The Check Customer

[purplecat41877]

Yesterday, a customer wanted to cash a personal check and I informed him of what I needed from him. When I put the check through, it informed me that the customer could only purchase items with the check. I told the customer this and suggested a gift card in place of the cash (which some customers are OK with). The customer told me that he's written checks either for 10 years or 10 years ago (can't remember which). I told him that the rules have changed and that a certain number of checks have to be written before that particular customer can have cash back on a check. The customer had me give back his check and ID which I did.

[JustaCashier]

That's also another one of those that falls into "But the other Cashiers let me do it!

This still happens occasionally at my Store. I think it used to be the case with some Customers years ago, where the Cashiers knew them well enough they could be trusted. But, it happens so rarely now that I doin't think it's a valid arguement anymore on the Customer's part.

[chainedbarista]

the days where you could take someone at their word are long gone, my friend; sadly, they still expect to be treated as if they were trustworthy...we had one who wrote checks off a closed account (knowingly, of course) at another store about a mile away. they called us immediately when they found out about the bad checks; we were on guard and waiting.

not an hour later, lo and behold, our bounced check writer shows up at our store, with the merchandise she'd purchased with the bad checks. she was thoroughly expecting to return these items for a *CASH* refund (sorry, even if it were legit, she'd only get store credit, since cash refunds are for purchases of $25 or less, and she had passed that mark by about $255).

we tell her this; she whines, she pleas, she argues and tries belligerence, but to no avail. we politely inform her of the situation at hand; not only do we know about the bounced checks, but we will seize the merchandise as well and press charges against her for...fraud.

catching scammers is a wondrous thing, especially when they're overtly stupid and obvious about it!

if that customer has an issue about you following a proceedure/guideline set by your store, so be it. you're doing what you're supposed to do, which gets a big 'way to go' from my end of the book.

(the guy still lives in the fifties, apparently; a fifties frame of mind in the 21st century )

[georgiab]

Being that I have worked in retail for several years I know all to well the furor of customers and their precious checks. I have been screamed at and brought to tears on more than one occassion because I need a telephone number or id number...Honestly I wish that they would do away with checks!

[blaubent]

I've gotten yelled at because I wanted ID for a check that was for around fifty dollars. Been yelled at because we don't accept starter check, but "every other store accepts them." Been yelled at because the check reader would not accept the check (probably because the account was frozen, they wrote too many checks, etc). Always brought the manager over for those.

[JuniorMintz]

When I find out who these "other" cashiers are, I'm going to kick each and every one of their asses.

[batmoody]

I will get people who write checks and ask me "Do you need my ID?"
I tell them its not even up to me, I have to put it through the reader and then it will tell me.
Sometimes I will put it through the reader and it will say to get ID, and the customer gets all huffy. Again, I will tell them, its not up to me, but I can get a manager up here to ask you the same thing.

[MadMike]

Been yelled at because we don't accept starter check, but "every other store accepts them."

Ah yes, that wonderful, magical store known as "Everywhere else", where the wishes of the customer overrides any store policy, law, and even any physical, ethical, or logical limitations.

[Becks]

Ah yes, that wonderful, magical store known as "Everywhere else", where the wishes of the customer overrides any store policy, law, and even any physical, ethical, or logical limitations.

What is this logic of which you speak?

[Canadian In Maine]

I've only been in the United States for 5 years and I am still amazed at the number of places that accept cheques especially for things that cannot be returned or repossessed should the cheque bounce, things like food and gasoline.

If they have a chequing account why don't they just get a bloody cheque card/debit card?

It seems to me that the abominable state of people's credit and money that stores are owed would be a damn sight better if cheques were no longer accepted.

Our office manager was pissing and moaning one day about the number of cheques that bounce. Well, stop taking the blasted things! Problem solved.

What a concept eh?

[CrazedClerk]

One reason I do love my job sometimes: We don't take checks.

[Jester]

I've only been in the United States for 5 years and I am still amazed at the number of places that accept cheques especially for things that cannot be returned or repossessed should the cheque bounce, things like food and gasoline.

I am still amazed by how many people have wanted to write a check at some of the restaurants and bars I have worked at, and been put out by the fact that we did not accept checks. Keep in mind, this is in modern times, when almost no restaurant or bar I know of takes checks. And yet they are still surprised. Where have they been?

*Now this rant does not apply to Minnesota, as I know that up there, those people take and write checks for EVERYTHING...it's like a different culture almost. The people I am venting about are not people that had Minnesota ID's, and frankly, the people from Minnesota are generally smart enough to know that outside of their wonderful state, the check culture is dying a quick death outside of bills and such, and that most places are not going to take out of state personal checks anyway.

[Cyanocobalamin]

Here's my check story.

This happened on Friday, and as far as I know, a non-sucky customer. But he wrote his check for OVER the amount of his total, and I discovered this when I was doing that day's accounting. A very rare mistake for this particular cashier.

I left a polite voicemail for the guy to come in and correct it since I cannot correct it for him. (I believe that would constitute check fraud. Kinda illegal!! ) So B (assistant mgr) told me to leave that check out of that day's deposit so it would be shorted, and just put in the corrected check in with the next deposit so that one would be over, hence balancing itself. OK now it is Monday, and I don't think he's come in yet to claim his extra $8.

And this is why my store requires phone numbers on checks. -just in case- there is a problem we can contact the customer right away. If someone gets pissy we're allowed to write "unlisted number" on the check...

[LostMyMind]

Keep in mind, this is in modern times, when almost no restaurant or bar I know of takes checks. And yet they are still surprised. Where have they been?

As true as that sounds. There is this one pizza place, who just 8 years ago got one of those "registers". Before that, they were using a cash box. They just started accepting credit cards/debits. This place been in business for almost as long as I've been alive.

Now this isn't a place that couldn't afford it, this is the most popular pizza place in my town. So popular they only have to open for dinner and don't even deliver. Forget about going there on Sunday. I remember my dad (who at the time was a kitchen/hospital/laundry/housekeeping chemical rep) trying to get them to even get a dishwasher machine. The wife, of the owner, said no way, no how. I think they still wash dishes by hand.

I still carry checks for those places that still don't accept plastic

[TonyDonuts]

Where have they been?

*Now this rant does not apply to Minnesota, as I know that up there, those people take and write checks for EVERYTHING...it's like a different culture almost. The people I am venting about are not people that had Minnesota ID's, and frankly, the people from Minnesota are generally smart enough to know that outside of their wonderful state, the check culture is dying a quick death outside of bills and such, and that most places are not going to take out of state personal checks anyway.

I was going to say that.

I've lived and worked in Minnesota all my life. The number of people who get [I]pissed[I] when you ask them for ID, and then their phone number, never fails to astound me.

Hell, I know people who use nothing but starter checks.

>pause<

Because they're FREE, of course. You just go to the bank and ask for them.