Cold Economy = Hot Checks

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By Pat Peterson Reporter

M50o93H7pQ09L8X1t49cHY01Z5j4TT91fGfr Cold Economy = Hot Checks

Published: Wed, April 30, 2008 - 4:46 pm
Last Updated: Wednesday, April 30, 2008 - 5:31 pm

Pat Peterson

The owner of Pope's Grocery in Robertsdale says in just one day, her customers wrote over 250 dollars worth of bad checks! Eloise Pope has stacks of returned checks to go through, including items returned for insufficient funds and closed bank accounts.

"It makes for a very bad day," says Pope. "It's stealing!"

Pope says "hot checks" are costing her thousands of dollars a month. She believes the sagging economy and higher gas prices are to blame.

"We have to end up sending out certified letters, and those alone cost me five dollars a letter. Then we're out of the money for about ten days. We hope we eventually get our money back, but most of the times we don't."

The Baldwin County District Attorney's Office has four people assigned to the "Bad Check Unit." D-A Judy Newcomb says writing a bad check could eventually cost the check-writer a small fortune.

"A 15 dollar check turns into a 250 dollar check once it's all over with," says Newcomb. "You've got to add in court costs and fees. It's serious business. An offender could be sentenced to up to a year in jail. Writing a check when you know there's no money in the account to cover it, is a crime. It's theft by deception."

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I agree, “seektruth.” Just stop accepting checks - there are other methods of payment - like cash. It seems like that would be easier for the retailer - maybe less convenient for the consumer but it would certainly put an end to the hot check promblem.

Posted by NTHand on 04/30/08 - 8:58 pm • Report Abuse

That’s not entirely true. To protect clients such as yourself, banks do not release private information of their customers. They can’t just give a retailer all of your private information because you write a bad check. The federal government enforces these privacy laws as well, and for good reason. If the retailer doesn’t feel like they have adequate information about a customer paying with a check, then they should do like the chinese restaurants and post a sign that reads “No check accept.”:)

Posted by seektruth on 04/30/08 - 6:13 pm • Report Abuse

Don’t even try to get the banks to help you cause they don’t give a dam about their cients, they will not get involved, will not press charges when they can, and will not even give you phone numbers to the higher ups within the bank to complain to aor ask for help. Banks only want your $$$$$$$$ not your loyality or your trust or even your god will!!!!!!!!

Posted by justme on 04/30/08 - 5:45 pm • Report Abuse