# What is an EMS interest check? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 12, 2010, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-an-ems-interest-check/524692 "2010-01-12T18:51:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-an-ems-interest-check/524692/1 "2010-01-12T18:51:54Z")
I received in the mail yesterday a check from the apartment complex I rent my place from. It was for $1.64, and says “EMS interest check” on it. Google’s not much help here, and since it’s such a huge amount of money I’d like to know where it’s coming from. What is it for? ---
**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-an-ems-interest-check/524692/2 "2010-01-12T19:12:19Z")
If they are holding your security deposit in an interest-bearing account, it might be from that. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-an-ems-interest-check/524692/3 "2010-01-12T19:12:36Z")
Did you give a security deposit when you rented your place? Depending on local law, deposits are to be held in a special savings account until you leave your residence. Any interest earned is supposed to be paid back to you. I’ve never actually received interest back, but I’ve heard that’s normally the law. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-an-ems-interest-check/524692/4 "2010-01-12T19:13:50Z")
I don’t know, but my guess would be this is interest from the escrow account where your security deposit is held. In many states, the landlord can get a security deposit from you but must put it in a separate escrow account, and must give you the interest on the account. Maybe your complex sends out the interest every year or something. Or, yeah, what everyone else said while I was typing. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-an-ems-interest-check/524692/5 "2010-01-12T21:16:16Z")
The other posters are probably right, but just so others know. When I did collections we would send small checks (under $2.00) to people we bought debts from. That way they’d cash the check and we’d see what bank account it was and then we’d go an attach their bank accounts to get the debt paid. So if you owe money and you get a small check DO NOT CASH IT. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-an-ems-interest-check/524692/6 "2010-01-12T22:26:06Z")
Ever thought about asking the folks that work in the office of your apartment building? ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2010, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-an-ems-interest-check/524692/7 "2010-01-12T23:14:56Z")
> [@DooWahDiddy](#): > > (The check) was for $1.64, and says “EMS interest check” on it. Google’s not much help here, and since it’s such a huge amount of money I’d like to know where it’s coming from. > > What is it for? In your case, it’s for a 20 oz. Coke. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-an-ems-interest-check/524692/8 "2010-01-13T00:28:38Z")
Ahh, thanks guys, that’s probably what it is, from my security deposit. **Wilbo523** , of course I thought about that, but it’s a fairly large company that owns dozens of buildings throughout the city, and calling them for a two-dollar matter is silly considering the amount of time I’d be put on hold and whatnot. And **AWB** , just barely! 🙂