Recovering Bad Checks

[Grant]

I got a bad check from a honey customer. Thankfully, I've only had a few of these over the many years I've sold honey.

Their $40 check bounced and I was dinged $19 by my bank (and they took back the $40).

Not wanting to get dinged again on a bad check, I took the check to the local branch of their bank. I asked the teller if the check was good, and if it was safe for me to deposit the check back into my account.

The teller was very helpful and sympathetic. She told me she could not tell me how much money they had in their account, but she would tell me if they had enough to cover the check.

For two months (usually after the first of the month) I returned to the bank to be told they were still overdrawn. Finally, on the third trip, the teller told me they had the money in the account.

I said, "So it's safe for me to deposit the check at my bank?"

She said, "Yes, or I can cash it for you right now."

I did it her way.

Not knowing the customer, and not knowing if they would pay me if I confronted them with the check, I felt this was a better way of recovering a bad check.

Grant
Jackson, MO

[Chef Isaac]

that nice..... really nice of the banker. Here, they would not do that at all. I need to move to MO.

I have all my customers write their phone number down on the checks when they give it to me and I keep a small little sign that says a fee will be charge for bad checks. Covers my bases.

[Chef Isaac]

and by the way grant, i miss your e books!!!!

[oldenglish]

Try this,

http://www.cashflownow.org/badcheckrecovery.htm

[cheesegenie]

While in business for 25 years, I got more bad cheques than I wanted. Hard
to collect, and the bank charges on top. Also makes a good customer a
poor or no customer. The best thing was the interact machine, cost us 5%, but the money was always there. Looking back, I feel sorry for anybody in small business, the smaller the business, the harder the hit. I will give you
guys credit for hanging in there and trying to get an honest dollar from an
honest and hard dollar earned.

[KeyBeeper]

My wife is in a service business and she collects 4 weeks in advance in person. I'm sure this is not possible in most situations - but check your operation and see if it is possible. One thing about a service, you can't re-posses it, so it's about the only protection she has.

[FindlayBee]

What really gets me is that you get charged for someone else's bad check. Seems like they should charge the other bank account and not yours.

Here I can ask if there is enough in the account to cover the check. I cannot however find out how much is in the account. You know, adding an extra 0 to 100 and stealing money is part of that reason.

[CentralPAguy]

Remember folks, Banks are not friends of ours. They are there to pillage our accounts on all fronts inclusive of both sides of the transaction.

I am not sure if a Credit Union is much better. I try to think of them as a Bank.

[Camp9]

I did that once with a semi load of hay, too about 6 weeks, but when there was enough $$ in their account I ran the check through.

Camp

[Chef Isaac]

no, a credit union is NOT better