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Matthew W Inner circle New York 2456 Posts |
I was paid with a bad check for a birthday and it bounced.
I have tried to contact the person at for the past week and have only gotten in touch with other people (mother, father, etc). She does not answer her cell phone, and I can only get in touch with someone when I use a phone number that does not display on caller id. I am being avoided. What do I do now?
-Matt
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Scott Burton Inner circle 1131 Posts |
Yikes! Sorry to hear that.
I guess it comes down to how much were you supposed to get paid vs. how much your time is worth trying to track this person down (or how much $$$s to use collectors or the courts). Good luck. If you end up losing the money, don't let it make you mistrust future clients or get you down. Stuff like this can happen, unfortunately. This is why some people require deposits for birthdays. I never did BUT I didn't have this happen to me either. |
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Domino Magic Special user 999 Posts |
You're probably going to have to cut your losses. I don't know what you were paid, but I'm sure it's not worth your time to go after them. You know the score - they're avoiding you. They're probably avoiding other people they owe money to. It's not worth taking them to small claims court because you're going to be out more time and money.
Take Scott's advice - don't let it get you down. There are going to be bumps in the road. |
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Matthew W Inner circle New York 2456 Posts |
I did get a deposit for it and that went through.
She even wrote a tip into the check! I was owed $150, and she gave me a check for $200. I could see if she did not mean to, but she must know it bounced. I am going to assume it was on purpose, otherwise I wouldn't be avoided.
-Matt
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Donald Dunphy Inner circle Victoria, BC, Canada 7563 Posts |
Other threads that might help:
--> The check bounced! What's next? --> Being Scammed for $$$...?? --> Sticky situation: a cheque bounced --> Lines for checking money when peo......envelope - Donald
Donald Dunphy is a Victoria Magician, British Columbia, Canada.
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magicofCurtis Inner circle Los Angeles 2545 Posts |
Hey Matthew some people will bounce checks by accident. IT has happen to me a couple of times.... This is what I have done.. A. phone the bank and verify if the funds are in the account. If so deposit it again.
B. Wait a week or so and deposit it again if the bank will not verify the info. I usually do not even call the client and let them know. But if A and B fails... C. Call them and ask to be paid by cash. Be nice about it... Just say you understand things happen and it happens to everyone once in a while and all you care about it making it good and it is not that big of a deal... Stating this way it takes an embarrassing situation and turning it into a more pleasant one.
Curtis Lovell II
http://www.CurtisLovell.com http://www.MagicofCurtis.com www.facebook.com/curtislovellii Los Angeles, California - U.S.A. |
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impossible man Elite user 403 Posts |
Hey, Matt.
I agree with the others, once you are sure you can't get paid, just let it go. Even if you were to win in small claims court you would be expected to collect the judgement yourself. 'Nuff negative. Just enjoy your magic career as it unfolds. Stay positive. Dean |
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pixsmith Regular user 184 Posts |
You could also see if your bank will send it through "for collection" Then, the moment that the funds are available, the check is paid. This used to be pretty common practice, but fewer and fewer tellers, and even branch managers, know what it is or how to do it. It might be worth asking.
Love me my independent bank, for all those reasons and more! Pix |
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Matthew W Inner circle New York 2456 Posts |
I was told by a friend that I could go to her bank and have them see if there are funds available, and if there are, get cash. Is that true?
-Matt
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TheGiz Veteran user 335 Posts |
Only happened to me once. I went down to collect at her house. She had moved. . . house was empty. The only loser I ever dealt with.
May it only happen once to you. All the best, -Gary |
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Matthew W Inner circle New York 2456 Posts |
Yikes, that is awful! Can one get in trouble for going to the persons house to collect?
-Matt
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jackturk Elite user 463 Posts |
It happens. It sucks. And it'll happen again.
Be nice, try to collect what you can, write off what you can't. Then go out work your tail off and book more gigs. --J
"59 Ways To Recession Proof Your Entertainment Business -- FREE!"
http://www.GetLeadsLikeCrazy.com "How To Make $25,000 a Year Doing Birthday Parties Part-Time" http://www.magicmarketingcenter.com/birthdayPT |
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MagicSanta Inner circle Northern Nevada 5841 Posts |
Yeah, you can go their bank and hit 'em if they have the funds. I had one bad check and when I found out they had funds I, being a genius, put it in my pouch on top of the car and drove of, losing the check and my pouch.
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rossmacrae Inner circle Arlington, Virginia 2475 Posts |
Stay away from her house. Go to the bank the check was drawn on and see if there are any funds in the account. Ten to one the account is already closed, but you can try.
I have had people smile and warmly thank me and tell me how wonderful my show was, while they're writing a check on a closed or NSF account. Doesn't happen often, but it happens. The avoiding should be a big tipoff that she has no intention of making this good. |
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Donald Dunphy Inner circle Victoria, BC, Canada 7563 Posts |
Quote:
On 2009-03-05 23:26, jackturk wrote: It doesn't have to happen again. Here's one thing you can do. I wrote that post over 5 years ago, and I still have that policy. I've been doing it that way for at least 15 years now (hundreds and hundreds of birthday show customers). - Donald
Donald Dunphy is a Victoria Magician, British Columbia, Canada.
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Dannydoyle Eternal Order 21219 Posts |
Matthew, a check has legal consequences to it. Check with your local DA and he will help you out.
"Letting it go" does not have to be the action here.
Danny Doyle
<BR>Semper Occultus <BR>In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act....George Orwell |
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Matthew W Inner circle New York 2456 Posts |
As soon as this happened, I said to myself, cash only.
I will still take the deposit by check, I don't think anyone would purposely bounce the deposit. That is just stupid. That is guaranteeing them to NOT get the show. Is it wrong to call late at night? Probably 11PM I would do it from a phone number she won't recognize, maybe "emergency" will click in her head and she'll answer.
-Matt
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Domino Magic Special user 999 Posts |
Yes, it would be wrong to call at 11pm. The path you're headed towards is harassment. Collection agencies cannot call past 9pm.
Your best action is to go to their bank and try to cash the check. If they don't have money, you're not going to collect. Period. It doesn't matter if you sue them, call them or show up at their house. If they don't have it, you're not going to get it. I wouldn't expect a lot out of contacting your local DA either. This is just part of the economic downturn and in many cases people are desperate. The DA isn't going to pursue a $200 check when they probably have a backlog of bigger issues. |
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Nala Nosmoht Special user Surrey,B.C. Canada, 641 Posts |
I had a bounced cheque at a birthday party several years ago.(The client would not return my calls either) This worked for me up here , : an accountant told me to take the cheque to my bank , I gave them the cheque (paid $20.00)they held it for 30 days (I think) and periodically (sorry I can't remember how it works) checked the activity on the account , there was a deposit made , they got my money! I just lost the $20.00 for the bank charge. (the accountant at the company I worked for told me of this process.) If you talk to your bank manager I'm sure they will try to assist you. (Or talk to an accountant on this if you know one)Sorry this is so vague. Alan
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mrmagic9112 Regular user 138 Posts |
I have never had a bad check, and am probably pretty lucky. I accept credit cards, cash or checks. Most birthday parties I do are 95 percent of the time, paid in cash or by credit card. You have a little more recourse with a credit card and can get it approved right away. There are fees associated with credit cards but for me it makes things hassle free for the most part.
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