Microwaving your checkbook
Scott Forbes
I heard a new one last night: A neighbor said that putting a check in the
microwave oven for 2-3 minutes will make it take forever to clear the
bank.
Now, I dimly recall that pre-printed checks use magnetic ink for the
account and ABA routing numbers at the bottom of the check, and my even
dimmer recollection of physics tells me that you can demagnetize things
with the proper application of magentic fields and heat. And, naturally,
I would assume that demagnetizing the magnetic ink on a check would force
the bank(s) to process it manually, with an end result that the check
would take longer to clear.
Personally I'm tempted to test this theory with next month's VISA bill,
but I'm wondering if anyone else has heard this story making the rounds,
or if any bankers out there would like to comment.
--
Scott "" Forbes
tr...@lucent.com
Calyxa Omphalos
In article <trans-01089...@ssbunews.ih.lucent.com>,
Scott Forbes <tr...@lucent.com> wrote:
>I heard a new one last night: A neighbor said that putting a check in the
>microwave oven for 2-3 minutes will make it take forever to clear the
>bank.
>
>Now, I dimly recall that pre-printed checks use magnetic ink for the
>account and ABA routing numbers at the bottom of the check,
I heard it years ago (before microwaves were popular) that if you
moisten your finger with saliva and then wipe it across the numbers
along the bottom of the check, it'd take longer to clear...
-calyxa
Barbara Mikkelson
Scott Forbes <tr...@lucent.com> wrote:
> A neighbor said that putting a check in the microwave oven for 2-3
> minutes will make it take forever to clear the bank.
That used to be true. Nowadays they can re-encode them with the
appropriate yeast infection in mere seconds.
Barbara "panty waste" Mikkelson
--
Barbara | "Barbara" comes from the French "barbarie," itself a
Mikkelson | mutation of the Italian "barbarino," which, ironically,
bhamel@fas | came from the the French "bartendre," which comes from
harvard.edu | the Norwegian "lutefisk," and means, "blonde bimbette who
| could skewer you without batting an eye." - Harry Teasley
M. T. McGeough
tr...@lucent.com (Scott Forbes) wrote:
>I heard a new one last night: A neighbor said that putting a check in the
>microwave oven for 2-3 minutes will make it take forever to clear the
>bank.
A few years ago there was a grass-roots rebellion against the need for
tolls on the N. J. turnpike. The toll tickets have a black magnetic
coded strip down the back, and as my small contribution, I'd run a
cow magnet along each ticket I was given . It worked quite well at
scrambling the code, and the collecting attendant had to process the
thing manually.( Poor fellow, he actually had to do something ! )
Anyway the only real result was that I delayed the other drivers a bit, so
I soon stopped.
BTW, I also found out what happens when you get a strong magnet too close
to a mechanical wristwatch.
MTM
danie016
In article <4trfro$e...@shellx.best.com>, cal...@chucko.com says...
>In article <trans-01089...@ssbunews.ih.lucent.com>,
>Scott Forbes <tr...@lucent.com> wrote:
>>I heard a new one last night: A neighbor said that putting a check in
the
>>microwave oven for 2-3 minutes will make it take forever to clear the
>>bank.
>moisten your finger with saliva and then wipe it across the numbers
>along the bottom of the check, it'd take longer to clear...
A variant I heard was that if you tore a discreet rip through the
numbers, it would take an extra day or so to clear.
JD
C. Ramko
> >I heard it years ago (before microwaves were popular) that if you
> >moisten your finger with saliva and then wipe it across the numbers
> >along the bottom of the check, it'd take longer to clear...
>
> A variant I heard was that if you tore a discreet rip through the
> numbers, it would take an extra day or so to clear.
A check that has any kind of marking through the bank, account and check
numbers at the bottom will take longer to clear as it must be hand read
and typed in as opposed to being scanned by their machine. This delay mnay
only be a few hours though.
Melanie "balanced to the penny" Ramko
Scott Engleman
Calyxa Omphalos (cal...@chucko.com) wrote:
>In article <trans-01089...@ssbunews.ih.lucent.com>,
>Scott Forbes <tr...@lucent.com> wrote:
>>I heard a new one last night: A neighbor said that putting a check in the
>>microwave oven for 2-3 minutes will make it take forever to clear the
>>bank.
>>
My sister was an accountant for a small company that frequently
had cash-flow problems, so when she would get a final notice
for a bill, she would finally send them a check with a small tear
on the bottom where the magnetic ink numbers were. She said
that since it had to be proceesed manually, she could count
on the money taking an extra 2-3 days to transfer.
DSE
David Lesher
My friend & personal attorney had a long time client whose checks
suddenly started bouncing right left & sidewise. This despite
lots of bucks in the account.
You know banks, those friendly folks you trust with your money?
The problem was a bunch of checks with bogus MICR coding.
No one would manually confirm the check was bogus at his bank.
Client almost went under. I'll have to ask what came of the
suit.
--
A host is a host from coast to coast.................wb8foz@nrk.com
& no one will talk to a host that's close...........(v)301 56 LINUX
Unless the host (that isn't close).........................pob 1433
is busy, hung or dead........vr vr vr vr.................20915-1433
Simon Gray
In article <4tt7oj$o...@newsgate.duke.edu> dani...@mc.duke.edu "danie016" writes:
~ >>I heard a new one last night: A neighbor said that putting a check in
~ the
~ >>microwave oven for 2-3 minutes will make it take forever to clear the
~ >>bank.
~ >I heard it years ago (before microwaves were popular) that if you
~ >moisten your finger with saliva and then wipe it across the numbers
~ >along the bottom of the check, it'd take longer to clear...
~
~ A variant I heard was that if you tore a discreet rip through the
~ numbers, it would take an extra day or so to clear.
Apparently if you either mark the bottom or fold the cheque in
half it slows down the clearing process because the machines get
confused.
--
[]=- Simon Gray, in Scum^H^H^Houthport, EU. <*>
// _-=__-=
_/|] ) ___ \ Is it in the news ? Try uk.current-events.general
(_) \___/_(___)_| Available now from a news server near you !
@ @
Fred Read
In article <839080...@star-one.org.uk>
si...@star-one.org.uk "Simon Gray" writes:
>
> Apparently if you either mark the bottom or fold the cheque in
> half it slows down the clearing process because the machines get
> confused.
No they don't.
Folding a cheque in half either horizontally or vertically has
no effect on the processing of the MICR code line.
Marking the code line with ordinary, non metallic, ink also has
no effect on the sorter's ability to read the MICR.
Wiping a magnet over the MICR actually improves the read rate!
The best way I know to slow down the processing of a cheque is;
* Son't sign the bloody thing.
If you want to piss the banks off you can;
* Damage the code line.
* Damage the leading edge such that it jams the sorter.
These are only of minimal use as most sorters use image to speed
the processing of mis read items - no more manual processing and
keying of manual items.
--
Fred Read
How many people do *you* know with a C function named after them ?
Simon Gray
In article <839101...@foxhouse.demon.co.uk>
Fr...@foxhouse.demon.co.uk "Fred Read" writes:
~ > Apparently if you either mark the bottom or fold the cheque in
~ > half it slows down the clearing process because the machines get
~ > confused.
~
~ No they don't.
~
~ Folding a cheque in half either horizontally or vertically has
~ no effect on the processing of the MICR code line.
The folding thing isn't to do with the MICR line, it is to do with
the folded piece of paper potentially jamming the machine.
Simon "I hope that C function makes sure the people from the next
galaxy don't blow me up" Gray
J Aker
Well, it may be magnetic ink, but the characters at the bottom of a check
to the left of the signature are OCR characters. Can you guess what OCR
stands for? Optical Character Recognition. This means the numbers are
read optically. If you remove them or make them invisible, there are people
at the clearing houses who's job it is to make sure the OCR characters are
readable on each item.
--
Gotta get me one of those fancy signatures, when I get a round tuit, 'til then:
ja...@pacbell.net
-30-
Scott Forbes <tr...@lucent.com> wrote in article <trans-01089...@ssbunews.ih.lucent.com>...
> I heard a new one last night: A neighbor said that putting a check in the
> microwave oven for 2-3 minutes will make it take forever to clear the
> bank.
>
> Now, I dimly recall that pre-printed checks use magnetic ink for the
Andy Walton
In article <trans-01089...@ssbunews.ih.lucent.com>,
tr...@lucent.com (Scott Forbes) wrote:
:I heard a new one last night: A neighbor said that putting a check in the
:microwave oven for 2-3 minutes will make it take forever to clear the
:bank.
:
:Now, I dimly recall that pre-printed checks use magnetic ink for the
:account and ABA routing numbers at the bottom of the check, and my even
:dimmer recollection of physics tells me that you can demagnetize things
:with the proper application of magentic fields and heat. And, naturally,
:I would assume that demagnetizing the magnetic ink on a check would force
:the bank(s) to process it manually, with an end result that the check
:would take longer to clear.
Magnetic ink, like UPC codes, is a means of automating paperwork. I'd
wager that you have seen an item at the grocery store that would not scan.
In that instance, after a few failed attempts, the cashier will punch in
the appropriate digits on a keypad.
Given the fact that banks function based on their large scale, and a few
days' delay in processing deposits, systemwide, would result in millions
of dollars in lost interest, it is inconceivable that banks would not have
such an easy backup system available.
With current advances in OCR technology (and the magnetic numbers on
checks are in typefaces specificaly designed for OCR), the magnetic
properties of the ink may be redundant.
Demagnetizing ink may provide a pain in an overworked cashier's butt, but
I wouldn't recommend it as a means of sending in this month's Visa bill a
week before payday.
Andy "just floating an idea" Walton
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
"We were once so close to heaven, Peter came out and gave us medals
declaring us the nicest of the damned." --They Might Be Giants
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Andy Walton * att...@mindspring.com * http://www.mindspring.com/~atticus
Joe Thompson
Fred Read wrote:
> Fred Read
> How many people do *you* know with a C function named after them ?
I know a guy with an entire operating system named after him: Bill
Macintosh (yes, it's the same spelling...)
Andrew Lewis
Andy Walton wrote:
>
> [...]
> Given the fact that banks function based on their large scale, and a few
> days' delay in processing deposits, systemwide, would result in millions
> of dollars in lost interest, it is inconceivable that banks would not have
> such an easy backup system available.
As I understand it (those more financially qualified might say I don't
but that's never stopped me) as soon as the bank can read the cheque,
by running it through a mechanical reader or manually if necessary,
the funds are provisionally debited from your account. But then the
cheque is cleared by manually matching against your stored signature.
Yes, they fly them around the country for a couple of days. During
that time the bank uses the funds to back transactions on the short
term money market. Needless to say, repairing broken cheque reading
machines is a high-pressure business, ticking over at the thousands
of dollars per second sort of rate.
Andrew "What, you thought it was *your* money?" Lewis
sgf
In article <trans-01089...@ssbunews.ih.lucent.com>,
Scott Forbes <tr...@lucent.com> wrote:
>I heard a new one last night: A neighbor said that putting a check in the
>microwave oven for 2-3 minutes will make it take forever to clear the
>bank.
>
>Now, I dimly recall that pre-printed checks use magnetic ink for the
>account and ABA routing numbers at the bottom of the check, and my even
>dimmer recollection of physics tells me that you can demagnetize things
>with the proper application of magentic fields and heat. And, naturally,
>I would assume that demagnetizing the magnetic ink on a check would force
>the bank(s) to process it manually, with an end result that the check
>would take longer to clear.
I saw some primte-time "news" show that was doing a segment on
check-fraud people that mentioned running checks by a magnet as one of
the methods people used to extend the time to get out of town before the
check cleared. I seem to remember something about banks putting methods
into action to fix that problem, but I can't remember what
(shape-recognition stuff for the numbers? Dunno.)
--Stephanie
--
sfo...@odin.cair.du.edu <*> http://phoebe.cair.du.edu/~sfolse/
"Assiduous and frequent questioning is indeed the first key to wisdom ...for
by doubting we come to inquiry; through inquiring we perceive the truth..."
--Peter Abelard (..........I claim this .sig for Queen Elizabeth)
Simon Gray
In article <32052D...@cstone.net> j...@cstone.net "Joe Thompson" writes:
~ > Fred Read
~ > How many people do *you* know with a C function named after them ?
~
~ I know a guy with an entire operating system named after him: Bill
~ Macintosh (yes, it's the same spelling...)
Does anybody know Dave Unix, though ?
Simon "Whitley Streiber's alien race" Gray
Dave Marulli
>~ >>I heard a new one last night: A neighbor said that putting a check in
>~ the
>~ >>microwave oven for 2-3 minutes will make it take forever to clear >the
>~ >>bank.
>~ >I heard it years ago (before microwaves were popular) that if you
>~ >moisten your finger with saliva and then wipe it across the numbers
>~ >along the bottom of the check, it'd take longer to clear...
>~
>~ A variant I heard was that if you tore a discreet rip through the
>~ numbers, it would take an extra day or so to clear.
>Apparently if you either mark the bottom or fold the cheque in
>half it slows down the clearing process because the machines get
>confused.
I know from personal experience that if you don't have enough money
in the account to cover the check, it will never clear. Works every
time!
Dave "Not only insufficient funds, but insignificant as well" Marulli
Karl Anderson
"M. T. McGeough" <mtm...@concentric.net> writes:
>tr...@lucent.com (Scott Forbes) wrote:
>>I heard a new one last night: A neighbor said that putting a check in the
>>microwave oven for 2-3 minutes will make it take forever to clear the
I used to make my own checks on a photocopier. They didn't take any
longer to clear, altho it sometimes took some convincing to get them
accepted (they were handwritten).
ka...@celtech.com Karl Anderson <URL:http://www.reed.edu/~karl>
C. Ramko
On 5 Aug 1996, Karl Anderson wrote:
> I used to make my own checks on a photocopier. They didn't take any
> longer to clear, altho it sometimes took some convincing to get them
> accepted (they were handwritten).
Has anyone seen any cites on the UL that a check for (?) was written on a
tshirt, taken to the appropriate bank and deposited? It would be poetic
justice to submit such a check to the IRS.
Melanie "Should %5 appear too small..." Ramko
Walter Eric Johnson
Scott Forbes (tr...@lucent.com) wrote:
: I heard a new one last night: A neighbor said that putting a check in the
: microwave oven for 2-3 minutes will make it take forever to clear the
: bank.
I just rub a black magic marker over the entire check. They never
clear. That old bank account just keeps getting bigger and bigger.
I have nightmares about the possibility of a magic marker eraser.
Eric Johnson
Greg Macdonald
Good... but even better is simply burning up all your checks in the
first place. Yup, then you don't even have to fill them out and the
bank account magically grows. My landlord hates the idea, though.
-----------------------------------------------------
When all is said and done,
A hell of a lot more is said than done.
-unknown
gm...@netrover.com
-----------------------------------------------------
Neil Ashley
I spent two of the dullest and most tedious weeks of my
life doing "work experience" (read "child slave labour")
at our local NatWest, Salisbury, England. About, oooo,
10 or so years back...
One of the menial tasks performed by 4 or 5 unlucky
vegetables was to sit at the cheque (check, whatever)
machine with a wad of cheques and swipe em one at a
time. Once swiped, you'd read the cash amount from
the box on the rhs (in numbers), check it against the
written amount on the lhs, then type it into a keypad.
The machine would then (I assume) debit the cash from
your account, the a/c number of which was read, the
amount you typed.
BUT, if the swipe failed, cos some wag had demagnetised/
knackered/eaten/shagged the magnetic numbers at the
bottom, you simply had to type them in too. So fixing
the numbers to get time wouldn't work. Of course, you
could tear it, and doctor a coupla digits so it gets
typed wrong...
Some from my very humble experience, i'd give a big
"nay" to that one. 10 years on - OCR to read the
numbers for you I spose. Still, knacker up your
cheques as much as pos, I used to make loads of mistakes
("ooops, I mistyped 2.50 as 25.0") so you may get
away with it. hmmm.
Neil "that's why I went into computers..." Ashley
Simon Gray
In article <t1bugpu...@ctshp.celtech.com>
ka...@ctshp.celtech.com "Karl Anderson" writes:
~ >>I heard a new one last night: A neighbor said that putting a check in the
~ >>microwave oven for 2-3 minutes will make it take forever to clear the
~ >>bank.
~
~ I used to make my own checks on a photocopier. They didn't take any
~ longer to clear, altho it sometimes took some convincing to get them
~ accepted (they were handwritten).
In the UK, so long as the medium has quoted on it the 3 'cheque laws',
absolutely anything can be used as a cheque, though obviously it slows
the process down drastically.
This was used during the campaign of civil disobediance to the Poll
Tax in 1990(ish).
Ed Ellers
"J Aker" <ja...@pacbell.net> writes:
>Well, it may be magnetic ink, but the characters at the bottom of a check
>to the left of the signature are OCR characters. Can you guess what OCR
>stands for? Optical Character Recognition. This means the numbers are
>read optically. If you remove them or make them invisible, there are people
>at the clearing houses who's job it is to make sure the OCR characters are
>readable on each item.
that they are read by a single-track magnetic head, like that in a tape deck;
each character produces a distinctive waveform when read. OCR characters,
while still less than attractive, aren't nearly as bizarre in appearance.
Chris Ege
>Does anybody know Dave Unix, though ?
Nope, don't know any eunuchs.
Chris "last name comes from an avian reproduction device" Ege
Brian Abernathy
C. Ramko (vi...@u.washington.edu) wrote:
: Has anyone seen any cites on the UL that a check for (?) was written on a
: tshirt, taken to the appropriate bank and deposited? It would be poetic
: justice to submit such a check to the IRS.
: Melanie "Should %5 appear too small..." Ramko
That was no UL. It actually happened several years ago, and it was for
taxes. Even included photos of the farmer and the shirt he used.
Wilkinson K F (Kimberly)
> ~ > Fred Read
> ~ > How many people do *you* know with a C function named after them ?
Cool. I'll have to tell my friend, Fred, that he's got a C
function named after *him*, too.
Kim Wilkinson
Jo Anne Slaven
Andrew Lewis wrote:
> > [...]
> > Given the fact that banks function based on their large scale, and a few
> > days' delay in processing deposits, systemwide, would result in millions
> > of dollars in lost interest, it is inconceivable that banks would not have
> > such an easy backup system available.
>
> As I understand it (those more financially qualified might say I don't
> but that's never stopped me) as soon as the bank can read the cheque,
> by running it through a mechanical reader or manually if necessary,
> the funds are provisionally debited from your account.
Anyone who gets their cheques back with their statements every month can
verify that the cheques almost always clear the account the day they are
deposited or cashed by the payee. The "float" of 3 or 4 days that
customers used to enjoy was eliminated about 5 years ago.
Jo Anne
--
There's no point in being a woman if you have to be specific as well.
Charlotte Bingham
Robert B. Kennedy
Brian Abernathy (c...@hpuerci.atl.hp.com) wrote:
: C. Ramko (vi...@u.washington.edu) wrote:
In Utah a few years back (1988-89) they a bank in the area had a
whole ad campaign that was launched with this idea. As I recall they
accepted a check printed on a lampshade.
They also made some tellers hold an Ostrich. But they didn't try
to cash the ostrich.
--
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The vast majority of the Nixon administration officals jailed for illegal
activity during Watergate are now either attorneys or ministers.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rick Nyman
ka...@ctshp.celtech.com (Karl Anderson) wrote:
>I used to make my own checks on a photocopier. They didn't take any
>longer to clear, altho it sometimes took some convincing to get them
>accepted (they were handwritten).
Ever hear the story of a check that was actually a steel plate with the
information welded on it? The legend goes on to say that a bank guard
cancelled it with his Thompson (that would be a machine gun -- the supposed
occurrence took place probably in the 50s). Nope, no cites, but if anyone
has any sources on this one...
-R...
--
Rick Nyman <rny...@mail.serve.com>
http://www.serve.com/rnyman (Last changed: 6/11/96)
Traveling with Northrop Grumman & the Post Office in: Lincoln, NE
Please note that my email and web addresses have both changed.
Notice: Unsolicited commercial email is subject to archival fee of $200 US
per message--mailing denotes acceptance of these terms.
Lawrence Kubicz
Joe Thompson <j...@cstone.net> wrote:
>Fred Read wrote:
>> Fred Read
>> How many people do *you* know with a C function named after them ?
>I know a guy with an entire operating system named after him: Bill
>Macintosh (yes, it's the same spelling...)
There's an operating system called 'Bill'?
Larry "I guess a user could be called an operating system" Kubicz
Susan Mitchell
C. Ramko <vi...@u.washington.edu> wrote:
: On 5 Aug 1996, Karl Anderson wrote:
: > I used to make my own checks on a photocopier. They didn't take any
: > longer to clear, altho it sometimes took some convincing to get them
: > accepted (they were handwritten).
: Has anyone seen any cites on the UL that a check for (?) was written on a
: tshirt, taken to the appropriate bank and deposited? It would be poetic
: justice to submit such a check to the IRS.
Madeleine L'Engle, in her book _A Circle of Quiet_, tells about writing a
check to a friend for some small amount: her current batch of checks had
run out, so she dug up an old box of checks without the "cybernetic salad"
in the lower left-hand corner. Her friend was reluctant to accept the
check, saying that it wouldn't clear the bank; but L'Engle, who had been
raised on the "check written on anything" story, argued that since it
*did* have her name, her friend's name, the amount, and her signature on
it, the bank would have to accept it.
Her friend came back a day or two later saying that the bank had indeed
refused the check. In annoyance, L'Engle got out her *new* box of checks,
..
wrote one out for the proper amount, and signed it "Emily Bronte." It
went through with no trouble.
It's good to be back. Gods, I've missed this place.
Think globally, act locally.
Susan C. "Temp account, I may *not* be here next week" Mitchell
--
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
susancm __ __ ____ ___ ___ ____
sus...@primenet.com /__)/__) / / / / /_ /\ / /_ /
/ / \ / / / / /__ / \/ /___ /
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WSocha
So much disinformation, so little time. Here is how it works in the USA:
As some writers indicated, the MICR line is read MAGNETICALLY. Folding
doesn't have any impact other than an tiny increase in your chances of
jamming the reader (but no increase in float, see below).
Neither does black, red, yellow, or any other color ink, pencil, blood, or
grease do anything to reduce the read rate. Ripping off some of the MICR
characters is 100% effective. You can also go to an office supply house
and buy micr eraser liquid. However, after the check in rejected in the
prime pass (somewhere before 8PM in most banks), it goes over to a reject
re-entry station for correction by a (gasp!) human. This will still be
done before the midnight start of the demand deposit posting run.
If all the micr is gone, they look up the account using the name
information. They then either add a paper strip to the bottom of the item,
or put it into a glassine envelope, and recode the routing, transit, check
number, and dollar amount.
Some banks do indeed use an optical system. In most cases this means the
image is displayed on a monitor for some droid to key into the system. In
only a few banks is actual OCR operating. In these modern temples of AI
software, the software is interpreting the numbers you write in that
little square box on the right side of the check. Some systems also will
optically and MICR read the bottom to improve capture rates on the
pre-encoded info. If your writing is sloppy, the check is displayed for
the droid to interpret and re-key.
If you are dealing with a country bank, you may still be able to get
another of float from these tricks, but for most of us, this just doesn't
happen anymore. The suggestion to write checks against a zero balance
account is the only sure way to keep that float going.
Wayne "25 years in a bank but still can't add" Socha
My opinions, all MINE!
Barbara Mikkelson
Lawrence Kubicz <lku...@alycia.andrew.cmu.edu> wrote:
> There's an operating system called 'Bill'?
You thought surgeons did it for free?
Barbara "would have thought the mask and knife gave it away..." Mikkelson
--
Barbara Mikkelson | Barbara needs drinking advice like Brunvand
bha...@fas.harvard.edu | needs a tutorial on ULs. - Steven Cherry
Richard Brandt
Was that anything like "Microsoft Bob"?
Richard "I think they named it after that Twin Peaks guy myself"
Brandt
--
http://rgfn.epcc.edu/users/af541/virtual.htm
"Torture! Torture! It pleases me!"
Criswell, in Ed Wood's ORGY OF THE DEAD (1966)
Kevin Mukhar
Susan Mitchell wrote:
>
> Madeleine L'Engle, in her book _A Circle of Quiet_, tells about writing a
> check to a friend for some small amount: her current batch of checks had
> run out, so she dug up an old box of checks without the "cybernetic salad"
> in the lower left-hand corner.
>
>
> Her friend came back a day or two later saying that the bank had indeed
> refused the check. In annoyance, L'Engle got out her *new* box of checks,
> ..
> wrote one out for the proper amount, and signed it "Emily Bronte." It
> went through with no trouble.
I remember reading this as an excerpt some time ago. I found it very
amusing.
On a related note, I recently paid a bill with a check, but sent it off
without signing it. The bank did cash it for the creditor, but they did
have to stamp it with some kind of notice like, "Check received without
signature" or something (I only looked at it once when I received it
with my statement).
I, also, have heard the stories about writing checks on just a piece of
paper being valid. I've also been following this thread, and it wasn't
until Susan's post above that I was reminded of the "fake" $95,000 check
story. I believe it's been mentioned here before.
To summarize: person receives make money fast junk mail with real
looking check for $95,000; check has "non-negotiable for cash" printed
on it; person deposits check as joke; bank cashes check; person goes
through months of wrangling with bank over check. As part of his
adventure, the person researched what is required for a check to be a
valid instrument.
You can find a list of the 9 nine things that make a check valid, and
the complete details of the story at
http://www.dnai.com/g-think/$$tablecontents.html
and a newspaper reprint at the UL website:
http://www.urbanlegends.com/misc/bank_credits_fake_check.html
Kevin "Just send cash" Mukhar
Jay Lewis
On Thu, 08 Aug 1996 04:23:51 GMT, rny...@mail.serve.com (Rick Nyman) wrote:
>Ever hear the story of a check that was actually a steel plate with the
>information welded on it? The legend goes on to say that a bank guard
>cancelled it with his Thompson (that would be a machine gun -- the supposed
>occurrence took place probably in the 50s). Nope, no cites, but if anyone
>has any sources on this one...
No, but my physics teacher once told me about writting a check for
his dorm buddy using a Hustler centerfold.
the guy cashed the check 3 mos later...
$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$
Ask me about playing 'Net Price is Right!!!
Email net...@nbnet.nb.ca for details/rules/etc.
$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$-$
Also, check out my *NEW* hompage:
http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/8580
Susan Mitchell
Kevin Mukhar <muk...@walnut.csp.mmc.com> wrote:
: Susan Mitchell wrote:
: >
: > Madeleine L'Engle, in her book _A Circle of Quiet_, tells about writing a
: > check to a friend for some small amount: her current batch of checks had
: > run out, so she dug up an old box of checks without the "cybernetic salad"
: > in the lower left-hand corner.
: >
: > <snip>
: >
: > Her friend came back a day or two later saying that the bank had indeed
: > refused the check. In annoyance, L'Engle got out her *new* box of checks,
: > ..
: > wrote one out for the proper amount, and signed it "Emily Bronte." It
: > went through with no trouble.
: I remember reading this as an excerpt some time ago. I found it very
: amusing.
If it was here on a.f.u that you read it, that was the last time I posted
it. All will please note that *this* time I was able to kludge up an
umlaut.
: On a related note, I recently paid a bill with a check, but sent it off
: without signing it. The bank did cash it for the creditor, but they did
: have to stamp it with some kind of notice like, "Check received without
: signature" or something (I only looked at it once when I received it
: with my statement).
I've never heard of that before! About two years ago I forgot to sign a
check to my water company, and they sent it back to me.
: I, also, have heard the stories about writing checks on just a piece of
: paper being valid. I've also been following this thread, and it wasn't
: until Susan's post above that I was reminded of the "fake" $95,000 check
: story. I believe it's been mentioned here before.
: To summarize: person receives make money fast junk mail with real
: looking check for $95,000; check has "non-negotiable for cash" printed
"KEVIN MUKHAR! YOU MAY ALREADY BE A WINNER!!!"
: You can find a list of the 9 nine things that make a check valid, and
: the complete details of the story at
: http://www.dnai.com/g-think/$$tablecontents.html
: and a newspaper reprint at the UL website:
: http://www.urbanlegends.com/misc/bank_credits_fake_check.html
I'll be sure and look those up as soon as I'm on my permanent account.
(This is a temp.)
: Kevin "Just send cash" Mukhar
Think globally, act locally.
Susan C. "Send me your credit cards" Mitchell
Robert Allison
In article <4uegg6$a...@newsbf02.news.aol.com>,
wso...@aol.com (WSocha) wrote:
[True Banking Clues deleted]
>If you are dealing with a country bank, you may still be able to get
>balance account is the only sure way to keep that float going.
The only way I know of to get any dependable cheque float is to mail it,
preferrably from a rural post office on Friday just after the pick-up is
made there. Nobody's going to see that cheque before Tuesday, more
likely Wednesday or later. Yet it will be franked with Friday's date.
Robert "yet another postal service" Allison
--
Robert Allison r...@magi.com
Pine Ridge Systems r...@bofh.org.uk
http://www.magi.com/~rea/
Lisa Dusseault
A person I know always signs his signature the same way, with the word
"MOOM" after his name. The O's in MOOM even have eyes in them and
I believe there's a nose too.
This person told me that a bit of time is wasted when people do a double-
take looking at his signature, but that the ploy paid off when his bank
passed a cheque which had not been signed by him. He showed the
bank how he always signed cheques in this peculiar way, and the bank
agreed that the forged cheque was not signed by him and (I think)
reimbursed him.
I've always suspected it would be pretty easy to forge cheques --
apparently you don't even have to try and get the signature right, just
the right name. And since the name is printed on the cheque...
Lisa Dusseault
Idea: what if cheques didn't have the name on? then the finder of a lost
chequebook would have no idea what to sign? What if cheques had the
signature pre-printed on them -- perhaps in a way that only showed up
under ultra-violet light -- so that tellers could actually check the
signature?
Question: Some people I know have illegible signatures, scrawls or
scribbles really. Some people have very clear signatures in which every
letter can be identified. Which is easier to forge?
> Kevin Mukhar <muk...@walnut.csp.mmc.com> wrote in article
<320B4F...@walnut.csp.mmc.com>...
> Susan Mitchell wrote:
> >
> > Madeleine L'Engle, in her book _A Circle of Quiet_, tells about
writing a
> > check to a friend for some small amount: her current batch of checks
had
> > run out, so she dug up an old box of checks without the "cybernetic
salad"
> > in the lower left-hand corner.
> >
> > <snip>
> >
> > Her friend came back a day or two later saying that the bank had
indeed
> > refused the check. In annoyance, L'Engle got out her *new* box of
checks,
> > ..
> > wrote one out for the proper amount, and signed it "Emily Bronte." It
> > went through with no trouble.
>
> I remember reading this as an excerpt some time ago. I found it very
> amusing.
>
> On a related note, I recently paid a bill with a check, but sent it off
> without signing it. The bank did cash it for the creditor, but they did
> have to stamp it with some kind of notice like, "Check received without
> signature" or something (I only looked at it once when I received it
> with my statement).
>
> I, also, have heard the stories about writing checks on just a piece of
> paper being valid. I've also been following this thread, and it wasn't
> until Susan's post above that I was reminded of the "fake" $95,000 check
> story. I believe it's been mentioned here before.
>
> To summarize: person receives make money fast junk mail with real
> looking check for $95,000; check has "non-negotiable for cash" printed
> on it; person deposits check as joke; bank cashes check; person goes
> through months of wrangling with bank over check. As part of his
> adventure, the person researched what is required for a check to be a
> valid instrument.
>
> You can find a list of the 9 nine things that make a check valid, and
> the complete details of the story at
>
> http://www.dnai.com/g-think/$$tablecontents.html
>
> and a newspaper reprint at the UL website:
>
> http://www.urbanlegends.com/misc/bank_credits_fake_check.html
>
Wayne Talbot
> : On a related note, I recently paid a bill with a check, but sent it off
> : without signing it. The bank did cash it for the creditor, but they did
> : have to stamp it with some kind of notice like, "Check received without
> : signature" or something (I only looked at it once when I received it
> : with my statement).
>
> check to my water company, and they sent it back to me.
Once upon a time I was a tax collector :(
We would always get unsigned checks and we
processed them no matter what. A check presented
for a valid debt can be processed whether it is
signed or not. The only requirement was that the
check was from the person who owed the debt,
in our case, property taxes.
"the_spiegel_<kcomer@metronet.com>"
"Wilkinson K F (Kimberly)" <kwil...@mailhost.pd4.ford.com> writes:
>> ~ > Fred Read
>> ~ > How many people do *you* know with a C function named after them ?
>Cool. I'll have to tell my friend, Fred, that he's got a C
>function named after *him*, too.
For those of you who do not have a C function named after you, simply
change "yournamehere" to your name (well, any contiguous selection of
letters in your name-- "Floyd Davidson" won't work, but "avid" would),
link in the vicious structures page, teasley, and tepper, and you have
your very own (AFU sponsored) C function.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
#include <stdio.h>
extern struct vicious {
void *flame() ;
short sweet ;
} page(), teasley(), tepper() ;
void *yournamehere(int i, char *snopes)
{
/* function to put yournamehere's name into a C function */
/* args-- */
/* i: meaningless */
/* snopes: a character pointer (possibly in an array of */
/* characters) or a string */
printf("Hello, ") ;
printf(snopes) ;
printf(".\n") ;
return (void *) NULL ;
}
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
the "but I thought it was fread()" spiegel
--
*=*=*=*=*=*=*+*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*+*=*=*=*=*=*=*
Ken Comer | http://www.metronet.com/~kcomer | aka spiegel
Nancy J. Gill
"Lisa Dusseault" <ldus...@csclub.uwaterloo.ca> wrote:
[snip]
>Idea: what if cheques didn't have the name on? then the finder of a lost
>chequebook would have no idea what to sign? What if cheques had the
>signature pre-printed on them -- perhaps in a way that only showed up
>under ultra-violet light -- so that tellers could actually check the
>signature?
>Question: Some people I know have illegible signatures, scrawls or
>scribbles really. Some people have very clear signatures in which every
>letter can be identified. Which is easier to forge?
Well, if the signature was pre-printed on the check, don't
you think that would make it easiest to forge? (How long do
you think it would take for the "secret" method to be
discovered and replicated by the bad guys? Passing forged
checks seems to be a really popular form of fraud in my neck
of the woods.)
Carpe chocolate
Nancy J. Gill
(njg...@ix.netcom.com)
http://www.netcom.com/~njgill/
Chris Wood
Lisa Dusseault wrote:
> Idea: what if cheques didn't have the name on? then the finder of a lost
> chequebook would have no idea what to sign? What if cheques had the
> signature pre-printed on them -- perhaps in a way that only showed up
> under ultra-violet light -- so that tellers could actually check the
> signature?
>
Idea: What if someone invented a plastic card called a 'cheque guarantee
card' that had your signature on? Then places could refuse to accept
cheques without seeing the card! That idea could catch on....
Hey! You could even allow the card to withdraw money from ATMs!
Chris 'Will think of ideas for money' Wood
--
Chris Wood Work: Wo...@Logica.com Gravity is a myth..
Logica UK Ltd. Tel: +44 (0)171 637 9111 The Earth sucks.
Home: Ch...@Sprocket.uk.eu.org
-=Opinions are mine=-
daniel alexander
I heard that several more bizarre surfaces have been legitimately
used...like a banana and a cow - all totally legal, the cheque is not
the paper itself but the financial promise - so use your imagination:
how about microfilm, shit or paint-on-the-floor ?
Nemo Ignoto
In article <32092809...@library.airnews.net>, rny...@mail.serve.com
(Rick Nyman) wrote:
>ka...@ctshp.celtech.com (Karl Anderson) wrote:
>
>>I used to make my own checks on a photocopier. They didn't take any
>>longer to clear, altho it sometimes took some convincing to get them
>>accepted (they were handwritten).
>
>Ever hear the story of a check that was actually a steel plate with the
>information welded on it? The legend goes on to say that a bank guard
>cancelled it with his Thompson (that would be a machine gun -- the supposed
>occurrence took place probably in the 50s). Nope, no cites, but if anyone
>has any sources on this one...
I have myself seen this very check many times with my own eyes!
There was for many years a tiny museum maintained by Chase Manhattan Bank
(50th and 5th ?????in Manhattan NYC) devoted entirely to money. One
exhibit was made up of odd methods of payment and included such a check.
It has been 30 years since I saw it but I remember that it was rather
large; perhaps 2 feet by 4 feet in 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick steel plate.
Except for the size and material it looked just like any other check. I
neither recall the recipient nor the amount. That information had been
welded on and it had been cancelled with a Thompson Sub-Machine gun (there
were photos of the event). The word PAID was clearly spelled out in the
holes shot clear through the steel plate.
I do not recall the occasion or purpose behind such excess.
Except for the exhibit featuring counterfeit money it is the only thing I
vividly recall about the museum.
Nemo Ignoto
cze...@us.oracle.com
Two years ago I was stuck in line at the checkout desk of a hotel
behind an elderly gentleman. The desk wouldn't accept his credit
card because it wasn't signed. He explained that he hadn't signed
it so that if it was stolen, the thief wouldn't be able to copy
his signature.
Sigh...
Walter Eric Johnson
Nemo Ignoto (eni...@tesser.com) wrote:
: There was for many years a tiny museum maintained by Chase Manhattan Bank
: (50th and 5th ?????in Manhattan NYC) devoted entirely to money. One
: exhibit was made up of odd methods of payment and included such a check.
: It has been 30 years since I saw it but I remember that it was rather
: large; perhaps 2 feet by 4 feet in 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick steel plate.
: Except for the size and material it looked just like any other check. I
: neither recall the recipient nor the amount. That information had been
: welded on and it had been cancelled with a Thompson Sub-Machine gun (there
: were photos of the event). The word PAID was clearly spelled out in the
: holes shot clear through the steel plate.
A Thompson shooting holes through 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick steel plate?
What was it using? Depleted uranium bullets?
Eric Johnson
RMS
In article <Pine.OSF.3.93.96081...@mole.uvm.edu>,
jlne...@mole.uvm.edu says...
>
>> : Has anyone seen any cites on the UL that a check for (?) was written on a
>> : tshirt, taken to the appropriate bank and deposited? It would be poetic
>> : justice to submit such a check to the IRS.
>
>> taxes. Even included photos of the farmer and the shirt he used.
>
>to bibles. They are all acceptable... (...) Jeffrey L. Nelson
(...)
I seem to recall a court decision where an alimony cheque was written
on panties. I would hate to think what would constitute an altered
cheque in this case. Also does such an instrument become a stale
cheque in less than 6 months if not paid. RMS
Craig Sherwood
In Newsgroup alt.folklore.urban, eni...@tesser.com (Nemo Ignoto) wrote:
>I have myself seen this very check many times with my own eyes!
>There was for many years a tiny museum maintained by Chase
>Manhattan Bank (50th and 5th ?????in Manhattan NYC) devoted
>entirely to money. One exhibit was made up of odd methods of
>payment and included such a check. It has been 30 years since I
>saw it but I remember that it was rather large; perhaps 2 feet by
>4 feet in 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick steel plate. Except for the size
>and material it looked just like any other check. I neither
>recall the recipient nor the amount. That information had been
>welded on and it had been cancelled with a Thompson Sub-Machine
>gun (there were photos of the event). The word PAID was clearly
>spelled out in the holes shot clear through the steel plate.
Ummmmmm; A Thompson penetrating 1/2 to 3/4 steel plate? I don't
think so.
The Thompson used a .45 calibre softnosed (lead) slug, which
would go *s*p*l*a*t* against anything much thicker than an
automobile door or body panel.
I think you saw some creative artwork there, involving a bit of
dextrous oxy-acetylene cutting.
--
Craig Sherwood (feeling much better now; thanks for all the cards)
a...@inetrex.com Toronto, Canada
(my cheques go *SPROING*, not *s*p*l*a*t*)
Barbara Mikkelson
daniel alexander <alex...@vax.sbu.ac.uk> wrote:
> I heard that several more bizarre surfaces have been legitimately
> used...like a banana and a cow
The story of writing a cheque on the side of a cow is but well-travelled
folklore. Anyone interested in hearing about it is welcome to email me
(I've posted it twice to AFU already so I'm sparing the regulars from
having to see it again).
Barbara "bum steer" Mikkelson
--
Barbara Mikkelson | Sorry, not available in states or provinces
bha...@fas.harvard.edu | which have felony laws. - Tom Cikoski
Broose the Moose
In article <321006...@io.com>, Wayne Talbot <wta...@io.com> wrote:
>Susan Mitchell wrote:
>Once upon a time I was a tax collector :(
>We would always get unsigned checks and we
>processed them no matter what. A check presented
>for a valid debt can be processed whether it is
>signed or not. The only requirement was that the
>check was from the person who owed the debt,
>in our case, property taxes.
The Little Lady once paid all her bills deliberately without signing the
checks, just to see what would happen. Her oil company (Exxon? I don't know,
and she's asleep now) sent the check back for no signature. Nobody else
noticed, and neither did the banks.
Also, these days we get a lot of checks from people using Quicken with checks
that have printed on them, "No signature required". Make of it what you will.
Bo Bradham
RMS <Randy....@msfc.nasa.gov> wrote:
>>
>>>Susan Mitchell wrote:
>>>Once upon a time I was a tax collector :(
>>>We would always get unsigned checks and we
>>>processed them no matter what. A check presented
>>>for a valid debt can be processed whether it is
>>>signed or not. The only requirement was that the
>>>check was from the person who owed the debt,
>>>in our case, property taxes.
>>
>
>untill it is signed. An indorsement may be blank but should contain
>restriction such as "for deposit only". RMS
When I worked for the SC Tax Commission (since re-named "Dept of
Revenue" I think) they worked out a deal with the banks whereby
un-signed checks would be accepted for deposit, then the
signatures would be tracked down. Apparently enough people were
sending un-signed checks that the interest on that money was
worth the effort. They has previously sent checks back for
signature before depositing them.
ObSignatureStory: Peter Sellers received a fan letter from
someone requesting a "singed" photograph. Egged on by his
colleauges, he whipped out a lighter and complied with the
request. He got a letter of thanks, with a request for another
photo as the one he'd sent was "signed" around the edges.
Bo "they got snopes' in England?" Bradham
--
"Learning to drive a car is easier than learning to play the
fiddle. And it's a lot safer, too" -- Kevin Burke
RMS
In article <4v8up9$q...@news.esva.net>, bro...@esva.net says...
>
>In article <321006...@io.com>, Wayne Talbot <wta...@io.com> wrote:
>>Susan Mitchell wrote:
>>Once upon a time I was a tax collector :(
>>We would always get unsigned checks and we
>>processed them no matter what. A check presented
>>for a valid debt can be processed whether it is
>>signed or not. The only requirement was that the
>>check was from the person who owed the debt,
>>in our case, property taxes.
>
>checks, just to see what would happen. Her oil company (Exxon? I don't know,
>and she's asleep now) sent the check back for no signature. Nobody else
>noticed, and neither did the banks.
>
>Also, these days we get a lot of checks from people using Quicken with checks
>that have printed on them, "No signature required". Make of it what you will.
See U.C.C §3-401(1). A person is not liable on an instrument unless and
Bob Rust
Broose the Moose wrote:
>
> In article <321006...@io.com>, Wayne Talbot <wta...@io.com> wrote:
> >Susan Mitchell wrote:
> >Once upon a time I was a tax collector :(
> >We would always get unsigned checks and we
> >processed them no matter what. A check presented
> >for a valid debt can be processed whether it is
> >signed or not. The only requirement was that the
> >check was from the person who owed the debt,
> >in our case, property taxes.
>
>
The "for" line on check forms: What's it really for? I put "extortion"
once paying a phone bill that I was not in love with and I got a call
from a nice phone company lady who said they were legally prevented from
cashing it and would I please write them a more straightforward kind of
check in the same amount?
So if they'd cashed it could I have had them all put in jail or what?
Alex Ramos
Kirk Kerekes (kke...@iamerica.net) wrote:
: - >Also, these days we get a lot of checks from people using Quicken with
: checks
: - >that have printed on them, "No signature required". Make of it what
: you will.
: Why do you assume they are from Quicken? We use Quicken, and have never
: seen any such check.
Not necessarily from Quicken. Probably from an online bill
payment service. One such service offers (or offered at some
point) a free trial period for people who buy a licensed copy
of Quicken, but they do have competitors that are not associated
with Quicken.
--
Alex Ramos * ra...@cris.com * http://www.cris.com/~ramos
Lawrence Kubicz
Kirk Kerekes wrote:
- >Also, these days we get a lot of checks from people using Quicken with checks
- >that have printed on them, "No signature required". Make of it what you will.
>Why do you assume they are from Quicken? We use Quicken, and have never
>seen any such check.
They're from CheckFree, an electronic payment service available via Quicken. If you aren't using it, I strongly recommend it.
Larry "If they just had a BillFree..." Kubicz
Broose the Moose
In article <321006...@io.com>, Wayne Talbot <wta...@io.com> wrote:
>Susan Mitchell wrote:
>Once upon a time I was a tax collector :(
>We would always get unsigned checks and we
>processed them no matter what. A check presented
>for a valid debt can be processed whether it is
>signed or not. The only requirement was that the
>check was from the person who owed the debt,
>in our case, property taxes.
The Little Lady once paid all her bills deliberately without signing the
checks, just to see what would happen. Her oil company (Exxon? I don't know,
and she's asleep now) sent the check back for no signature. Nobody else
noticed, and neither did the banks.
Also, these days we get a lot of checks from people using Quicken with checks