I run a small service business out of my home and we received a bad check for $75. Do we go to the police for this or someone else? We have tried to contact the individual but she is not picking her phone up. Any suggestions?
2006-07-17 07:53:21 · 12 answers · asked by Daniel 2 in Local Businesses ➔ United States ➔ Other - US Local Businesses
Call the police and press charges for theft. They will handle the rest. I have had experience with this.
2006-07-17 07:56:39 · answer #1 · answered by N.E.Pats Fan 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would call the bank on the check and see if the funds are now in the account and if they are, I would take the check to the bank immediately and cash it. Otherwise, send a certified (return receipt requested) letter to the address on the check. The letter should state that you've received a notice of non-payment on the check and that if you do not receive payment by a certain date you will pursue the matter legally. In the meantime, contact your local police department and see if they have guidelines for the problem. In my area the police will help businesses out with checks over $200 (felony) and they have a packet of information that they can fax to you. I found that the certified letter usually worked pretty well. Good Luck.
2006-07-17 08:02:45 · answer #2 · answered by Susan G 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You need to go to the police first and foremost. File a report, and then go to the Bank which the check was drawn off of (the bank showing on the check). Ask the bank if the account is still open and if there are funds now available, if there are funds, request that they convert the check into a cashier's check payable to your business. If the account isn't open, or if there aren't funds, then I suggest contacting your own bank to see if they can offer you a collection service (most banks are now doing this for their small and large business customers).
Be prepared though, most small town police won't do much for you on $75.00, but it could help out the next business if you file the report.
You can also go to the courts and get a judgment against the person, but that does cost money and it's a crap-shoot as to actually being able to collect from the person.
A final ditch effort would be to go out to the person's address and demand the money from them, but that could be dangerous and I wouldn't recommend it without a police escort.
2006-07-17 08:02:35 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mail her a formal letter including a copy of the check and tell her that you need replacement of the $ she originally paid w/the check plus an additional amount of $x.xx to cover the bank charges for the returned check fee. State that you need the payment within a certain period or you will be turning the matter over to the police. I do not know the exact procedure for that but if you contact your local precinct they might be able to assist you or direct you where to go etc... Whatever you do, if you received the actual check back from your bank DON'T give her the original until she has paid you in full what is owed. IF you feel it was an honest mistake it's obviously up to you whether or not to request the bank fees but it is your right to recoup those fees. I worked as an office manager for an architect for a few years and this is what he would have me do when someone owed him for something like this. Usually he'd give them 30 days, but you can check with your local police to see if you have a minimum number of days you have to give the person time to repay.
2006-07-17 10:12:19 · answer #4 · answered by metzlaureate 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Talk to the people at the bank that the check was written on. See if you can put it in for collection, which means the hold the check, when there is $75 in there, they pay the check. You could also file a police report, it is illegal to write bad checks.
2006-07-17 07:58:03 · answer #5 · answered by M 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
wow you people are giving bad info. Each state has their own laws so check for the laws in your state. In texas they have ten days to make the payment to you. If they don't then you can go file criminhal and civil charges on the person or company who issued the check. In texas any check over 50.00 dollars is a felony. you can also look into filling a lien on the property owner
2015-03-18 21:19:45 · answer #6 · answered by rudy 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If the product or service has already been given to him or her, then you need to file a police report. Do it soon, because there's usually a time limit for those type of reports. I think it's within 60 days, but double check just to make sure.
2006-07-17 08:04:28 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
In most states the county district attorney's office have the responsiblilty to pursue bad checks. If you call the police, I will bet they refer to that office. Most D.A. have dedicated officers doing the work. You also need to send the person a certified letter demanding payment before going to the D.A. office. That is your first step.
2006-07-17 20:57:19 · answer #8 · answered by Sam B 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
File liens on that person. Hopefully you kept the right paperwork to prove they owe you this money. You can also try to charge interest + charges the bank charged you for the NSF check
2006-07-17 07:58:38 · answer #9 · answered by BeC 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I hope you left her a message like "please call me regarding your check" ? Call the bank that the check is written on. If that doesn't work, call the police. It's a misdemeanor.
In the future, don't accept checks.
2006-07-17 07:59:28 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋