Bounce Check

[trint]

What is the name of your state?
*California*

I cashed a $10,000 cashiers check thru our company (of which I am the director) account for a business friend who owed me personally $1,600 and I returned back the balance after taking my amount. But, later the bank informed me that the check was a forgery and the bank demanded me to return back the whole amount minusing the amount which was already in our account ($1,800). Since, I banked in the cashiers check without knowing that it was a forgeryand in the believe that it was genuine, I like to know what steps should I take to put matters straight with the bank and what my liabilities are as I beleive in our case we have been simple used by this friend.

 

[AmosMoses]

If I were in your shoes, and I was totally innocent yet had been bilked by this friend to the tune of $8400, I would accompany law enforcement to his doorstep, pronto. I mean, you have nothing at all to fear here, do you? You know a man good enough to loan him $1600, (or credit him $1600 in any transaction for later payment), you can find him at a moment's notice. So, your problem is solved! Surely you would have no problem doing this, would you?

 

[mailman16]

That sounds remarkably similar to a new scam that's popped up. Is your "business friend" someone you've done business with in the past or is he the "friend" of someone that's recently purchased something from you? Here's the scenario. You put your '87 Ford Escort up for sale for $1500. A guy calls you about the ad and says "hey, that's just what I've been lookin' for, in fact I'll give you $1600. But, I'm not in your state (probably not even in this country) but I have a "friend" that owes me $10,000 who will be passing through your state tomorrow with a cashier's check for $10,000. All you have to do is deposit the check, deduct the $1600 I owe you for the car and send me the remaining $8400."
Does that sound familiar? At any rate, you are ultimately responsible for the forged cashier's check. The bank is completely without fault.
And I'm almost certain that if I'm wrong about that, someone will be along directly to correct and maybe even chastise me.