Funny story about a GC and a bank

Status
Not open for further replies.
A long while ago, I was standing in line at the bank, and I happened to overhear the discussion between the GC at the counter and the bank teller. It went something like this...

GC shows up at bank he's never been into before, with a signed check from the HO that he wants to cash so he can go buy some materials to get their job done.

The Teller looks at the check, then pulls up an electronic version of the signature of the account holder. They don't match. Not even close enough for the manager who got called over to clear. So, they try to call the account holder for verification. At their home number. At about 4:00 in the afternoon. No one answers the call. So, they leave a message. The Teller and the Manager try going thru their records to find another contact number, meanwhile, the GC is mumbling to himself about how incompetent they are, and how they're holding up his job. About 20 minutes go by, and they try calling at the house number again. With no answer. So, they try to figure out how they can cash the check, that doesn't have a matching signature, for someone that doesn't have an account with them. And, surprise, there's nothing they can do without contacting the account holder. So, after half in hour in the bank, they send the GC away, while he's mumbling about how incompetent they are, and they're holding up his job, and now there's no profit left, and he's over schedule, etc. etc. The Teller smiles, and apologizes, saying there's nothing they can do without the account holder's signature's matching or direct confirmation from the account holder.

When I got up to the window (there was only one open) I thanked them for safe guarding my money.

-Dan
 

brantmacga

Señor Member
Location
Georgia
Occupation
Former Child
ha; that's pretty funny. you should've said, "now you know how it feels bud!"


About 5 years ago, I wrote a check for a new pickup truck. The check got returned because the signature that I wrote on the check didn't perfectly match the one on file at the bank! The bank called me AFTER they returned it to ask if I had written it. I asked the VP at the bank to call the dealership and apologize, which they did, and paid the check.
 

480sparky

Senior Member
Location
Iowegia
If the HO was smart, he/she would never having given money to the so-called builder to start with. For all he/she knew, the guy could have headed to the bar or racetrack instead of the bank.
 
brantmacga said:
ha; that's pretty funny. you should've said, "now you know how it feels bud!"


About 5 years ago, I wrote a check for a new pickup truck. The check got returned because the signature that I wrote on the check didn't perfectly match the one on file at the bank! The bank called me AFTER they returned it to ask if I had written it. I asked the VP at the bank to call the dealership and apologize, which they did, and paid the check.

At least they look at the signature! It kinda gives you a warm fuzzy feeling when you realize the people in control of your money take some precautions. Especially with larger checks.
 

LawnGuyLandSparky

Senior Member
This only occurs when a person presents the check at the bank branch that holds your account file.

Checks deposited at other banks or used to pay bills get no such personal attention. My bank has paid checks I forgot to sign!
 

brantmacga

Señor Member
Location
Georgia
Occupation
Former Child
LawnGuyLandSparky said:
This only occurs when a person presents the check at the bank branch that holds your account file.

Checks deposited at other banks or used to pay bills get no such personal attention. My bank has paid checks I forgot to sign!

I once wrote a check for gas and signed it as "Go-Go Juice". That was supposed to be in the memo; the same bank caught it and called me. At least they did it before it was returned though.
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
DanZ said:
A
When I got up to the window (there was only one open) I thanked them for safe guarding my money.

-Dan

Actually they were safeguarding their money. Bank customers aren't liable for bank fraud. It's the bank that takes it on the chin.:)

But it refreshing to know that they're at least checking. Having dealt once with a fraud problem at a bank I can say that it's not fun.:rolleyes:
 

brian john

Senior Member
Location
Leesburg, VA
While this can be aggravating (I had a similar situation earlier this year*1), the bank is looking out for their customer and their best interest.

*1 - I wrote a check to cover my daughter tuition to my wife (one account to another different banks). The bank refused to honor it my on file signature had the J with out the line on the top, the check was with the line. small difference. I thanked the bank.
 

Rampage_Rick

Senior Member
I have an excellent book called Prank the Monkey

One of the stories details how the author tries to get people to verify his signature, and how ludicrous his signature becomes without anyone bothering to speak up. Sufficed to say, he's never turned down until trying to buy 3 plasma TVs before the superbowl while signing "Not Authorized"

Here's an excerpt: http://www.zug.com/pranks/credit_card/

Google shows a fair number pages from the book: http://books.google.ca/books?id=qNy...&ct=title&cad=one-book-with-thumbnail#PPA2,M1
 

jaylectricity

Senior Member
Location
Massachusetts
Occupation
licensed journeyman electrician
480sparky said:
If the HO was smart, he/she would never having given money to the so-called builder to start with. For all he/she knew, the guy could have headed to the bar or racetrack instead of the bank.

I really hope you are joking.
 

mivey

Senior Member
six of one...

six of one...

I had a reimbursement check in my name from work. I signed the back of the check because my wife wanted to cash it at the bank (we have a joint checking account) for some spending loot.

We had more than enough money in our joint checking account to cover the check. The bank refused to cash the check for her because it was in my name. She had to deposit the check into our checking account then make a cash withdrawal from the same account.

How weird is that?
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
mivey said:
I had a reimbursement check in my name from work. I signed the back of the check because my wife wanted to cash it at the bank (we have a joint checking account) for some spending loot.

We had more than enough money in our joint checking account to cover the check. The bank refused to cash the check for her because it was in my name. She had to deposit the check into our checking account then make a cash withdrawal from the same account.

How weird is that?

Some banks have that policy where they don't cash double endorsed checks. Sounds pretty silly to me given the fact that the money was in the account to cover the check and she is your wife.:rolleyes:
 

hardworkingstiff

Senior Member
Location
Wilmington, NC
infinity said:
Some banks have that policy where they don't cash double endorsed checks. Sounds pretty silly to me given the fact that the money was in the account to cover the check and she is your wife.:rolleyes:

I don't know, the way the bank did it, the person endorsing the check will be able to see the deposit and track the check. If the bank cashed it and Mivey's wife was not a friend/partner, she could have endorsed the check with Mivey's signature (forgery), had it cashed, and Mivey would never know about it. I bet there are more reasons for doing it that way too.
 

jdsmith

Senior Member
Location
Ohio
480sparky said:
If the HO was smart, he/she would never having given money to the so-called builder to start with. For all he/she knew, the guy could have headed to the bar or racetrack instead of the bank.

I agree - the HO should have furnished the materials and paid for the labor with an old motorcycle:roll:
 

bradleyelectric

Senior Member
Location
forest hill, md
iwire said:
I have no doubt banks have many problems with husbands and wives that are not on good terms.

I had a joint acount with the x. The bank would not let me take her name off an account that she was on. I asked for all the money and wanted to open another account in just my name. They took her name off. It was less paperwork.
 

480sparky

Senior Member
Location
Iowegia
jaylectricity said:
I really hope you are joking.

No. Are you in the habit of paying contractors up-front to start working? A small deposit to secure the contract I understand. But to pay this so-called "builder" money so he can go buy material? That's a huge red flag the size of China that means this guy has *zero* operating capital, and probably won't be in business long enough to finish the job.

This is taught in Home Ownership 101.

ptonsparky said:
Back when I was an apprentice and collected a paycheck, I wondered if the bank really knew what my signature looked like. Wife endorsed the pay checks more often then I did.

I once was in such a hurry at a store that I filled out the check, "Pay to the order of...." and put my own name. It still cleared the bank.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top