What is the best way to collect on bounced checks? I’m seriously thinking of only taking cash or credit, but I don’t want to hurt the business, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
We get a drivers license # with each check and press charges on bad checks. We get burned on some, but collect $25 above face value on enough to make up for the ones we don’t, plus our time on paperwork. It may take awhile to get paid, but it sure seems worth it to see someone who obviously just spent the night in jail coming in to pay their bad checks. PRICELESS!!!
I send my wife to their house. Works everytime! 
of the 2,000+ personal checks i accept each year i have never had more than 5 returned; the small loss beats the heck out of cc charges. i love accepting checks and have had great luck with them.
but to answer your question, there are companies that will handle this for you (as in badger the hell out of the guilty party) in return for a big cut of what’s collected - but at least you usually see something rather than nothing…
I’ve taken checks before in another business, I had one bad check in 2 years. Now I’ve had 3 in 3 months, not a very good batting average. I’ve sent two of the checks through twice, now it’s time to play hardball. Being a small place, I won’t tolerate being taken advantage of.
It’s a simple process. Deposit money into an account, write checks on that money, subtract checks from the account so you don’t overspend, how diificult is that?
I use a company called cyber collect. Search google for them. They deal with all my bounced cheks for me and it costs nothing.
I quit taking checks about five years ago and I am happy as can be about it. My deposits are so much easier, transactions are much faster without someone writing a check, and most people are so programmed to use their plastic anyway!
I’m seriously considering not taking checks. Most people who have legitimate accounts have a debit card. We’ll see how it goes through the holidays. People tend to overspend at that time.
Thanks for the support.
I have to agree. People with checking accounts are usually issued a debit card. Sooooooo much easier than a check.
I use to take check in my jewelry biz…stopped after 6 months and 5 bad chacks. Now its cash or plastic.
Cash or credit only. If someone doesn’t have a credit card or debit card, that should tell you something.
I will be opening in a few weeks and plan on taking checks as I will do everything I can at first to be very customer friendly.I would think most people would be afraid of being arrested if they didn’t pay it back.Also maybe tell them as long as they pay it back in the next 30 days everything will be ok.Maybe add like $5 on their future orders over that period to insure they keep coming back.
Derek
Not only do I take checks, +/- 30% of my sales, I take post-dated checks! I personally would rather take a check than a card.
I have taken checks for 7 years and have had about 20 bounced on me but most paid up within a week or two. The ones that didnt I posted on my front window (after I had them blown up to a 8 1/2 X 11) Those were usually paid in about 2 - 3 fays after posing! I still take checks but now with the wireless debit machine I only get about 1-2 checks a month.
Sorry I forgot to log in before I sent the last reply!
You are very shallow to harrass your bad check writing customers… Dont you realize that they are your neighbors and your customers??! Great way to do business there buddy, call the cops on your customers… Dont think they will ever be ordering your crap again.
I take checks at my store, and occasionally have one returned, but I would never consider pressing charges, as I believe in giving people the benefit of the doubt and dealing with it like a neighbor. Are you even from this country?
There’s a big difference between an oops-who hasn’t bounced a check- and scammers who write bad checks for a living. I would never press charges against a good customer who makes a mistake, I’m sure no one else would either.
I’d bet that pizzaguy is talking about the losers. They’re fair game!
You really think “scammers” are “making a living” off writing a bad check to pizzaguy??? Just some poor schmo who didn’t balance his checkbook.
I only charge my customers my bank fee and the original amount, because I want their repeat business…
If my “neighbor” came in and asked for a little help due to a tough time, I would be happy to help. But writing bad checks is a deliberate act. If it’s an accident that’s one thing, but when the people I contacted don’t call back to make arrangements, then it’s a whole different ballgame.
If people write bad checks, it’s not worth my time and I don’t want their business, it’s pointless. And the poor schmo shouldn’t have a checkbook if he doesn’t know how to use it.
We started down the road on not taking checks. Then we realized with the amount of checks we were bouncing vs. credit card fees we would accrue by going all plastic that we were money ahead if we kept accepting checks and used a collection service for the bad ones.
i just found out that Pizza Hut has stopped taking checks here in Oklahoma
that helps me out