Is this ARREST WARRANT NOTICE for a "fraudulent" check from 23 YEARS ago for real!?

[Gman_67]

Is this ARREST WARRANT NOTICE for a "fraudulent" check from 23 YEARS ago for real!?

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Mississippi

So...I just got a letter in the mail saying that I have an arrest warrant issued in Lexington County, South Carolina, for a $25.55 "fraudulent" check to Kroger supermarket that was written in July 1990...TWENTY THREE years ago!!! I moved to SC in 1990, and lived there until 2003...then moved to Mississippi, where I just received the letter. This is so bizarre...it's surreal. The letterhead reads Eleventh Judicial Circuit Solicitor's Worthless Check Unit. I looked it up on the internet, and they do indeed exist, as well, the Solicitors name, address, and the telephone number listed all match. Says I must pay $146.55 via Money Order or Cashier's Check by May 21. Address to send check to is a PO Box. Letter says I could be arrested even NOW at home, work, or during a traffic stop. States that upon full payment, the Solicitor's office will assist in having my warrant dismissed.

WHY would I be getting this letter NOW...23 years after the fact? I seriously don't ever recall this bad check. When I was young I bounced a few checks, but always made right on them. If this was real, why wouldn't they have found me in SC in the THIRTEEN years that I lived there, instead of hunting me down in Mississippi for this "alleged" fraudulent check?

Is this just a collection agency using the Solicitors letterhead and threat of an arrest warrant as a scare tactic. Is there ANY validity to this? My credit report is CRYSTAL CLEAR.

Please help with advice!!! Thanks

 

[FlyingRon]

They just found you. Computers are marvelous things and some of these long time outstanding things are suddenly coming back to haunt people.

There is no criminal statute of limitations in South Carolina (which is the operative state here, by the way, this crime would not be time barred in Mississippi either), They're free to pursue crimes forever.
It would seem that the solicitors office administers the program. Whether they are using a contractor or not doesn't change the fact that it has the full force of the state.

 

[LdiJ]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Mississippi

So...I just got a letter in the mail saying that I have an arrest warrant issued in Lexington County, South Carolina, for a $25.55 "fraudulent" check to Kroger supermarket that was written in July 1990...TWENTY THREE years ago!!! I moved to SC in 1990, and lived there until 2003...then moved to Mississippi, where I just received the letter. This is so bizarre...it's surreal. The letterhead reads Eleventh Judicial Circuit Solicitor's Worthless Check Unit. I looked it up on the internet, and they do indeed exist, as well, the Solicitors name, address, and the telephone number listed all match. Says I must pay $146.55 via Money Order or Cashier's Check by May 21. Address to send check to is a PO Box. Letter says I could be arrested even NOW at home, work, or during a traffic stop. States that upon full payment, the Solicitor's office will assist in having my warrant dismissed.

WHY would I be getting this letter NOW...23 years after the fact? I seriously don't ever recall this bad check. When I was young I bounced a few checks, but always made right on them. If this was real, why wouldn't they have found me in SC in the THIRTEEN years that I lived there, instead of hunting me down in Mississippi for this "alleged" fraudulent check?

Is this just a collection agency using the Solicitors letterhead and threat of an arrest warrant as a scare tactic. Is there ANY validity to this? My credit report is CRYSTAL CLEAR.

Please help with advice!!! Thanks

Does it really say "Solicitor" on the letterhead rather than attorney or lawyer or law office? If so, I would pretty much be thinking its a scam....that its a collection agency trying to collect on a debt that is past the statute of limitations and is using the term solicitor to avoid being accused of trying to pass themselves off as attorneys.

However, even if its not a true scam, 23 years is past the statute of limitations anyway.

 

[Ohiogal]

Does it really say "Solicitor" on the letterhead rather than attorney or lawyer or law office? If so, I would pretty much be thinking its a scam....that its a collection agency trying to collect on a debt that is past the statute of limitations and is using the term solicitor to avoid being accused of trying to pass themselves off as attorneys.

However, even if its not a true scam, 23 years is past the statute of limitations anyway.

Really? Can you back it up that it is past the statute of limitations? Also:
http://www.lex-co.sc.gov/departments/DeptRZ/worthlesscheck/Pages/index.aspx
It is a GOVERNMENT OFFICE. Not a scam at all. Have something to prove what you are saying?

 

[CSO286]

Does it really say "Solicitor" on the letterhead rather than attorney or lawyer or law office? If so, I would pretty much be thinking its a scam....that its a collection agency trying to collect on a debt that is past the statute of limitations and is using the term solicitor to avoid being accused of trying to pass themselves off as attorneys.

However, even if its not a true scam, 23 years is past the statute of limitations anyway.

First:

There is no criminal statute of limitations in South Carolina (which is the operative state here, by the way, this crime would not be time barred in Mississippi either), They're free to pursue crimes forever.
It would seem that the solicitors office administers the program. Whether they are using a contractor or not doesn't change the fact that it has the full force of the state.

And:

http://www.lex-co.sc.gov/departments/DeptAH/buildingdirectory/Pages/Solicitor.aspx

 

[TheGeekess]

Does it really say "Solicitor" on the letterhead rather than attorney or lawyer or law office? If so, I would pretty much be thinking its a scam....that its a collection agency trying to collect on a debt that is past the statute of limitations and is using the term solicitor to avoid being accused of trying to pass themselves off as attorneys.

However, even if its not a true scam, 23 years is past the statute of limitations anyway.

Why not? Not all older states gave up their pre-Revolutionary War language in their state documents/state offices.

 

[LdiJ]

Why not? Not all older states gave up their pre-Revolutionary War language in their state documents/state offices.

Clearly I have learned something new today. Obviously we should not assume that someone is posting from Canada or the UK if they happen to use the term "solicitor".

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

The OH city I live in used to use the term solicitor. I actually have no recollection when it was changed from city solicitor to city attorney. It may have been about the time prostitution prosecutions increased in Ohio.

 

[CSO286]

Clearly I have learned something new today. Obviously we should not assume that someone is posting from Canada or the UK if they happen to use the term "solicitor".

No, we certainly should not.

 

[LdiJ]

I did however find this website that indicates that there are statute of limitations in SC for criminal as well as civil issues:

http://www.statuteoflimitations.net/south_carolina_statute_of_limitations.htm

 

[Zigner]

I did however find this website that indicates that there are statute of limitations in SC for criminal as well as civil issues:

http://www.statuteoflimitations.net/south_carolina_statute_of_limitations.htm

That link shows a list of torts - not criminal actions.

ETA: Some crimes can also be torts (of the same name)

 

[Ohiogal]

That link shows a list of torts - not criminal actions.

ETA: Some crimes can also be torts (of the same name)

I was just getting ready to say that NONE of the things listed are criminal actions; though we should note the day because LD actually looked up something and posted a cite.

 

[FlyingRon]

Wow a dozen replies to just point out that everything I wrote in the first response was correct and adding no further (correct) information.

 

[Ohiogal]

Wow a dozen replies to just point out that everything I wrote in the first response was correct and adding no further (correct) information.

We had to correct LD.

 

[davew128]

Clearly I have learned something new today. Obviously we should not assume that someone is posting from Canada or the UK if they happen to use the term "solicitor".

I guess you never heard of the US Solicitor General.