Anyone ever have a check denied?

[daughtersrus]

Yesterday I went to Sears to pay my bill and had my check denied. Apparently they use Telecheck to process their payments. They said that the code was that the check was "high risk" and gave me a phone number to call. I normally pay my bills online or use my debit card but for some reason, this last week I've written a few checks. I also left my debit card at home by mistake when I went to the mall but had my checkbook with.

I called Telecheck and they said that they denied it not because it was a bad check or that there is anything negative in my file but because I've written 5 checks in the past week. They didn't care that the total of the checks was less than $200. They said that there is a limit of 5 checks in a week regardless of the amounts.

I know that checks are not used often but for those that do, 5 in a weeks seems a bit a ridiculous.

I went to the bank and got cash with my ATM card to pay my bill.

 

[RitaE]

Telecheck seems to have this very dubious and gray set of standards which they feel reluctant to share with mere consumers.

I honestly think they need to be regulated just as much as the credit card companies do.

 

[Tony-NJ]

that's a weird excuse, but it's not yoru bank limiting you correct? I wonder how telecheck knew how many checks you wrote!

 

[DVC-Don]

My wife tried to pay with a check at JC Penny a couple of weeks ago and it was denied. She called our credit union from Penny's and they said no one tried to clear a check with them and there was more than $3000 in the checking account. I bet it was this Telecheck. She normally pays with a credit card.

 

[dislaney]

I don't really write that many checks anymore, but the one time my check was denied someone had been writing checks on an old account of mine (that was closed) and bouncing them all over town. So I guess in this case I was at least made aware of the fact that this was going on, so I could report it and clear my credit report up.

 

[karibritt01]

Maybe not so much that you wrote 5 checks, but that you wrote 5 checks when you normally don't use checks at all? Similar to the credit card stopping your charges because the account activity is different than your normal spending patterns. But I would have been seriously pissed off anyway!

 

[Disneyglobegirl]

Yes and it was at Sears Optical. I was ordering a pair of glasses and decided to write a check as I didn't have my debit card with me and I did not want to use a credit card. My check was denied by Telecheck because it was a "high risk" transaction. I was LIVID. I was a Bank Teller for 10 years and have never ever written a bad check in the 20 years that I have had a checking acct. I promptly told Sears to cancel my order and I got a copy of my prescription and took it somewhere else who would accept my check. I wrote a letter to Sears and Telecheck to complain about the way they did business. Of course both companies apologized however it seems as though they are still doing this to customers. I still go to Sears Optical for my eye exams since they are the closest place to take my insurance however I always ask for a copy of my prescription to take with me elsewhere and I tell Sears why each and everytime that they lost all of my future shopping business because of Telecheck denying my check for that past transaction.

 

[daughtersrus]

Just to clarify, Telecheck told me that it had nothing to do with my history but simply because I wrote 5 checks. They told me that the 5 checks in a week policy applies to everyone. Just for the heck of it, I called the places where I wrote them. 3 of them used "Global" to process their checks the other 2 use "Telecheck" so I called Telecheck back. They gave me the check#'s, amounts, dates, authorization code and the name of the business where I wrote the check. Somehow they have access to all of that info. I called back to those that use Global and they have no idea how Telecheck got the info. I called Global and they were equally confused as they said that they only use Telecheck as a collection agency and verified that all of my checks have cleared.

 

[Beth]

I wonder how telecheck knew how many checks you wrote!

Telecheck captures the info in the MICR line (along the bottom of your check,) and retains it in their database.

...So they knew how many checks drawn on that routing and account number had been presented to them during that week.

It's frustrating. I work for a bank, and our customers often call us to complain - but we don't have anything to do with Telecheck. We can confirm that the account is fine, and that there are sufficient funds, but merchants will still rely on the info from Telecheck.

FYI... As a bank - we're more than happy for you to write more than 5 checks!

 

[momw/2princesses]

We had the same problem at Dick's Sporting Goods. Sent my husband early to the day after Thanksgiving sale. They denied the check and called telecheck. They said it was because we don't normally write checks for such a big amount. True, we rarely write a check anymore, but it was only for $200!!! No harm done really, but he was embarrassed in line!!

 

[MushyMushy]

Oh yeah, we've had that happen twice, both times with Telecheck. At Christmas! Heck yeah we were writing a lot of checks -- it was Christmas!

I wonder if we could all put them out of business by boycotting check writing for a month or two?

 

[chrisxtwo]

Yes! I was at Firestone having some work done on our car and decided to write a check. It would not clear despite having more than enough in the bank. So, I called Telecheck and they refused to tell me why I was being denied. Then, they said this wouldn't happen if I was preapproved through their VIP customer program. They would charge me a certain amount each month to be assured this wouldn't happen again. What a racket! I asked them again WHY was this transaction being denied and she said she couldn't tell me as she couldn't verify my identity. But they could verify it if I was a member of their VIP program. I was so angry. Firestone said this happened to them a lot and they had complained to their corporate offices hoping they would change companies. I very rarely write checks anymore.

 

[SaraJayne]

Just to clarify, Telecheck told me that it had nothing to do with my history but simply because I wrote 5 checks. They told me that the 5 checks in a week policy applies to everyone. Just for the heck of it, I called the places where I wrote them. 3 of them used "Global" to process their checks the other 2 use "Telecheck" so I called Telecheck back. They gave me the check#'s, amounts, dates, authorization code and the name of the business where I wrote the check. Somehow they have access to all of that info. I called back to those that use Global and they have no idea how Telecheck got the info. I called Global and they were equally confused as they said that they only use Telecheck as a collection agency and verified that all of my checks have cleared.

What the heck? How did they get all that info when it wasn't even THEIR business??

We hardly ever write checks (only to the school, it seems ), but I'm annoyed on your behalf.

 

[Janet Hill]

I had a check denied and it was telecheck. Apparently, someone put a wrong DL number in on my checking account, and telecheck had me coded for potential fraud. Was it my fault that cashier entered the data incorrectly. It could have been fixed easily with their premium plan. I don't know if it's ever been fixed, I just don't write checks anymore.

 

[Mommee]

I was denied at Meijer once because it was the third check I wrote that day (groceries first, then DH getting stocking stuffers in one line , with me getting stocking stuffers in another line). No problem, a manager over-rode the system somehow and took it, anyway

 

[Ephany]

Yep, and it was a telecheck issue also. I went to the Carter's outlet in March, wrote a check for DD's spring pjs and when I went to OshKosh next door my check was declined. I had written 3 checks total that week and there was plenty of money in the account. DH called our credit union furious and they had no idea why I had been turned down as I had only written $300 total between the three stores.

The cashier at OshKosh said they had a lot of problems with the check system and it was down because of system errors quite often. It was not an experience I'd care to repeat; I swear there was no one in line behind me until I had a problem with the check and then BAM, the line was to the back of the store.

 

[Fire14]

DH had one come up denied at Meijer because of an outstanding check he had written at walmart a month prior turned out the telecheck system misread routing number and tried to collect from another acct at wrong bank that had similiar name.

 

[MoniqueU]

This just happened to me at Super Walmart about a month ago. I had written a check earlier in the day for my DD's soccer stuff, then went and wrote a check at walmart. I got denied. I have a total phobia of grocery stores to start with so this just sent me over the edge, I have no clue what company denied me?? I was too shaken up to ask. I had my atm card on me and paid with that. Thank god I had it as my son had already downed a starbucks frappachino while waiting in line. I was absolutely humiliated and will not write a check to a retail place ever again.

Also weird the same gas station I go to once a week to get something denied my ATM purchase at both the desk and their ATM, I went straight to my bank and got the cash out to pay for it no problem. I don't know what the issues have been. Real weird lately.

 

[Disneyglobegirl]

Yes! I was at Firestone having some work done on our car and decided to write a check. It would not clear despite having more than enough in the bank. So, I called Telecheck and they refused to tell me why I was being denied. Then, they said this wouldn't happen if I was preapproved through their VIP customer program. They would charge me a certain amount each month to be assured this wouldn't happen again. What a racket! I asked them again WHY was this transaction being denied and she said she couldn't tell me as she couldn't verify my identity. But they could verify it if I was a member of their VIP program. I was so angry. Firestone said this happened to them a lot and they had complained to their corporate offices hoping they would change companies. I very rarely write checks anymore.

I also got the VIP offer from telecheck after my check was denied at Sears. I told the rep "You have got to be kidding, NO THANKS" It is maddening that this company can decide to decline a check for various different reasons that has NOTHING to do with your actual bank account or available funds.

 

[Northstar]

I also got the VIP offer from telecheck after my check was denied at Sears. I told the rep "You have got to be kidding, NO THANKS" It is maddening that this company can decide to decline a check for various different reasons that has NOTHING to do with your actual bank account or available funds.

But the thing is that it is the RETAILER, not your bank, that refuses your check. Telecheck fills a need for the RETAILER... it is very risky for them to accept checks because if the check bounces, they don't get their money, they have to track down the person who didn't pay them, and they normally get hit with a hefty fee from their bank for daring to have deposited a check that is no good.

Retailers would really prefer to have nothing to do with checks, because it is so much riskier than other forms of payment. They accept it only as a courtesy. So when Telecheck says "this check is risky because of X, Y, Z factors," they decline it based on risk, not because they know you don't have enough in your account. It's just business, not personal!