Cheque Fraud

Par72

Hi Folks,

I went to take money out at the ATM yesterday evening and it said I had insufficient funds, I thought this very odd as I knew I had about €1500 in my account. So I came home and looked at my account online and it showed that two cheques were cashed yesterday both for approx. 3 grand, putting me nearly 5 grand in the red. I rang the bank first thing this morning (the lines weren't open last night) and they told me that the cheques had been cashed in two separate branches of my bank. I ordered a new cheque book last week but it hadn't arrived and these two cheques were the first two out of the new cheque book.

We have a porch and frequently the post man just throws the post into the porch instead of putting it through the letter box in the door. It's very likey that the cheque book could have been taken from the porch.

The lady from the bank said that their fraud people only work Mon - Fri 9 - 5 so I would have to wait 'til Monday for them to deal with it but that she would cancel the cheque book. She was also surprised that they were able to cash the cheques, especially the second one, as I didn't have funds in my account to cover them.

I also went to the garda station this morning and gave a statement.

Does anyone know what the likely outcome of this will be? Does An Post have any obligation to ensure that post is put through the letter box? How can the bank cash cheques when there is insufficient funds to cover them in an account?

Thanks for reading, any help would be appreciated.

Lizzykins

When I worked for a bank a number of years ago if an account went over drawn to that extent the cheques would be returned unpaid for lack of funds the day after they had originally debited the account. What should happen now is that the cheques will be reversed off your account leaving it in it's original healthy state. They will be returned to the bank that cashed them. I would guess that they were not cashed for actual notes but were part of a larger lodgement.As such they wouldn't be checked one by one. Someone might have given them as payment for a car or other goods to a garage or some unsuspecting business. Either way you will not be at a loss. I hope you cancelled the remaining checques from the cheque book. Let us know what happens.

Lizzykins

Sorry just reading you did get the cheque book cancelled.

Par72

Thanks Lizzy, sounds like I should be alright so. I guess I'll be able to sleep tonight then/

Par72

Well, I spoke to the bank again this morning and they said someone will be in touch withing 5 days about it. I said what am I suppose to do for money until then and they said I should ring my branch and ask for an overdraft!

stepbar

They mightened give you one! Seriously, they mightened. It has happened where people get their accounts cleaned but can't get an overdraft. Madness it would seem.

Par72

Just spoke to my branch and they said they would refund the money to my account as the cheques were obviously not written to me.

Lizzykins

Absolutely you should be refunded immediately. Best in these cases to ring your branch and don't be fobbed off to the call centre as there is very little they can do for you. Ridiculous to even suggest overdraft to you!