal that displays or is required to display the proper STAR Marks and allows Cardholders to use STAR Cards to effect STAR Transactions from Access Accounts. A STAR ATM, STAR POB Terminal, or a STAR POS Terminal is a STAR Terminal. A STAR Internet Device is not considered a STAR Terminal. A terminal may be both a STAR Terminal (by meeting the requirements of a STAR Terminal such as transaction set and security requirements) and a STAR Internet Device (by meeting the requirements of a STAR Internet Device such as transaction set and security requirements).

STAR Transaction Set

• STAR ATM Transaction, any ATM transaction that is initiated by a STAR Cardholder using a STAR Card at a STAR ATM or STAR POB Terminal, unless such transaction is not routed to the STAR Switch pursuant to an express provision of these Rules (“STAR ATM Transaction”).
• STAR POS Transaction, any POS transaction that is initiated by a STAR Cardholder using a STAR Card at a STAR POS Terminal, unless such transaction is not routed to the STAR Switch pursuant to an express provision of these Rules (“STAR POS Transaction”).
• Utility Bill Payment Transaction, any Utility Bill Payment Transaction that is initiated by a STAR Cardholder using a STAR Card via a telephone or STAR Internet Device, unless such transaction is not routed to the STAR Switch pursuant to an express provision of these Rules (“Utility Bill Payment Transaction”).
• STAR Internet Transaction, any STAR Internet Transaction that is initiated by a STAR Account Holder using an Authentication Token and a STAR Internet Device (which supports such Authentication Token) at a STAR Internet Merchant (which supports such Authentication Token), unless such transaction is not routed to the STAR Switch pursuant to an express provision of these Rules (“STAR Internet Transaction”).
• STAR Interbank Transfer, a transfer of funds by a STAR Account Holder to a STAR Cardholder based on the STAR Cardholder’s Card Number, unless such transaction is not routed to the STAR Switch pursuant to an express provision of these Rules (“STAR Interbank Transfer”). The Interbank Transfer Sender and the Interbank Transfer Recipient may hold accounts at different STAR Members or at the same STAR Member.

Start Up Kit:

Supplies shipped to new merchants including sales slips, credit slips, batch header tickets, return envelopes, VISA/MasterCard decals, merchant plastics, imprinter slugs and instructional materials.

Status Change:

A non-monetary change such as an account change or update, i.e., new merchant address.

Stored-Value Card:

A pre-paid payment card that stores a monetary value from which the purchase amount is deducted from the card each time the card is used.

Strip Off:

The process of separating transactions during submission of a batch for settlement. For example, Merchant Processors strips off American Express transactions and sends them directly to AMEX for processing.

Submission:

The process of sending batch deposits to Merchant Services for processing. This may be done electronically or by mail.

Support Documentation:

The forms necessary to effect a chargeback processing cycle, and any additional material to uphold a dispute.

Supplement:

An agreement between STAR and a Member electing to participate in the No Convenience Fee Program.

Surcharge:

See Convenience Fee.

Suspect Transaction:

A transaction that occurs one day prior to or following the account number being listed in the combined Warning Bulletin or listed as pickup card.

Switch:

An electronic mechanism that routes transaction data from a point-of-sale terminal to the authorizing data processor for approval of the card-issuing institution.