# Checking a check
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/checking-a-check/460016
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [August 14, 2008, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/checking-a-check/460016 "2008-08-14T18:14:35Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)
#### Post date: [August 14, 2008, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/checking-a-check/460016/1 "2008-08-14T18:14:35Z")
If all goes well, an ex-employer will finally pay me wages owed tomorrow. I do not trust him. He will give me the money only if I dismiss my civil suit against him, which I would be delighted to do, if I really get the money. If I call the issuing bank will they confirm whether the account has enough money to cover the check? What is the best way to treat the check so that it becomes my money ASAP?
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### Author:  [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)
#### Post date: [August 14, 2008, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/checking-a-check/460016/2 "2008-08-14T18:22:15Z")
[QUOTE=dauerbach]
If all goes well, an ex-employer will finally pay me wages owed tomorrow. I do not trust him. He will give me the money only if I dismiss my civil suit against him, which I would be delighted to do, if I really get the money. If I call the issuing bank will they confirm whether the account has enough money to cover the check? What is the best way to treat the check so that it becomes my money ASAP?
[/QUOTE]
Demand a cashier’s (a.k.a. counter or certified) check.
Barring that, do not deposit the check in your bank: take it to his bank and cash it.
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### Author:  [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)
#### Post date: [August 14, 2008, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/checking-a-check/460016/3 "2008-08-14T18:23:00Z")
Call the bank from your cell phone while inside the same bank. Make sure the money is there. Then cash the check.
DO NOT under any circumstances dismiss the case until the cash is in your hand.
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### Author:  [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)
#### Post date: [August 14, 2008, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/checking-a-check/460016/4 "2008-08-14T18:24:17Z")
Cash the check at the issuing bank, instead of at your own.
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### Author:  [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)
#### Post date: [August 14, 2008, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/checking-a-check/460016/5 "2008-08-14T18:24:54Z")
Yep, Cashier’s Check or postal money order would be the way to go in this situation.
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### Author:  [@nivlac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nivlac)
#### Post date: [August 14, 2008, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/checking-a-check/460016/6 "2008-08-14T18:25:30Z")
If the ex-employer were a large established company it’s very unlikely the check will bounce. If it’s a small fly-by-night operation ask for cash or a wire transfer into your account if you’re worried. In any case, if you don’t receive payment, whatever agreement you’ve signed to dismiss the civil suit will not be valid anyway. If that happens reinstate the suit.
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### Author:  [@J\_Cubed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J_Cubed)
#### Post date: [August 15, 2008, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/checking-a-check/460016/7 "2008-08-15T04:01:20Z")
Demand unmarked non-consecutive $20 bills.
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### Author:  [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)
#### Post date: [August 15, 2008, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/checking-a-check/460016/8 "2008-08-15T04:14:12Z")
As said already, I would only accept a money order or cash at this point. But to specifically answer your question, yes, if you call his bank with the check in hand they can most certainly tell you if it will clear. If it will, great. Take it to his bank immediately, if possible, and cash it. If not, a horse’s head will do the trick nicely.
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### Author:  [@IAmNotSpartacus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IAmNotSpartacus)
#### Post date: [August 15, 2008, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/checking-a-check/460016/9 "2008-08-15T04:30:12Z")
Many banks will no longer provide information as to whether a check is good or not. It’s very easy to get a rough idea of someone’s balance with a few requests for whether or not a check is good.
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### Author:  [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)
#### Post date: [August 15, 2008, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/checking-a-check/460016/10 "2008-08-15T05:11:57Z")
[QUOTE=IAmNotSpartacus]
Many banks will no longer provide information as to whether a check is good or not. It’s very easy to get a rough idea of someone’s balance with a few requests for whether or not a check is good.
[/QUOTE]
Well that hardly seems fair. So there’s no way around getting charged a return check fee because some ass-wipe didn’t have the money to cover the check they wrote me?
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### Author:  [@IAmNotSpartacus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IAmNotSpartacus)
#### Post date: [August 15, 2008, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/checking-a-check/460016/11 "2008-08-15T05:29:57Z")
[QUOTE=bouv]
Well that hardly seems fair. So there’s no way around getting charged a return check fee because some ass-wipe didn’t have the money to cover the check they wrote me?
[/QUOTE]
Sure there is.
Go and cash it at his bank.
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### Author:  [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)
#### Post date: [August 15, 2008, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/checking-a-check/460016/12 "2008-08-15T09:41:55Z")
[QUOTE=dauerbach]
If all goes well, an ex-employer will finally pay me wages owed tomorrow. I do not trust him. He will give me the money only if I dismiss my civil suit against him, which I would be delighted to do, if I really get the money.
[/QUOTE]
Why not ask to be paid in cash?
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### Author:  [@Pixilated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixilated)
#### Post date: [August 15, 2008, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/checking-a-check/460016/13 "2008-08-15T10:03:03Z")
The problem with verifying funds is the possibility of funds being depleted by time your bank sends the check through to the issuer’s bank. Even if you call and verify & then cash/deposit the check at another bank it does not guarantee funds will still be available by time the check is processed by his bank (he can place a stop payment on the check any time prior to processing & the bank will not tell you until it’s processed - which can take minutes to days).
Like many of the others suggested:
Only way to guarantee the check will not be returned is to cash it at the issuer’s bank. If this is not an option, money order or cashier’s check is the way to go.
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### Author:  [@muttrox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muttrox)
#### Post date: [August 15, 2008, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/checking-a-check/460016/14 "2008-08-15T11:54:34Z")
Don’t be too quick on the cashiers check, that is a popular scam these days. Google for “Cashiers Check Scam” or “Cashiers Check Fraud”.
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### Author:  [@BrknButterfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrknButterfly)
#### Post date: [August 15, 2008, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/checking-a-check/460016/15 "2008-08-15T13:40:14Z")
Though just be aware that if you do cash the check with the issuing bank, if you don’t have an account with them they will most likely charge you a fee for doing so. The bank I work for doesn’t, though I have heard larger banks do.
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### Author:  [@FourPaws](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FourPaws)
#### Post date: [August 15, 2008, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/checking-a-check/460016/16 "2008-08-15T13:42:50Z")
[QUOTE=muttrox]
Don’t be too quick on the cashiers check, that is a popular scam these days. Google for “Cashiers Check Scam” or “Cashiers Check Fraud”.
[/QUOTE]
You can call the issuing bank or credit union, give them the check number and amount, and they can verify if the check is indeed good or if it’s bogus / counterfeit. Easiest way to protect your assets - and piggy bank.
Oink.
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### Author:  [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)
#### Post date: [August 15, 2008, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/checking-a-check/460016/17 "2008-08-15T15:22:18Z")
[QUOTE=BrknButterfly]
Though just be aware that if you do cash the check with the issuing bank, if you don’t have an account with them they will most likely charge you a fee for doing so. The bank I work for doesn’t, though I have heard larger banks do.
[/QUOTE]
In my experience, if you pitch a fit, they will waive this fee. Explain how it’s ludicrous for them to charge you a fee for legitimately demanding they provide the service their customer demands of them (namely: “pay to the order of”) and if they want to charge someone a fee, they should be welcome to charge their customer, as its him who’s made them do the extra work by writing a check on his account, etc.
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### Author:  [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)
#### Post date: [August 15, 2008, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/checking-a-check/460016/18 "2008-08-15T20:21:40Z")
It seems to me I have heard in the past of banks refusing to cash a cheque for someone who is not a customer of theirs\* (they apparently do not want to take any measure of responsibility for frauds their customers try to perpetrate). I would also say take nothing less than a certified cheque or money order, or cash. He basically has to buy these from the bank/post office, so they should be good. It sounds like you’ve been jerked around by him for awhile now, so a demand for a certified cheque is not unreasonable.
\*This was in Canada - your banks may be different, of course.
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### Author:  [@KRSOradio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KRSOradio)
#### Post date: [August 16, 2008, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/checking-a-check/460016/19 "2008-08-16T02:20:29Z")
Some banks will refuse to cash checks unless you’re a customer. If they do this to you, see if they will allow you to open free checking account. If so do it, you should get immediate access to the cash. Then leave the minimum required. The next day close the account.
The problem is most banks no longer clear checks. If you check your credit cards and such you will find they process your checks as electronic transfers. I tired to get Bank Of America to stop this but as they pointed out, my agreement says in order to have a BOA Visa I have to allow them to do so.
This is why the check rules seem odd, because no one is really cashing checks, they are taking your checks and processing them as electronic payments. I had a small business and I’ve had banks reverse a check and say it was bad, six months after it was deposited.
Best thing is to cash it as his bank, or simply demand a postal money order.
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### Author:  [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)
#### Post date: [August 16, 2008, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/checking-a-check/460016/20 "2008-08-16T04:07:32Z")
[QUOTE=KRSOradio]
Some banks will refuse to cash checks unless you’re a customer.
[/QUOTE]
They usually cash checks that are drawn on their bank, whether the payee has an account there or not.