Reporting a Bad Check
This courtesy reference sheet provides citizens and businesses the check investigation requirements. Checks WILL NOT be accepted for investigation by the Rochester Police Dept. if any of the following conditions exist.
Bounced or fraudulent checks WILL NOT be accepted for investigation if any of the following conditions exist:
Should you, or one of your employees, have any questions or concerns regarding the reporting of a check complaint to the Rochester Police department, please contact us at Police Headquarters by phoning 330-7127.
Download the Check Complaint Reporting Guide
Bounced or fraudulent checks WILL NOT be accepted for investigation if any of the following conditions exist:
- The fourteen-day letter has not been sent to the maker and the receipt kept with the check. The fourteen-day letter must be sent certified mail, return receipt requested, deliver to addressee only. This letter must advise the writer that his check was not honored and must demand payment from the writer. The fourteen-day letter is mandatory in cases whether the check was returned for “Insufficient Funds” or “Account Closed”.
- The check was post-dated with a date sometime in the future or the complainant accepted the check and held it for a period of time before cashing it at the request of the writer.
- The complainant does not know what general items were purchased or obtained with the check (e.g., cash, goods, services, merchandise, etc.)
- The check was given to pay a gambling debt.
- The check is more than 60 days old.
- The check has not been presented to the bank within 10 days of the date of receipt.
- The complainant has accepted partial payment on the check.
- Another check was accepted for payment of a previous check, which the complainant held on the writer.
- The complainant cannot identify the employee who accepted the check on behalf of the store or cannot provide the time and date the check was passed.
- The check was returned on a “Stop Payment” order issued by the writer.
- The employee who accepted the check on behalf of the store will not, at the time of prosecution, be able to identify the person who passed the check, unless a photo was taken at the time.
- The writer of the check resides out-of-state (unless the face amount of the check exceeds $500.00).
- The check is for an amount less than $25.00, except when combined with other checks passed in this jurisdiction written within fifteen (15) days of one another, the total amount exceeding $500.00.
- Third party checks.
Should you, or one of your employees, have any questions or concerns regarding the reporting of a check complaint to the Rochester Police department, please contact us at Police Headquarters by phoning 330-7127.
Download the Check Complaint Reporting Guide