My Check Writing Days Are Over

Well, here is a full moon story for today. Every couple of weeks or so, sometimes more and sometimes less often I look at our checking account online. Early today I looked because my husband called me and was asking if I had sent a check out for something (of course I am the family bill payer, aren’t you?)

While we were on the phone together I perused our checking account online. There are very few checks that I write as opposed to paying online, but there are times when I write a check for a school field trip, or when the bug guy comes to visit or when I get my haircut, etc. Or yeah, also the electricity bill and the gas (cooking and heat). Oh yeah also for some reason the cable bill was paid via check last month.

But what was this? I saw that a check cleared the other day in the amount of $986 plus change. WTH? So I clicked on the button to see a copy of the actual check and WTF???? There was MY signature and the check was made out to SOME UNKNOWN CHICK and her name and the dollar amount was NOT in my handwriting. I could barely talk as I said, “HUBS! Someone wrote a check that went through our account for $986!!! I have to call our bank now!!! Bye!!!!”

And then I quickly looked through the listing to see if anything else looked strange and poor stranded Hubs is calling me again one minute later to see what I found out before I even had a chance to find the phone number to the bank and I practically hung up on him again.

So I called the bank and got transferred to the fraud department. The fraud rep and I looked at another check that was legit and clearly saw differences with the type font of those typical items printed on the check. It was extremely creepy because someone had bogus checks printed (luckily it was one check but hmmpphh she knew to make it out for enough money but not a crazy higher amount or else it would have bounced, people, but $986 is friggin crazy high enough).

You know on your checks how it states “Pay to the order of” before you write in the name? That font was different, and other details like that. And her “Nine hundred eighty-six” writing was MUCH neater than my writing. So this chick went to my hugely popular nationwide bank with this bogus check and showed ID and endorsed the back and pulled cash out of our account. (BTW the bank allows a non-customer to cash up to $5,000).

Anyway, the fraud rep advised that the money will be put back into my account but it will take 3-5 days and that oh yeah, we will need to close out the account and open a new one. He then asked if I had any idea how this happened, and he asked me several times if I knew this person. I told the rep “No, but while I was on hold I Googled her and I see that she graduated from an alternative high school in Atlanta in 2005 called_____. (Readers, by alternative I mean it is for those who’ve been disciplined too often to be in regular public school). And that I see her under the White Pages with an Atlanta address of _____________.” She has a one-of-a-kind name so that was easy. He also asked if my purse or checks had been stolen and I said no. My guess is that someone who is employed by perhaps the power company, or the cable company, for example, photocopied it and spent time printing a check with the proper account number and routing number.

So Hubs and I had to take time to go to the bank, close the account, and now change up all those things like direct deposit, and account numbers for everything else we do. And this weekend I have to spend time redoing the accounts that I do have set up for online bill paying and change them, AND set up additional online payments. Cuz it is the 1st on Sunday.

It is funny how many people older than me (i.e. my mother, MIL, grandmother) think that anyone can get to your “stuff” online but here is proof that old fashioned checks can get into the wrong hands too. At least I am a “crossover” person with one foot moving along the electronic highway but one still Old School—I do get online and check things out—I feel horrible for older people who can be such fraud victims.

Oh well, it could be worse. Two nights ago we went to bed with our garage door wide open. Oooops! Nothing happened of course but it is a wake up call.

Hope the full moon shines bright on you tonight and be careful with your checks if you mail any out like I do/did!