A USBFCTICHAR entry on your bank statement is an ATM transaction from a machine operated by FCTI, Inc. and processed through U.S. Bank’s network. “USB” is U.S. Bank, “FCTI” is the ATM operator, and “CHAR” means a charge posted to your account. In almost every case, this traces back to a routine cash withdrawal at a convenience store or gas station ATM, most often inside a 7-Eleven. If the date and dollar amount line up with a cash stop you made, the charge is legitimate. If they don’t, federal law gives you specific deadlines that decide how much of the loss you’re on the hook for.
Where You Probably Used the ATM
FCTI manages more than 8,400 ATMs inside 7-Eleven stores nationwide, so that is the first place to think about.1NCR Atleos. FCTI and NCR Atleos Expand Access to Self-Service Banking for Millions of Cardholders at 7-Eleven Stores You’ll also find FCTI machines at gas stations, Speedway locations, smaller convenience chains, and shopping centers. These are off-premise ATMs sitting inside retail stores rather than in a bank lobby, which is why your statement shows the processor’s code instead of a storefront name you’d recognize.
Think back to any quick cash stops. Most people don’t register the ATM brand when they’re grabbing $40 on the way somewhere. If your banking app shows a transaction map or location data, that can pin down exactly where the withdrawal happened.
Why the Amount Looks Higher Than the Cash You Took
Two fees can stack on a single out-of-network withdrawal. The ATM operator charges a surcharge to every non-network user at the machine. Your own bank also charges an out-of-network fee for using a machine outside its network, averaging around $3.25 nationally. Together, a single withdrawal can easily carry $5 to $7 in fees on top of the cash. So if you pulled out $40 and see $45 or $47 deducted, that’s the likely explanation.
How to Verify the Transaction
Open your banking app and look at the full transaction detail for the USBFCTICHAR entry. Most apps break out the withdrawal amount separately from any surcharge. Match the date, time, and total against your memory of recent cash stops.
If you kept the ATM receipt, it includes a terminal ID, a unique number assigned to that specific machine. That ID lets your bank trace the transaction to an exact location and timestamp. No receipt? Your bank can still pull the terminal ID from its own records when you call.
When the ATM Debited You But Didn’t Dispense Cash
Sometimes a machine jams or malfunctions after the account is debited. Every ATM keeps an internal log of each bill it loads and dispenses, so your bank can reconcile the machine’s records against your account. Call your bank right away and open a dispute. In many cases the machine itself logged the error, and the charge reverses within a few days once the operator audits the terminal. Having the date, time, and terminal ID speeds things up.
If You Didn’t Make the Withdrawal
If someone else used your card, federal law caps your exposure based on how fast you report it. The clock on the first tier starts when you learn your card is lost or stolen, not when the transaction posts. The 60-day clock starts when your bank sends the statement containing the unauthorized charge.
- Report within two business days of learning about the loss or theft: your liability tops out at $50, or the total amount of unauthorized transfers if that’s less.2Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. 12 CFR 1005.6 – Liability of Consumer for Unauthorized Transfers
- Report after two business days but within 60 days of your statement: liability can rise to $500.2Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. 12 CFR 1005.6 – Liability of Consumer for Unauthorized Transfers
- Fail to report within 60 days of the statement: you could be responsible for the full amount of any unauthorized transfers that happen after that 60-day window closes.2Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. 12 CFR 1005.6 – Liability of Consumer for Unauthorized Transfers
A charge sitting on a statement you haven’t opened is still eating into that 60-day window, so don’t let unopened statements pile up.
How to Dispute the Charge
Call the number on the back of your debit card or use your bank’s dispute feature in its mobile app. Give them the transaction date, dollar amount, and the terminal ID if you have it. Under Regulation E, the bank has to investigate and reach a determination within 10 business days of receiving your notice.3Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. 12 CFR 1005.11 – Procedures for Resolving Errors
If the bank needs more time, it can extend the investigation to 45 days, but only if it provisionally credits your account within those initial 10 business days.3Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. 12 CFR 1005.11 – Procedures for Resolving Errors That provisional credit lets you use the disputed funds while the investigation continues. The bank can hold back up to $50 from that credit if it has reason to believe the transfer was unauthorized and your liability applies. Once the investigation closes, the bank has three business days to report its results to you.
If the bank confirms an error, it must correct your account within one business day of that determination.3Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. 12 CFR 1005.11 – Procedures for Resolving Errors If it finds no error, it can reverse the provisional credit, but it has to explain why and provide the documentation it relied on. You can then request copies of the records the bank used in its investigation.