WARNING - don't cash UB check at the Bank listed on check(Trip Report)

[AaronL]

I had a fun experience today when I took a 2k UB check to their bank to cash (I won't say the name again as it is printed on the check as payable through even though it is a foreign check... also this info is posted in other threads anyhow)... I thought I would post the story here as kindof a warning to everyone else...

First off I now live in OKC area and have a bank that does not have local banks here...(I opened it when I lived in Vegas, and continue use it because they still allow gaming transactions)... so instead of mailing the check to my bank and then waiting for it to cash I decided to take a trip to Dallas today to cash this check (and a different one from different site through another bank) and then hit up Winstar (a casino on the OK/TX border that I haven't been to in awhile) on the way back...

When I find the bank in Dallas and go in they tell me they can't cash it because they can't verify it... They say it is drawn to a foreign account that they don't have access to... I (very stupidly) decide to inquire about why a check that says payable through this bank isn't... This brings the manager out, who just so happened to work in a branch in the state that it says it is payable through... apparently the ABA branch number (I believe that is what it is called) doesn't match...

So now they become rude as hell and asking me all kinds of questions about what the company is ("Internet Payment Processing Company"), why I got the check ("I work on the internet"), and why they sent me money ("Because they owed me money".) They till me that they think the check if fraudulent and they need to verify it "to cash it". (I knew this was BS but they had my ID and check so I was kindof stuck at this point...)

About an hour later (and with all the bank employees eyeing me like the thief that they know I am) they have me on the phone with the investigations department... They start by asking me if it has anything to do with the internet fraud schemes out there ("did they ask you to send them half the check back? ... Did you get this from some unsolicited source? etc etc...) before he asks if it is related to online gambling... so I say "yea, that it's from a gaming site..." He says "ummm... okkk.... I'll call you back in about hour and if we can verify it we will cash it..." So I get my driver's license and basically drive around waiting for him to call me back...

After three hours I call him back and he says he should know something in half an hour and will call me back... in two more hour I call again and get his voice mail...

So at this point (after driving three hours to dallas, and basically hanging out in a parking lot for five hours) I'm pissed as [censored] and go back to the bank to find out what the hell is going on...

There they say they are "still dealing with the check", but they think it is fraudulent and that they are going to keep it... Once they verify that the check is valid ("which they don't think it is") that they will cash it... I explain (very politely) that I drove three hours to Dallas "to care take of business" (go to a casino) and cash this check... and that I'm pissed as [censored] and I'm not driving another six hours tomorrow to get my money "if it's not fraudulent"... I ask for a copy of the check and note saying that they thought it was fraudulent so that I have a record saying they kept the check... They till me that they can't provide me with a note verifying this because "it isn't their policy"?!?! ... After demanding some kind of documentation I finally get a note...

About ten minutes later, as I'm starting to head home, the guy from the investigations department calls me back and says that "he doesn't think the check is fraudulent" but they won't be able to cash it, and that I should take it my bank to cash it as that it "would probably go through"...

The guy called me back later to tell me what was up with the check... Apparently, they have had alot of problems with these checks as the information written on it about their branch in New York is incorrect and they look "different"... (nice job UB) He also said if I had a account they would accept it it but since it is an international check (with wrong info) that can't cash it for outside customers... He then went on on rant about how current situation is creating all kinds of head aches for them right now... he seemed to be on top of the current situation with online gambling (basically calling it all BS)... He said that their bank is pretty much ignoring the whole situation right now since they don't have any guidelines on how to deal with the issue yet... (I don't know if this means they are allowing or not allowing gambling transactions for their customers)

Unlike several employees at the bank this guy was polite, and, except for not calling me back as he told me he was going to, I didn't have any problems with him...

Anyhow, I then went across the street to my bank and deposited the check...

Cliffnotes -

Made trip to cash UB check at their bank
Said it was fraudulent and wasted my day
Took it to my bank and deposited it

Moral -

Don't cash UB checks at the bank listed on the check

Mods feel free to move this if it more likely belongs in BBV [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[Backspin20]

Sounds like a Nightmare thanks for the warning.

[ktulu22]

Very well written. Good read

[Stake Monster]

why didn't you cash in the check at your place first before going to dallas to gambool?

[poorolrich]

Quote:
why didn't you cash in the check at your place first before going to dallas to gambool?

Well, lets see---he lives in Oklahoma City and his bank is in Las Vegas---about a 2300 mile trip--works for me!!!!

[Bankrupt Twice]

What a nightmare... I am glad you warned us about this. Tell you what, im just gonna stick that sucker in my local ATM from now on and see what happens, then I will post a trip report. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[AaronL]

[ QUOTE ]
why didn't you cash in the check at your place first before going to dallas to gambool?

[/ QUOTE ]

As I said above my bank also does not have branches in Oklahoma... I actually tried to cash it a check cashing place across the street from where I live now but she couldn't get UB's bank to verify the check over the phone... I guess that should have been another warning sign...

[boondoggle]

I have a check coming from UB as well. How long did it take for you to get your check from time you requested it?

thanks for the heads up.

cheers
Boon

[chicagoY]

Thanks for the info. I hate our government for bringing all this trouble upon us.

[chicagoY]

out of country checks they generally don't "cash" right away anyway unless you can cover it already.