Bounced Checks Huge Fees

[MissKris]

What is the name of your state? Massachusetts

I bounced two checks back in 06 To CVS. Each check was for around 40.00, I am now being contacted by a lawyers office by the name of Rephen Law.....I am being told that if i do not pay 350.00 i will be taken to court, have to pay thousands of dollars in fees and it will be on my record for twenty years. I know I made a mistake, I was not very smart with money at the time, i have no problem paying but they wont give me anything in writing, and I also want to know how much of what i was told is true. Please help, I am trying to fix my credit but also don't want to be lied to.What is the name of your state?

[Debt Guy]

OK. Here is what I could find on civil penalties in MA for bad checks:

BAD CHECK LAWS (CIVIL PENALTY)
Amount due, costs of suit, protest fees
Additional damages $100 - $500 can be assessed.

I had no idea what a "protest fee" is. So, some more searching turned up this old thread:

[url]http://forum.freeadvice.com/showthread.php?t=184566[/url]

More searching on "protest fee" leads me to believe it is a fee charged by the merchant's bank when the item is returned. Here is the explanation I found at the Small Business Clearing House:

A merchant's bank typically charges a "protest fee" of $3 to $5 per bounced check. Some banks impose higher fees, and a handful charge up to $25 for each bad check--matching the fee typically charged to the person writing the bad check.

The long and short of this is that I don't know the right answer. The 2004 thread posted above leads me to think you are being asked to pay somewhat more than you should.

You'll have to decide what to do. Perhaps cut a deal?

[JETX]

Originally Posted by MissKris

What is the name of your state? Massachusetts

I bounced two checks back in 06 To CVS. Each check was for around 40.00, I am now being contacted by a lawyers office by the name of Rephen Law.....I am being told that if i do not pay 350.00 i will be taken to court, have to pay thousands of dollars in fees and it will be on my record for twenty years. I know I made a mistake, I was not very smart with money at the time, i have no problem paying but they wont give me anything in writing, and I also want to know how much of what i was told is true. Please help, I am trying to fix my credit but also don't want to be lied to.What is the name of your state?

Pretty simple. Respond to them in WRITING (certified RRR)!! Tell them that you refuse to pay ANYTHING until they:
1) Provide proof that they have the authority to pursue this claim (in writing).
2) Provide an itemized accounting of the charges they claim.