(a) Every licensee or its agent shall refund to the customer within 10 days of receipt of the customer’s written request for a refund any and all money received for transmission unless any of the following occurs:

(1) The money has been forwarded within 10 days of the date of receipt.

(2) Instructions have been given committing an equivalent amount of money to the person designated by the customer within 10 days of the date of the receipt of the money from the customer.

(3) The customer instructs the licensee to transmit the money at a time beyond 10 days. If the customer gives instructions as to when the money shall be forwarded or transmitted and the moneys have not yet been forwarded or transmitted, the licensee or its agent shall refund the customer’s money within 10 days of receipt of the customer’s written request for a refund.

(4) The refund would violate law.

(b) If a customer’s instructions as to when the money shall be forwarded or transmitted are not complied with and the money has not yet been forwarded or transmitted, the customer has a right to a refund of his or her money. A cause of action under this section may be brought in small claims court if it does not exceed the jurisdiction of that court, or in any other appropriate court. The customer shall be entitled to recover each of the following:

(1) Any and all money received for transmission, plus any fees and charges paid by the customer.

(2) A penalty in an amount not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000). The court shall award the prevailing party costs and attorney’s fees.

(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 499, Sec. 12. (AB 2209) Effective January 1, 2015.)