Ripped off by forged check...what to do now?

[KayT]

Yesterday before going out I decided to check our bank account and found it to be a lot lower than I expected. So I checked the automated system for what transactions had been made lately. Well the first thing listed was a check for $4,500 dollars. I called the bank told them that I had not written that check and they said it was a two-party check and there was nothing I could do but WAIT UNTIL THEY PAID IT AND THEN FILE A DISPUTE. 3 different people refused to even try to put a stop on it. I about had a fit on the phone so they transferred me to the bank that apparently had just cashed the check at which point I was disconnected. Called back disconnected again. Called back and was extremely unhappy and was finally connected to the bank.

 

Too late because they had already cashed the check, so some @$%#@ woman is walking around with $4,500 of my dollars. I call dh and he goes to nearest branch and then ends up having to drive to the branch that cashed the check. For starters it doesn't even look like a personal check. I am livid that the teller even cashed it. It looks like part money order part certified check, part check. The number on the check is the same number on a check that I paid to our electric company a month ago , actually all the info right down to copied signature looks like what came from my electric company check....you know the check they are suppose to destroy!

 

Our entire Saturday, from 9:00 AM to 7:20PM, missed the event we had planned to attend, spent no less than 5 1/2 hours driving the road between branches and home, was one total headache ...but the bank is suppose to refund our money next week.

 

We have new accounts now and a password in order to even cash a check. I never write a check for anything but bills that are mailed, Dh doesn't even carry a check book , so I really don't know how this info was attained other than someone has one of our checks from one of the companies I sent a check to or someone in the bank is stealing info.

 

I don't want to send a check to anyone now, not knowing how this happened. I wanted to take all the monies out and use cash...dh says no. And to top all this off...3 months ago we had to get new debit cards because of the info that was stolen from Heartland that handles restaurant and small business debit transactions, and DH company is paying to have our stuff watched because some goober managed to get his laptop stolen with everyones social security info on it.(That's another thread :glare:)

 

So for the what to do part... Online banking so I don't have to send a check out anymore. MO so I don't have to send a check out any more. Become obsessive compulsive about checking my stinking account everyday. Or like the lady at the bank said DON"T WORRY, if something gets stolen the bank will replace it. I don't like this option!!!!

 

I'm tired, didn't sleep well and I am sure this if full of all kinds of grammar errors!!! SORRY! So what would you do? I almost feel hostage to the system!

 

I need to :chillpill::chillpill: !!!

[Tree House Academy]

OMG! I would be horrified too. That is terrible. Sounds like someone from the electric company stole the information. Have the police been contacted? Has the electric company been contacted? I would make sure that BOTH are contacted and fully aware of the situation. UGH!

[Highereducation]

Wow, I am so sorry that happened to you!

 

What's good is that you caught it so quickly. What's bad is that in these situations it's sometimes so hard to find someone who will help!

 

I hope you get it worked out to your satisfaction and that your new passwords, etc. help to keep it from happening again.

 

It's very frightening to think how easy it is for someone to wreak havoc on your bank accounts or even your identity.

[Jean in Wisc]

You don't ever leave your out-going mail with a check in it in the post box for the postman to pick up, do you? Lots of folks steal these out of the mailbox before the postman gets there. If that is the case, one of your checks is not going to arrive as it should. (Sorry.)

 

Identity theft happens. I use a charge card for everything and then pay it off each month. Every time I use my charge card, I get an email saying it has been used--and I can go in and check to see where. When someone stole my chargecard number, VISA called me even before it had come through my email--someone used it to transfer funds to a charge card account I didn't have, and it was red-flagged.

 

This has worked well for me and it keeps me happy.

 

:)Jean

[KayT]

I mail everything at the post office and the electric bill check had been paid by the bank 3 weeks ago so I know they received it. I just wonder what happened to it since then?

 

I'm not sure how using a credit card to pay my bills would work...I hadn't thought of that.

[Jean in Wisc]

I mail everything at the post office and the electric bill check had been paid by the bank 3 weeks ago so I know they received it. I just wonder what happened to it since then?

 

I'm not sure how using a credit card to pay my bills would work...I hadn't thought of that.

 

Paying online would accomplish the same thing for the bills--the idea that you don't have anything going through the mail is good. However, any type of payment can be hacked these days. Being careful and observant is the key.

 

Unfortunately.

 

J

[H.S. Burrow]

Before we moved and decided to homeschool, I worked in a bank. I can tell you that to create a check, all someone needs is:

 

Your identifying info on your check (name, address, phone)

Your bank's routing number

Your account number

 

This information could have been obtained by anyone who handled a check written by you or your husband...whether it was at the electric company, or their bank, or your bank, or the company that created your checks.

 

IF they had a forgery of your signature, then you should contact the police dept (if you have not already done so) and let them begin an investigation.

 

I would personally use your bank's online banking system or ONE credit card as Jean does.

 

I'm sorry that you have had to deal with this, but be thankful that you caught it when you did.

[KayT]

They said their attorney would be contacting me. In order to get my money back I had to sign a paper saying I would participate if needed in the court case. I too wondered about a police report...I will be asking this tomorrow as I am suppose to call and the check the staus...whatever that means.

[elegantlion]

OMG, HUGS!

[Pongo]

I never write a check for anything but bills that are mailed

 

This is exactly what happened to my df. Her next door neighbor said someone, not the postman was looking in her mailbox. Come to find out, this person took her gas bill, took the check out of it and did the same thing. Make sure you call your electric company, I doubt they even got the check.

 

That stinks!

[LMA]

Call the police. Someone stole my father's blank checks from his glove compartment (Yes, I told him not to leave checks in the car) and wrote some checks. The police took care of everything. They quickly found the people who didn't even bother forging a signature. He got his money back quickly. In fact, some of the businesses that took the checks got lectures from the police because the clerk checked the ID and check and the names didn't match but took the check anyway.

 

I would contact the electric utility also and show them the forged check and explain your observations.

 

:grouphug:

 

 

Louise

[KayT]

This is exactly what happened to my df. Her next door neighbor said someone, not the postman was looking in her mailbox. Come to find out, this person took her gas bill, took the check out of it and did the same thing. Make sure you call your electric company, I doubt they even got the check.

 

That stinks!

I always mail at the post office and electric company did get the check because they cashed it 3 weeks ago.

[joannqn]

We had a renter who stole a couple of checks from the back of a book of checks in my home office. I noticed the transaction right away and contacted the bank, who would not refund my money. Unless your checks are locked up, they consider you responsible (for giving the person access to them). We opened a new account, transferred all but one cent of our remaining money to the new account. We were not allowed to close the original account because I had a couple of outstanding bills that needed to be paid. They took the information about exactly which payees and the amounts. They flagged the original account so that ONLY those bills would be paid out of the new account. Well, they went ahead and paid another forged check anyway...and they didn't want to refund that money either. I was livid. The account was flagged and nothing but the two bills was suppose to be paid...it was clearly their fault. I eventually got the second amount back but never the first.

 

I had to get the police involved and get the money back directly from the person who stole it. The police investigated (with a LOT of squeaky wheel noise from me). They were able to determine where it has been cashed and to which account from the back of the check. They also obtained bank surveillance video to visually prove that she was the person taking the check to her bank. She was caught and offered either jail or diversion. Diversion required paying restitution. So, we started getting $50 money orders every month or three. It was suppose to be every month or she goes to jail but they allow for legitimate circumstances to delay it. It took a few years but we eventually got the money back. It didn't help us for the Christmas the year she stole it right before the holidays though. Personally, I didn't think the punishment (paying it back) was severe enough.

 

Oh, and in our case, she forged my signature and wrote the check to cash and took it to her bank. If I'm going to write a check to someone, I'm going to put their name on it not "cash". I didn't think it should have been cashed.

 

Either way, get the police involved. They can track the check to the person who cashed it. Even if the bank gives you the money back, the person should be caught. I wouldn't trust the bank to take the time to prosecute. $4,500 isn't a lot of money to them.

[Blessedfamily]

We wrote a check at the begining of April to the pediatrician that never cleared. I called yesterday, and the billing lady said, "Yes, we've had a few calls from parents about that. We haven't gotten credit at our bank for them. Can you just write us another check?"

 

I said, "Let me get this straight. You have no idea where my check is?" She says cheerily, "Yeah, That's right. And it's happen with other parents' checks too."

 

I had to go, but I will be calling back tomorrow to press this further. There may be a thief in their office. I'm watching my checking account like a hawk!

[Ferdie]

This is exactly what happened to my df. Her next door neighbor said someone, not the postman was looking in her mailbox. Come to find out, this person took her gas bill, took the check out of it and did the same thing. Make sure you call your electric company, I doubt they even got the check.

 

That stinks!

 

Wow! I never thought about that. I leave my paid bills in our mailbox all the time. I guess I won't be doing that any more.

 

Thanks!

[pooh bear]

We pay all our bills online, expect for the rent.

 

We have to send our landlord a check, from Florida to Washington state. The landlord called a week ago asking where this months rent was. We told her that it had been sent. We canceled that check and sent a new one. This time when we sent it, we purchased signature confirmation. The piece of mind is worth the extra expense. As to where to the other check is, I have no idea. Dh will be calling the bank in the morning to make sure that the check that got long has been canceled. I do hate sending checks through the mail.