Bank Atlantic victimizes the victims and refuses to co-operate to solve financial crimes Plantation Florida
A few months ago, I started a new business. Part of getting this new business started and off the ground was receiving an order from Nigeria. The negotiations tooks months to complete, and with the FedEx'd receipt of the check, I went to the bank to finally open a business bank account.
While there, I attempted to first verify that the check was real. The check was a bank check drawn on First Union bank. The bank said that they could not verify the check at that time. I explained to the people there that I was uncertain if the check was real or not. They encouraged me to deposit the check anyway.
Several days later, I called around the Bank Atlantic phone number to check on the clearing of the check. I finally reached someone who told me the check had cleared and the funds would be in my account the very next morning. Excited, I let my client know that his check had cleared and wrote out the Purchase Orders for his merchandise. The next day, I sent the Purchase Orders for his merchandise along with a FAXed copy of my business check to the wholesaler for the equipment. A short time later, the wholesaler called me back saying my bank account did not have sufficient funds for the order. I told him I would contact the bank and give him a call back.
It took almost 2 days for me to reach someone at the bank again. This time I was told that the check was returned. I kept asking "why was the check returned". I never got an answer. I had to let my client know that their check was returned and tell my wholesaler that I had to arrange for alternate financing from the client and did not know if the order was going through.
Now talking to the client, he is very confused and says the check should be perfectly fine since it's a bank check drawn on a U.S. bank, and he had it FedEx'd directly to him from the U.S.
Finally, almost a week later, I get a letter in the mail from my Bank Atlantic branch, the text of which says as follows: "This letter is to advise you that a check in the amount of $43,146.00 used to open your account was returned to the bank as fraudulent.
Your account has been closed and the information stated above has been reported to chexsystems."
At that point, I contacted Bank Atlantic again, this time over and over again, requesting a copy of the returned check so I could turn it over to the U.S. Secret Service and begin the process of an International Fraud Investigation. Finally, months later, last week I went and collected the rest of the money that I had deposited as CASH when I opened the business account. For an account that was supposedly closed, they sure did not do anything with it.
Still to this day, no copy of the check has ever been given to me. My client swears up and down that the check is valid, and even provided the name of the contact in the U.S. and their address who sent them the check from First Union.
Now, very recently, I have heard from another individual who received a check from Nigeria, also a Bank Check drawn on a U.S. bank, and also claimed fraud. They too are having a very hard time getting a copy of the bad check from the bank.
Now there are two scenarios here. (1) Fraud is being commited from overseas. (2) These bank checks are VALID and the banks have confiscated our hard earned money!
Personally, since I have not received a copy of the bad check to use to report it, and the bank has essentially ruined my personal and my businesses' reputation FOREVER by reporting everything to chexsystems and then closing my account so I can't even do any other business, I feel that the check was actually REAL and someone in the bank STOLE my money.
$43,146 is nothing to sneeze at. I want to know why I was double-victimized by the bank. Why was my business account closed and my business trashed just as I was starting out? It is not my fault if the check WAS fraudulent - it was received from another individual, and they are the ones commiting the crime, not me.
David
Hollywood, Florida
U.S.A.
14 Updates & Rebuttals
Chris
Chesterfield,Missouri,
U.S.A.
Robert
#15Consumer Comment
Wed, April 22, 2009
All your points are valid. However, explain to me how this person is supposed to know whether the check is valid or not? There must be some way to do it before it gets to the point where you get kicked out the bank. Sure, in this case there some red flags, but not in all cases. Should the person just deposit the check and just hope that it's valid and if it's not, just accept their fate? I also find it interesting that he called the bank and they told him that the check had cleared only to turn around and say it had been returned. So which is it? While there were red flags that the check was fraudulent, the bank should not have reported him to checksystems since he did nothing wrong. Also, why hasn't the bank returned the bad check so he can pursue some legal action against the sender? Although you're probably right that the check was fraudulent, the bank punished him too harshly and needs to give him back his check.
Robert
Irvine,California,
U.S.A.
Some information for you
#15Consumer Comment
Fri, April 04, 2008
This is fact you must always remember.
"If it involves Nigeria it is a Fraud"
"Now talking to the client, he is very confused and says the check should be perfectly fine since it's a bank check drawn on a U.S. bank, and he had it FedEx'd directly to him from the U.S."
RED FLAG #1
If he had this check sent to him from the US, why did he a)Not avoid the middle man and just have it sent to you directly from the US, or b)Cash that check and write you a new one.
RED FLAG #2
The reason is that he did not have it sent from a US Bank, he or his organization created the check. With today's technology just about anyone could make a check that "looks" valid.
RED FLAG #3
Of course your client is going to say it is valid. Did you expect to call them up and them say, "Yep I got you good that check should bounce higher than a rubber ball". In fact I would not be surprised that if they continue to talk to you that they don't try and get you to either send them money or try to send you another bad check.
"(1) Fraud is being commited from overseas, (2) These bank checks are VALID and the banks have confiscated our hard earned money!"
I will tell you right now it is (1). These checks are not valid. Just because it has a US Bank and someone swears that the check is good does not make it so.
"$43,146 is nothing to sneeze at. I want to know why I was double-victimized by the bank. Why was my business account closed and my business trashed just as I was starting out? It is not my fault if the check WAS fraudulent - it was received from another individual, and they are the ones commiting the crime, not me."
The bank did not victimize you. The reason they closed the account because YOU commited a crime called "check kiting". The instance is where you open an account with a fraudlent check and then may or may not take the money out. Basically leaving the bank holding the bag. I am not saying you did this intentionally(in fact I don't think you did). But the fact is YOU deposited the check and prested it as VALID, when it came up not to be valid as far as the bank was concerned you are respsonsible. It may not seem fair but unfortunatly is what has happened.
It does not sound like you had a chance to send any merchandise or cash out of this account, and they just deducted the 43K. If this is the case consider yourself very lucky. As sometimes with these checks it takes 2-4 weeks to come back as bad and you not only would have a bad check mark, but owe the money because it is no longer in your account.
Robert
Irvine,California,
U.S.A.
Some information for you
#15Consumer Comment
Fri, April 04, 2008
This is fact you must always remember.
"If it involves Nigeria it is a Fraud"
"Now talking to the client, he is very confused and says the check should be perfectly fine since it's a bank check drawn on a U.S. bank, and he had it FedEx'd directly to him from the U.S."
RED FLAG #1
If he had this check sent to him from the US, why did he a)Not avoid the middle man and just have it sent to you directly from the US, or b)Cash that check and write you a new one.
RED FLAG #2
The reason is that he did not have it sent from a US Bank, he or his organization created the check. With today's technology just about anyone could make a check that "looks" valid.
RED FLAG #3
Of course your client is going to say it is valid. Did you expect to call them up and them say, "Yep I got you good that check should bounce higher than a rubber ball". In fact I would not be surprised that if they continue to talk to you that they don't try and get you to either send them money or try to send you another bad check.
"(1) Fraud is being commited from overseas, (2) These bank checks are VALID and the banks have confiscated our hard earned money!"
I will tell you right now it is (1). These checks are not valid. Just because it has a US Bank and someone swears that the check is good does not make it so.
"$43,146 is nothing to sneeze at. I want to know why I was double-victimized by the bank. Why was my business account closed and my business trashed just as I was starting out? It is not my fault if the check WAS fraudulent - it was received from another individual, and they are the ones commiting the crime, not me."
The bank did not victimize you. The reason they closed the account because YOU commited a crime called "check kiting". The instance is where you open an account with a fraudlent check and then may or may not take the money out. Basically leaving the bank holding the bag. I am not saying you did this intentionally(in fact I don't think you did). But the fact is YOU deposited the check and prested it as VALID, when it came up not to be valid as far as the bank was concerned you are respsonsible. It may not seem fair but unfortunatly is what has happened.
It does not sound like you had a chance to send any merchandise or cash out of this account, and they just deducted the 43K. If this is the case consider yourself very lucky. As sometimes with these checks it takes 2-4 weeks to come back as bad and you not only would have a bad check mark, but owe the money because it is no longer in your account.
Robert
Irvine,California,
U.S.A.
Some information for you
#15Consumer Comment
Fri, April 04, 2008
This is fact you must always remember.
"If it involves Nigeria it is a Fraud"
"Now talking to the client, he is very confused and says the check should be perfectly fine since it's a bank check drawn on a U.S. bank, and he had it FedEx'd directly to him from the U.S."
RED FLAG #1
If he had this check sent to him from the US, why did he a)Not avoid the middle man and just have it sent to you directly from the US, or b)Cash that check and write you a new one.
RED FLAG #2
The reason is that he did not have it sent from a US Bank, he or his organization created the check. With today's technology just about anyone could make a check that "looks" valid.
RED FLAG #3
Of course your client is going to say it is valid. Did you expect to call them up and them say, "Yep I got you good that check should bounce higher than a rubber ball". In fact I would not be surprised that if they continue to talk to you that they don't try and get you to either send them money or try to send you another bad check.
"(1) Fraud is being commited from overseas, (2) These bank checks are VALID and the banks have confiscated our hard earned money!"
I will tell you right now it is (1). These checks are not valid. Just because it has a US Bank and someone swears that the check is good does not make it so.
"$43,146 is nothing to sneeze at. I want to know why I was double-victimized by the bank. Why was my business account closed and my business trashed just as I was starting out? It is not my fault if the check WAS fraudulent - it was received from another individual, and they are the ones commiting the crime, not me."
The bank did not victimize you. The reason they closed the account because YOU commited a crime called "check kiting". The instance is where you open an account with a fraudlent check and then may or may not take the money out. Basically leaving the bank holding the bag. I am not saying you did this intentionally(in fact I don't think you did). But the fact is YOU deposited the check and prested it as VALID, when it came up not to be valid as far as the bank was concerned you are respsonsible. It may not seem fair but unfortunatly is what has happened.
It does not sound like you had a chance to send any merchandise or cash out of this account, and they just deducted the 43K. If this is the case consider yourself very lucky. As sometimes with these checks it takes 2-4 weeks to come back as bad and you not only would have a bad check mark, but owe the money because it is no longer in your account.
Edgeman
Chico,California,
U.S.A.
Fraud is practically an industry in Nigeria.
#15Consumer Comment
Fri, April 04, 2008
Don't believe me? Try selling high ticket items on eBay or even Craigslist.
The check was not valid. The bank did not steal the funds.
Edgeman
Chico,California,
U.S.A.
Fraud is practically an industry in Nigeria.
#15Consumer Comment
Fri, April 04, 2008
Don't believe me? Try selling high ticket items on eBay or even Craigslist.
The check was not valid. The bank did not steal the funds.
Edgeman
Chico,California,
U.S.A.
Fraud is practically an industry in Nigeria.
#15Consumer Comment
Fri, April 04, 2008
Don't believe me? Try selling high ticket items on eBay or even Craigslist.
The check was not valid. The bank did not steal the funds.
Edgeman
Chico,California,
U.S.A.
Fraud is practically an industry in Nigeria.
#15Consumer Comment
Fri, April 04, 2008
Don't believe me? Try selling high ticket items on eBay or even Craigslist.
The check was not valid. The bank did not steal the funds.
Sleep In Ma
Plainville,Massachusetts,
U.S.A.
I Need some Info PLease
#15Consumer Comment
Fri, April 04, 2008
Hello I am not a victim of this type of fraud but from a advance fee loan scam look up city lending group under these rip off reports look for a story from a Jill from Waterford MI look at all her reports because there is a few and find the way to contact her.Leave a email or another way I can contact you. I received a aletter from Bank of America asking for information about myself that did not male sense it was a fake letter but it was Bank of America letter head Would like to find out if maybe the two are linked together by the same criminals so this message is for the person that found out people have been fired from Bank of America for fraud.Please contact ASAP Thanks
David
Hollywood,Florida,
U.S.A.
Came from US Bank
#15Author of original report
Tue, April 05, 2005
The Check came from a U.S. bank - I even have the original signed receipts - the fraud done was internal within the banking system itself.
Bank Atlantic stated they would either give me the check back or give me a copy of it so I could file with the appropriate federal authorities.
That check or a copy thereof has not materialized.
The persons directly involved in my case had since been fired from Bank of America and arrested on several Federal charges.
Since there are other related cases involved with this as well, the DOJ is not telling me anything specific about what is going on behind the scenes.
David
Hollywood,Florida,
U.S.A.
Came from US Bank
#15Author of original report
Tue, April 05, 2005
The Check came from a U.S. bank - I even have the original signed receipts - the fraud done was internal within the banking system itself.
Bank Atlantic stated they would either give me the check back or give me a copy of it so I could file with the appropriate federal authorities.
That check or a copy thereof has not materialized.
The persons directly involved in my case had since been fired from Bank of America and arrested on several Federal charges.
Since there are other related cases involved with this as well, the DOJ is not telling me anything specific about what is going on behind the scenes.
Eric
No,Florida,
U.S.A.
Nigeria? what are you thinking
#15UPDATE EX-employee responds
Wed, March 16, 2005
Nigeria is considered a "high risk" country. Now that is has been shown the check to be fraud, you actually think there going to give you the check back! it will definitely be under investigation.
Eric
No,Florida,
U.S.A.
Nigeria? what are you thinking
#15UPDATE EX-employee responds
Wed, March 16, 2005
Nigeria is considered a "high risk" country. Now that is has been shown the check to be fraud, you actually think there going to give you the check back! it will definitely be under investigation.
Eric
No,Florida,
U.S.A.
Nigeria? what are you thinking
#15UPDATE EX-employee responds
Wed, March 16, 2005
Nigeria is considered a "high risk" country. Now that is has been shown the check to be fraud, you actually think there going to give you the check back! it will definitely be under investigation.