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Boy, I have been bamboozled
bs233jl
Member Posts: 623 ✭✭✭
I wrote a check for my annual Costco membership. I placed it in my curb side mail box for pickup for the USPS on Wed. Some knuckle head must have seen the flag up on the mail box and helped herself. I was balancing my account tonight and found my $120 check was changed to $3000. I called my bank, but they only work on C.C.'s problems at night( call center), I will have to call my branch in the AM. The person endorsed it and got the money. What is wrong with people? Lesson learned.. only retrieve not place anything in my box. Jeez o Pete.
Comments
Report this IN PERSON to your local post master/mistress. Taking mail from your mail box is a Federal Crime. Don't know about your bank situation - but in my case at First Federal Bank of Florida - the $3k would be back in my account as soon as I was at a branch in person with my checkbook that does 'carbon copies'. Best Regards - AQH
So.....they scratched out "Costco" and the amount. Then changed it to thier name or cash and changed the amount??! I would be interested in who cashed it for them if i was you! Or maybe they did it online with all your banking info somehow.
But if they made all those changes, then the bank who accepted it should be held liable too!
I think @mike55 nailed it.
I went through this a few years ago with a check issued from my IRA to my late wife's non profit. $10,000.
The bank that cashed it is responsible and will make you whole but you will probably need to file a police report and the be prepared to wait. It took PNC Bank about 4 months to settle up even though they were the ones who cashed it and the ones who notified my brokerage that the check had been washed and a new name inserted.
Its called "washing a check". It happens all the time never put checks in the mailbox.
I'd recommend just transitioning away from paper checks completely. There is almost no reason to have to mail paper checks anymore. Just about everything can be paid electronically, and best practice is to just use a CC for it all. More protection that way, and then you only have a single bill to pay at the end of the month.
I keep some checks for those rare occasions that don't fit with any other payment options, but I'm still on the same book I got in 1999.
Yes you learned a lesson. I take the outgoing mail straight to the post office. There are some real criminal scum out there.
Personal preference, but: 1) Outgoing mail should always be placed in a secure USPS container...preferably at the post office; 2) CCs have layers of protection (but do leave an electronic trail) without direct access to your bank accounts; 3) First class postage keeps Bidenflating...$.60 seems minor, but stamps add up if you mail enough bills.
Still working on it...more to come.
Bamboozled Update. I received a call this afternoon from my bank. They replaced my $3000. She said they will not pursue the person who altered my check. Guessing that amount isn't worth the trouble it will cost to go after the thief and the check cashing business. Again, I will not place any check payments into my mail box. Lesson learned.
Glad it worked out for you. I guess you can chalk it up to a lesson learned about our modern lawless society. It kind of ticks me off that the banks and credit card companies don't pursue any of these incidents. If they don't, when will it ever stop?😡 Bob
I’d be asking for a copy of the check, be nice to know who’s pilfering your mailbox if they were dumb enough to use their real name.
Mule
I can see my cashed checks front and back on my banks web site. Check was made out to Citi Bank. Amount $120.00. They left Citi Bank as the pay to, but changed the amount from $120 to $3000. They endorsed the check with their name on the back. And it was cashed by a check cashing entity.
Wife put a birthday card with a gift card in an actual USPS mail box at noon. It was used 2 hours later. PO didn't care.
I never have more than $500 on my checking / debit card account. I can quickly transfer funds from other accounts if I make a larger purchase.