(a) The TSP may freeze (e.g., place an administrative hold on) a participant's account for any of the following reasons:

(1) Pursuant to a qualifying retirement benefits court order as set forth in part 1653 of this chapter;

(2) Pursuant to a request from the Department of Justice under the Mandatory Victims Restitution Act;

(3) Upon the death of a participant;

(4) Upon suspicion or knowledge of fraudulent account activity or identity theft;

(5) In response to litigation pertaining to an account;

(6) For operational reasons (e.g., to correct a processing error or to stop payment on a check when account funds are insufficient);

(7) Pursuant to a written request from a participant; and

(8) For any other reason the TSP deems prudent.

(b) An account freeze (i.e., administrative hold) prohibits a participant from withdrawing funds, including loans, from his or her account. The participant continues to have the capability to conduct all other transactions including making contributions, changing contribution allocations, and making interfund transfers.

(c) The Agency will notify the participant that his or her account has been frozen unless it determines it prudent to not notify the participant that his of her account has been frozen.

(d) A participant may block on-line and ThriftLine access to his or her account by writing to the TSP or by submitting a request at http://www.tsp.gov.

(e) A participant may remove a participant-initiated freeze (administrative hold) by submitting a notarized request to the TSP.

[74 FR 63063, Dec. 2, 2009]