Section 5--109. Fraud and forgery  


Latest version.
  • (a) If  a  presentation  is  made that appears on its face strictly to
      comply with the terms and conditions of the  letter  of  credit,  but  a
      required  document  is  forged or materially fraudulent, or honor of the
      presentation would facilitate a material fraud by the beneficiary on the
      issuer or applicant:
             (1) The issuer shall honor the presentation, if honor is demanded
                 by:
                 (i) a nominated person who has given value in good faith  and
                     without notice of forgery or material fraud,
                (ii) a  confirmer  who  has  honored  its confirmation in good
                     faith,
               (iii) a holder in due course of a draft drawn under the  letter
                     of  credit which was taken after acceptance by the issuer
                     or nominated person, or
                (iv) an  assignee  of  the  issuer's  or  nominated   person's
                     deferred  obligation that was taken for value and without
                     notice of forgery or material fraud after the  obligation
                     was incurred by the issuer or nominated person; and
             (2) The  issuer,  acting in good faith, may honor or dishonor the
                 presentation in any other case.
        (b) If an applicant claims that  a  required  document  is  forged  or
      materially fraudulent or that honor of the presentation would facilitate
      a  material fraud by the beneficiary on the issuer or applicant, a court
      of competent jurisdiction may  temporarily  or  permanently  enjoin  the
      issuer  from honoring a presentation or grant similar relief against the
      issuer or other persons only if the court finds that:
             (1) The relief is not prohibited under the law applicable  to  an
                 accepted draft or deferred obligation incurred by the issuer;
             (2) A  beneficiary,  issuer,  or  nominated  person  who  may  be
                 adversely affected is adequately protected against loss  that
                 it may suffer because the relief is granted;
             (3) All of the conditions to entitle a person to the relief under
                 the law of this state have been met; and
             (4) On  the  basis of the information submitted to the court, the
                 applicant is more likely than not to succeed under its  claim
                 of  forgery  or material fraud and the person demanding honor
                 does not  qualify  for  protection  under  paragraph  (1)  of
                 subsection (a) of this section.