Bearer of check (hi all)

[VofLifimb]

My wife got a check from a survey company for filling out a couple of surveys about consumer products, etc. Anyway, the checks are made out to "bearer" because they don't want to give cash. Well, when my wife goes to the bank to

cash the check, her conversation with the teller goes something like this:

Teller: I can't cash this check, it's not made out to you.

Wife: I know, It's made out to the BEARER.

Teller: Right. So I can't cash it.

Wife: I AM the bearer.

Teller: Your name is Donna ***.

Irritated wife: The check is made out to the bearer, I am the bearer of the check.

Teller: Is this **to** a company.

Wife: **Sigh** NO. It is **from** a company, made out to the

**BEARER** of the check which is ME.

Teller: Let me go talk to my manager.

So the MANAGER comes over and says: Ma'am, we can't cash this check, it doesn't have your name on it. So my wife goes into extreme detail about how she got the check, why her name wasn't on the check, and finally says:

Wife: Why don't you go find a dictionary and look up the word Bearer.

So the Manager leaves, is gone for a good 10 minutes and finally whispers to the teller to go ahead and cash the check... And they say that customer service

doesn't exist anymore. Sheesh!

[sawyersdada]

Be on the lookout for that check to possibly come back as not payable. Scam companies will sometimes issue checks to a vague name so as that they can't be cashed. Not saying this is the case, just be wary.

[admin]

@VofLifimb - are you sure this wasn't part of some scam offer?

[nascar]

@VofLifimb - are you sure this wasn't part of some scam offer?

 

If so, they've now got checking account info.

[Torden]

Technically, the teller is wrong.  "Bearer" is perfectly legal, but rarely used anymore.  Another term that can be used in place of the name the check is made out to is "Cash".

 

But I would urge that you consider the risk everyone has been pointing out.  This could be a bad check that comes back later.  Does the check have any identifying information on it as to who made it out?

 

If they do process the check, the remote bank gets your checking info.  If it is paid, the remote account holder does, as well.  And the banking system is absolutely insecure and incompetent by allowing anything having your account number to take money from your account if that person has the right access at other banks, and your bank cannot easily stop it.