posted
Ok... so I had my car crash last week. I had accidently left my tote bag with all my important papers and one of my check books in the car. When I went to the body shop to look at the car I saw it was gone from the back seat. In a panic I called the towing company and the main office called the branch that towed the car. They did have it...apparently they put valuble things of the cars they pick up in a locker for safe keeping. I've been too busy to pick it up this week, I'm planning to get to later this afternoon. But I tried to buy some stuff after work and found my account was $200 overdrawn! Now it is possible I didn't balance my checks, I've done it before, but I'm scared that my checkbook as been stolen.
What should I do? Wait till I get to the towing company's lot and find if it is missing? It's too late/early to do anything now I think. *sigh*
Posts: 4953 | Registered: Jan 2004
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posted
My first trip would be to the bank, not to the towing company.
I've never had this happen to me before (but then I usually keep my check book somewhere near balanced), but I'd go to the bank and ask them to tell you what the amounts were that were tranferred from the checks cashed most recently. If the amounts don't look familiar, put a hold on the account then contact the towing company and see about checking your bag. It might just be that you balanced your book wrong, or someone is passing off bad checks, or, what I'd think is more likely, they are making online purchases using your account number and routing number. If that is the case, the bank can electronically track where it went immediately.
Go to the bank first thing in the morning, that's my suggestion.
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
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As an addendum to what I just said, I asked my mom what she thinks. She said the very first thing you need to do tomorrow morning is go to the bank, regardless of whether or not your checkbook is acutally stolen, it MIGHT be, so go there, talk to them and tell them the situation. They'll probably close the account and watch for activity, and open you a new account with a new number. If in the end you find your checkbook with your things, then crisis averted (you just need an accounting class ), but you need to talk to them first thing in the morning.
My mom used to be head teller at a bank, so listen to the wise lady .
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
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posted
Telp, there's also a good chance the tellers can pull up images of the checks so you can compare the handwriting. That's a quick and easy way to see if it's the phone bill you forgot you wrote or someone else taking advantage. The tellers can also stop the checks in the book if you have an idea what the numbers are.
Also, do you keep your debit card in your checkbook? That would need an immediate block as the fraud comes so much faster.
I hope everything turns out ok. Worst comes to worst, you push a fraud case and get all but $50 back.
Posts: 2283 | Registered: Dec 2003
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posted
Besides, even if your checkbook wasn't "stolen" and fake checks were not written, anyone at or around the shop could have taken your bank account number. That can be used to access your account and take your money, transfer it to another, order stuff on-line, etc.
Posts: 11895 | Registered: Apr 2002
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posted
Great news. I was able to get my bag and by checkbook. Nothing was messed with that I could see. Fortunatly I carry my debit card in my wallet so it's all good there, but yeah, someone could have taken my routing numbers.
Posts: 4953 | Registered: Jan 2004
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), but you need to talk to them first thing in the morning.![[Smile]](smile.gif)
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