Cashing cheque not (quite) in her name

Mr_Grinch

It was my girlfriend's birthday this weekend and she received a few cheques from relatives whom live away. The cheques are made out to Katie, whereas her actual name is Kathryn (no-one at all calls her Kathryn, not even her parents). She's just been to the bank to try and cash them and they won't let her.

I would've thought that she's be ok to, after all they could have just wrote "Miss K <surname>" on the cheque and that'd have been fine.

Does she have to phone both relatives and get them to re-send a cheque or should the bank allow her to cash them? It's only for £40.

Pheezer

Seems odd. I'd have thought Robert would be able to cash a cheque made out to Bob. Most Bobs do after all still have Robert printed on their driver's license.

Maybe she just rubbed the teller the wrong way? Try calling the bank, asking to speak to the bank manager, and asking him what the deal would be.

tsmvengy

Was she trying to deposit them or get cash? Seems like just the teller having a bad day. I can't imagine that anyone would actually have a problem with that...

Mr_Grinch

She's trying to deposit them in to her account. She's one of the most polite people you can imagine, she really wouldn't have annoyed the guy. She said afterwards that he was incredibly smug about it though.

I would have thought banks would have to allow for this type of thing. She's not one for confrontation but I guess I could wander in with her and speak to the branch manager.

ViolentChemistry

Mr_Grinch wrote: »

She's trying to deposit them in to her account. She's one of the most polite people you can imagine, she really wouldn't have annoyed the guy. She said afterwards that he was incredibly smug about it though.

I would have thought banks would have to allow for this type of thing. She's not one for confrontation but I guess I could wander in with her and speak to the branch manager.

Make sure that you identify the asshole teller after the manager takes care of your shit.

Mmmm... Cocks...

Yea, aren't they quite a bit more relaxed about deposits as well as compared to getting cash out?
I'd definitely just give them a call.

blincoln

I go by my middle name, and it's never been a problem for me to cash checks made out to me that way. From your spelling, I'm assuming you're in the UK, Canada, or Australia, so *maybe* it's different there, but I would start with ViolentChemistry's recommendation.

embrik

The proper way (in the States, at least), is to endorse the check on the back by first signing your name how the check's been made out, then signing it properly on the second line. Also, if you're cashing it (even if you're not depositing any money) at your usual bank, write out your account # on the third line. This will pretty much guarantee that the check will be accepted with no fuss.

SporkAndrew

Can't she just use one of the hole in the wall machines to deposit it? Usually with those the balance is automatically added to your acocunt and then at the end of the day someone just goes through and checks that all the numbers add up.

My mum goes by her middle name, as does my Grandma, and they both deposit cheques made out to those names and have been doing so for years.

Basically it's just a register biscuit being an arse.

Mr Heist

I got a rather large check as a prize for a contest a few months ago, and on it they managed to misspell both my first and last name, rather significantly. The bank didn't even say anything about it when I went to deposit it.

So unless it's a strict bank policy or something, I would think she just got bad luck with the teller.

EggyToast

You know, these devices called Automated Teller Machines will also accept deposits to an account, and are designed to not be smug. In fact, you rarely even have to wait in line to use them.

While it's fine to use people tellers, ATMs are really great for basic transactions like that. I typically only use tellers when I have specific needs -- lots of ones/fives, uh... actually that's usually the only reason I talk to a teller, is to get specific denominations of bills/coins. That and closing/opening accounts.

Mr_Grinch

heh, thanks for the suggestions folks. My gf is a tiny bit of a technophobe and wouldn't have a clue about the automated machines!

Now though, I'd much rather go in and have a word with them and ask them why she wasn't allowed to deposit it. I'll update with how I get on tomorrow.

Thanks again folks.

(And yep, I'm in the UK.)