What Should I Do If There's a Bank Deposit Discrepancy?

[Intrepid_Chef]

OK, so this is what I get for accomodating a host's desire to get a show closed before I go on vacation ....

I met with the host this morning. She gave me a check for 1 of her 2 outside orders, and promised to mail me the other one. (This means I'll have to cover a $70 order until I get home ... but whatever.

Now, I have this tendency to take checks to the bank where they are drawn ... but this morning, I just didn't have time. So I went to one bank and cashed 2 checks and while I was waiting and waiting and waiting in line ... I called to verify the others. All were confirmed to be good ... so I was good to go.

I THOUGHT I totaled the checks correctly ... so I just gave the drive-thru teller my envelope of cash and the other checks, and wrote the total on the outside of the envelope. She asked me to write my ssn on it. She gave me a receipt and the envelope back ... I asked her to dispose of it b/c I didn't want a paper with my ssn floating around.

Anyway ... I went to close out the show and ... GULP! The amount I am supposed to cover with my debit card exceeds what I have deposited by more than $150!!!! Even with the $70, this just does not add up. I have added and added and added the receipts I have, and cannot come up with any combination of orders that match the exact amount I am missing.

Stupid bank won't let me leave them a message ... and I will be on the road Monday! And by the time they open ... these checks will be on their merry way through the system!

It's not like anything will bounce ... but this IS my conference money!!!

Can I call the customers to see if their checks clear, assuming I'm not able to get this cleared with the bank?

I'm just sick about this. Thanks for letting me vent!

 

[pampchefrhondab]

Wow, that's terrible. I don't have any advice for you. Your bank should find that the tellers drawer doesn't close out evenly. Maybe they will find the error.

 

[Kitchen Diva]

I hate bank mistakes! I hope it works out!!!

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

Thanks for the support, folks! I had a small sandwich and feel a little better now ...

Based on the amounts of the orders (and the other 2 checks) there should have been 96.03. After searching my car for any missing checks and figuring and refiguring and refiguring again ... I am certain that when I added the checks, I added 97 cents to the total instead of the check for $97. So I am CERTAIN that they have the check and it will all be OK on Monday. Still makes me nervous leaving town without this being resolved.

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

P.S. I hate it when banks have "national" in their name but aren't truly national!

 

[wadesgirl]

I take it that you totaled correctly but they didn't double check??

If that is the case, I always tell the teller to double check my addition. I always have more than 10 checks to deposit and don't want to make a silly error. It maybe bank policy to do this. I would call first thing on Monday! By the way, they may not take the money out right away. It's usually a couple days behind (don't hold me to this but it's usually what happens).

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

Actually, I totaled INcorrectly and as far as I know, they did NOT double check. Usually I make every effort not to deposit checks AT ALL and instead cash the checks at the bank they are drawn on, then double and triple check my adding.

I have a "checkbook calculator" given to me by a friend. This calculator has a stupid little quirk ... it does not need you to put in a decimal point when adding checks, which is a blessing and a curse! For instance, if you enter 4063 it adds 40.63. If you enter 97 instead of 97. it enters 97 cents!

Considering the total of the checks was $96.03 more than the amount I deposited, it was easy to see, once I took a breather, what the mistake was.

I will call in the morning .... but we will be finishing up a very long, 12-hour journey ... and I SO hate using anytime minutes for this! If they had a branch in New England I could just go to a branch in person!

At least they have a customer service guy who finally told me that they make photocopies of all the checks ... I HATE taking all that stuff with me, though!

 

[Shawnna]

The teller will have to total her drawer before closing out and it has to match. They will catch the error and go through the deposits. My bank does this when I give it to them, but if they are busy they will just take your word for it and total at the end of the day. You should be getting something in the mail in a few days showing the error. My bank will usually copy the adding machine tape and the deposit slip with the error circled and send it to me.

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

Yeah ... but I'll be out of town so I won't get the notice ... anyway, I know what the error is so I can sleep at night and not worry about how I'm going to call a customer to explain that I lost her check ...

 

[jenniferp417]

Chances are, even if she took that stack of checks for what you said it is... when their paperwork gets sent to their "proof department" the proof people will see the checks total differently and they will correct the transaction.I hope it all works out for you!

 

[Becky0216]

A bank will never just take your word for it. She or her would have to verify everything before she posted the transaction to your account at all. Do you have online banking to see what was actually deposited? And at the very least a teller has to balance every night. It would be found right away. A banks can't take your word because there is so much fraud out there. The is a bad ring of check kiters out there. There people who deposit checks and withdrawl from another bank right away. Knowing the money is not really there. This is why some banks put hold on checks now.
I know you didn't want a lesson on fraud, just trying to prove a point.
Good luck and have a nice trip.

 

[wadesgirl]

A bank will never just take your word for it. She or her would have to verify everything before she posted the transaction to your account at all. Do you have online banking to see what was actually deposited? And at the very least a teller has to balance every night. It would be found right away. A banks can't take your word because there is so much fraud out there. The is a bad ring of check kiters out there. There people who deposit checks and withdrawl from another bank right away. Knowing the money is not really there. This is why some banks put hold on checks now.
I know you didn't want a lesson on fraud, just trying to prove a point.
Good luck and have a nice trip.

I went through the drive thru once and cashed a check. I actually counted my money before I left (something I NEVER do) and reazlied she shorted me a $20. I went back into the bank and had to stand there for 20 minutes while a manager came over to count her drawer only to give me a $20 and a sorry! I agree there are too many scammers out there but there are also alot of honest people who make mistakes. You just never know who you are dealing with.