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Forgery Procedures:
Account Holder
The following procedures are designed to
inform you, the account holder, of your responsibilities concerning your Forged
checks. These directions are general, and will apply to most instances, however
there are exceptions. When you become aware of a Forgery, you must do the
following:
ü
Contact
your bank/credit union, and advise them of the Forgery.
- Close
the account. Even if the forgers don’t have any more of your checks
they have your account information. The technology to reproduce/counterfeit
your check is very cheap and easy.
- Return
the check to the bank. The original check needs to be returned to your
bank as soon as possible so that it can be returned to merchant who accepted
it as a Collection Item. The merchant/business that accepts the forged check
should be the one who suffers the loss, and therefore file the Forgery
report. (You file a Theft report to document the loss/theft of your checks;
the merchant files the Forgery report.) If the merchant doesn’t get the
check, they don’t have to return the money.
- Sign
Forgery Affidavits. You must sign Forgery Affidavits and forward them to
any merchant who contacts you. The merchant must have a Forgery Affidavit
before he can file a police report. If you fail to provide it, his only
criminal and civil recourse is against you, the account holder. Each check
is a separate offense, and therefore requires a separate affidavit; blanket
affidavits are unacceptable.
ü
Write a letter to the merchants/businesses who accepted the check(s):
When a merchant receives the check as a collection item he
will approach this like any other ‘hot check’. The merchant should attempt
to contact you, usually by certified mail. When you receive his letter/phone
call, respond with a letter of explanation.
EXAMPLE:
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TO WHOM IT
MAY CONCERN
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On (date), I was contacted by Mr/Ms ____________ with
____________ company reference my check #________. Please be advised that
this check is one of (number of checks) reported as
lost/stolen/counterfeit to the HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT (or
other agency), under their offense report #_______________.
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Attached is a forgery affidavit for this check. If a
suspect is developed, please contact me so that I may supplement my
original report. Please contact the appropriate police agency to file your
Forgery report. If I can be of any further assistance, please contact me
at (daytime and nighttime phones, full address, etc.)
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Sincerely,
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The above letter does several things. It responds to their
letter of demand, and it adds credibility to your claim that the check is a
Forgery. Attach a Forgery Affidavit and, if possible, a copy of the offense
report. The merchant must have the original check and a Forgery Affidavit in
order to file a Forgery report.
ü
Contact/Write
the Credit Bureaus and Check Confirmation Businesses:
Send them a letter explaining what happened, and give them
your offense report number. If your TDL was used, include this information.
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Credit
Bureaus:
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CSC CREDIT SERVICES
1-800-759-5979
1-800-272-9281
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EXPERIAN
1-800-682-7654
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TRANS UNION
P. O. BOX 1000
CHESTER, PA. 19022
1-800-888-4213
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* * * NOTE * *
*
You can get a free copy of your credit report once a year,
if you are denied a loan or credit line or if there has been fraudulent activity
on an account. Get this and review it to see if there is activity you did not
authorize.
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Check
Verification Companies:
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United Check Control
1235 North Loop West
Ste 800
Houston, Texas 77008
713-845-7200
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TELECHECK
1-800-927-0755
Fax # for affidavits:
713-332-9300 |
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CHECKSYSTEMS
1-800-842-5880 OR 1-800-513-7125
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ü
Finally, maintain a file on all checks, to include whom you spoke
to, when, contact person, a copy of each affidavit, etc.
Should you require addition information, please contact the
Harris County Sheriff’s Department, Forgery Section, at 713-967-5770.
DETECTIVES R.
J. GRADNEY &
P. B. WALKER
Article
written by Harris County Sheriff’s Deputy Ron Cunningham, Cypresswood
Substation, and used with his permission.
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