I wrote out some checks to pay for my sisters utilities, gas and electric, these checks were written out the the utility companies. I received a call from my bank the next day asking if I wrote out a check to XXX - a local tavern. I said no, my bank told me that the owner of the tavern was trying to cash a check that was originally written out to the utility company. The utility companies name was crossed off and cash was written in it's place (not the name of the tavern). So I told the bank that the check wasn't valid and they confiscated it. Now I just received a letter from a collection agency trying to get the money for the check ($50) plus a $70 collection fee from me. Do they have a leg to stand on in trying to get this money from me? Don't business have any responsibility in cashing checks, can they just take anything even checks blatently altered? I feel like the tavern is a party to this crime by cashing that check. The collection agency says my options are to pay it or file a police report and bring that in to them. Unfortunately my sister is already in big trouble and I really don't want to make it worse. Please let me know if I have any other options.
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Stopped payment on altered check
- Thread Starter Lex_
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It's understandable that the collection agency wants you to file a police report although you should be able to negotiate another check to be sent without a fee if you received a letter from the bank. That might likely be acceptable. The reason for the report is that many make up stories in order to evade payments and something of this nature would very likely end up with a police report being filed.
No compromise
Well I went back to the collection agency and offered to pay the amount of the check, plus a small fee. They have verified with my bank that the check was forged. But they will only accept the full amount. Or rather they will accept anything I give them, but I will still owe the rest. They will not compromise in any way.
Well I went back to the collection agency and offered to pay the amount of the check, plus a small fee. They have verified with my bank that the check was forged. But they will only accept the full amount. Or rather they will accept anything I give them, but I will still owe the rest. They will not compromise in any way.
The taverns responsibility
Is the tavern that cashed a check that was clearly and blatently altered not breaking some law? They cashed a check that was written out to someone else, isn't that wrong? I'm not trying to exonerate my sister, I just think that she had help perpetrating this crime from the tavern.
Is the tavern that cashed a check that was clearly and blatently altered not breaking some law? They cashed a check that was written out to someone else, isn't that wrong? I'm not trying to exonerate my sister, I just think that she had help perpetrating this crime from the tavern.
jon_
New Member
I'm not sure I understand what is going on. If it's as simple as you tried to pay by check but the check was stolen and attempted to be cashed, I'm not sure how you get to have a huge penalty attached. Regardless, the attempt to cash a stolen check should have been reported to the police so they can charge someone with a crime.
You have a tough choice to make. There are no easy solutions here and I hope that it works out for both of you.
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