Advice requested - buyer forgot to sign his check for coin purchase

Casey · February 26, 2006 6:54AM

and I deposited the check without noticing the check wasn't signed. I had made a copy of the check so I had the info to confirm the check cleared before I ship the coin.

I'm calling the bank tomorrow if see if it has cleared. If the bank tells me it has cleared, am I safe? If the buyer protests the bank honoring the check, is the issue solely between the buyer and his bank? I want to make sure the bank can't go bank on this with me getting stuck.

Any thoughts?

Here's a cool Barber half to view while you ponder! Thanks.

OHC6 · February 26, 2006 6:57AM

oooo purtty...I like red..

fc · February 26, 2006 6:57AM

i did that once with a rent check to a landlord, it cashed fine
for him. Unless the person handling the check at the bank is
very anal, i think it will cash fine!

EJB · February 26, 2006 7:30AM

....I've had few checks go to the Bank unsigned with no problem....Bank said that as long as the account is valid and up to date you really don't need to sign it.... check by phone orders all they need is the numbers.......

PerryHall · February 26, 2006 7:35AM

I had a friend send a check for $14 to a mail order seed company. He got the cancelled check back from the bank but never got his seeds. He wrote the seed company a letter explaining the situation and enclosed the cashed check as proof of prior payment. They then cashed the same check a second time.

flashbang · February 26, 2006 8:32AM

You should be fine unless the buyer does lie about sending it. You might have enough of a paper trail to cover the transaction, but they could cause a stink if they wanted to. My advice would be to contact the buyer and report the situation to them and advise them you need something else stating the check number, amount, and what it was for, along with their signature. After they send that to you, it is acknowledgement that verifies the check, so that nothing can come back to haunt you.

relayer · February 26, 2006 8:42AM

Data entry clerks sit in front a a machine that brings up each check, and they key in the amount so it is encoded on the bottom.

So if nobody noticed before it went through the system and it clears electronically you shouldn't have a problem (unless, of course, the guy complains)

Michigan · February 26, 2006 8:45AM

I once sent a check to Coin World to renew the subscription but
forgot to sign it, they sent it back to me to sign. I appreciate their
honesty, they could have simply forged my signature I most likely
would have never noticed.

jdimmick · February 26, 2006 8:45AM

I had one but the teller noticed it when I went to deposit it. I contacted the buyer and told him he had forgot to sign the check. He was quite embarassed, so he sent me another one.

jim

robertpr · February 26, 2006 9:45AM

I agree with the prior poster, you should get a signature from the buyer with something denoting what the check was for. I believe legally you are responsible for the check if you cash it, so if he complains you could be SOL or worse.

Peaceman · February 26, 2006 9:49AM

Forget to sign a check and the bank doesn't care....... ? Time to switch banks.....

Millertime · February 26, 2006 9:50AM

I've also forgotten to sign a check I sent for a utility bill and they sent it back for me to sign.

Millertime

IrishMike · February 26, 2006 11:39AM

Actually being a banker if he sent you a check for a purchase and you deposited it, the only risk you run is if his bank returns it. They have a 24 hour dishonor period. If they do catch it, which is doubtful they would probably call their customer and have him sign it. He really has no recourse against you. He can't profit from his screw up. If you haven't sent out the item purchased I would hang onto to it and if he complains explain what happened.

Advice requested - buyer forgot to sign his check for coin purchase

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