Widows & Widowers Support Group
This community is dedicated to those who have lost a husband, wife, or partner. Anything is open for discussion here, with the hope that we can focus on grief, bereavement, life after loss, and continuing on after a great loss.
Everyone who knows me is shocked by this - but I got scammed by an Air Duct Company. Long story - and I wrote a 5 pg letter to the Attorney General. (Bad day all the way around but I won't go into it.) But here's why I'm writing - I put a stop to a couple of checks and the next morning went to the bank to make sure everything was ok.
Yesterday I came home and saw a note from my bank in the mail which said they had received a check for $1300, paid the amount then charged my account $35 for not having enough money in the bank. I nearly flipped out and immediately went online and saw this was for the Air Duct Company that I had stopped the checks. (but this was not the amount of my checks).
I then realized my account had later been credited the $1300 back so I calmed down a little before calling the bank - but could not figure out how they could deduct this from my account. It did not come up on the account as if it was a check but was listed as "directdebit". The bank informed me that if you stop payment on a check the person you wrote it to can then submit a different amount than what is written on the check and it will go thru. The only reason they didn't get $1300 from me is because I was paranoid and took most of the money from my account and moved it into another account. The woman at the bank never told me they could do this.
I also learned (online - and the bank verified this) if you put a stop to a check it is only good for 6 months and after 6 months they can cash the check. You must completely close the account. Also learned - future dates on checks mean nothing - checks can be cashed anytime - didn't used to be that way. So, the only way you can really insure that a check is stopped is to freeze the account and then close it.
Yesterday I came home and saw a note from my bank in the mail which said they had received a check for $1300, paid the amount then charged my account $35 for not having enough money in the bank. I nearly flipped out and immediately went online and saw this was for the Air Duct Company that I had stopped the checks. (but this was not the amount of my checks).
I then realized my account had later been credited the $1300 back so I calmed down a little before calling the bank - but could not figure out how they could deduct this from my account. It did not come up on the account as if it was a check but was listed as "directdebit". The bank informed me that if you stop payment on a check the person you wrote it to can then submit a different amount than what is written on the check and it will go thru. The only reason they didn't get $1300 from me is because I was paranoid and took most of the money from my account and moved it into another account. The woman at the bank never told me they could do this.
I also learned (online - and the bank verified this) if you put a stop to a check it is only good for 6 months and after 6 months they can cash the check. You must completely close the account. Also learned - future dates on checks mean nothing - checks can be cashed anytime - didn't used to be that way. So, the only way you can really insure that a check is stopped is to freeze the account and then close it.
Thank you so much for taking the time to let us know about this. The information could be golden if we find ourselves a ready target for one of these jerks.
I'm so glad your wisdom and paranoia served you well in this case. It sounds like brighter days are ahead for you.
TJ
Carol
Krisanne
PS Even though I am generally pretty careful along these lines, I have also been victimized. I used a credit card to purchase some things in Puerto Rico and a few weeks later found out someone was using my credit card number to purchase items on line - small items to test the card. Fortunately, my bank is fairly good at keeping track of my spending habits, caught the charges, notified me and then issued me a new card. Still created a great deal of anxiety for a bit.
Thanks for letting me ramble.
I've been asking people to pray for me that the bank will see that I did not make those purchases and return my money.
Thanks! It pays to stay on top of all this online banking and everything else out there now. I've already had to file a fraud charge since Joe died and it is very exasperating!!
Joely