Anon Cheque

PasturesNew

I'd just bank it. Then transfer the money into a high interest earning account. If they ask for it back, ignore the first letter, respond to the 2nd saying you know nothing about it - can they send you further details/copies, etc.

That should buy more than enough time for the 30 days safety ... then give it back.

If I heard nothing, after 6 years I'd assume it was mine - and do whatever I wanted with it.

I had an overpay from a Building Society for £780 about 17 years ago. I was just mindful that there was £780 in my account that wasn't mine for the next 6 years and just made sure if I was ever asked for it, I could scrabble it together from somewhere... they never asked once.

NewbieMoneySaver**

Hello all and thankyou for your help.

I have as you know allready cashed it.

I have not touched a penny though and do not intend too.

I have put it into my online saver and it can stay there until I get more advice.

What do you think about leaving it in the saver? I'm not worried just confused because they got my name and address.

Cheers:beer:

NewbieMoneySaver**

Hello again.

Would it be possible for this problem (Fraudlent cheques) to be submitted onto the free weekly e-mail.

That would stop silly people like me falling for it. If there is anyone else like me out there.

Thankyou.

olly300

NewbieMoneySaver** wrote: »

Hello again.

Would it be possible for this problem (Fraudlent cheques) to be submitted onto the free weekly e-mail.

That would stop silly people like me falling for it. If there is anyone else like me out there.

Thankyou.

This is a well known scram which is why you have recieved lots of advice.

Banks and building societies don't make it that clear but money paid into your account by cheque can be recalled at any time. So if someone wants to recall a cheque after a year they can. Most of the time the recall happens within 30 days which is why PasturesNew gave you the 30 day timeframe.

Basically if someone sents you a cheque and you don't know who they are you don't cash it.

Likewise if someone buys something from you online and sents you too much money by cheque you don't cash it. You return the cheque to them.

BTW Your name and address could be got from anywhere as loads of companies keep lists of personal data. The Data Protection Act is suppose to stop anyone accessing them but it doesn't work properly i.e HRMC fasico.

NewbieMoneySaver**

Ok thankyou for your help.

Cheers

BrandNewDay

I'm not sure why you deposited the check. Nothing good can come of that. However, holding on to the check while trying to figure out what it is would be sensible. For all you know, somebody out there actually owes you money and forgot to enclose the letter explaining why. It's unlikely, but it's the only situation where keeping the money is the right thing to do.

In the US, if you deposit a bad check, you get hit with a fee. I don't think that's the case here, though. Hopefully, the worst that will come of it will be that your bank will just remove the "money" from your balance.

tiamai_d

PasturesNew wrote: »

I'd just bank it. Then transfer the money into a high interest earning account. If they ask for it back, ignore the first letter, respond to the 2nd saying you know nothing about it - can they send you further details/copies, etc.

That should buy more than enough time for the 30 days safety ... then give it back.

If I heard nothing, after 6 years I'd assume it was mine - and do whatever I wanted with it.

I had an overpay from a Building Society for £780 about 17 years ago. I was just mindful that there was £780 in my account that wasn't mine for the next 6 years and just made sure if I was ever asked for it, I could scrabble it together from somewhere... they never asked once.

There is no such thing as a 30 day safety.

You would just have a court order asking for it back.

It is basically theft as you knew it was fraudulent or a mistake. If you refused to give it back then you would end up in court for fraud.

If however, they never ask for it back, fair enough, but this company does know about it and will ask for it back.

maninthestreet

It certainly wasn't a good idea to pay that cheque into your account. You now know it is stolen - you may now may have some serious questions to answer why you have paid a stolen cheque into your account. The honest answer of 'because it was sent to me in the post, I don't know by whom, nor for what reason, but I thought I would pay it into my account anyway' may not cut much ice. Innocent though you probably are, your Bank's Fraud Department may take a more serious view, and report the matter to the police for investigation - you have attempted to pass off a stolen cheque as genuine.

NewbieMoneySaver**

Thankyou all for your views.

I'm expecting money for a similar amount from a sale of my timeshare.

When the cheque was deposited into my account I was un-aware that it was stolen. When I did find out they told me the cheque had been cancelled. Last night the cheque cleared but the bank phoned today and said that it had been returned.

No problems my end and the case is closed.

Cheers for your help.

Turtle

That seems to have worked out quite easily, could have been far more complex!