Things to Avoid
Ideas for Merchants & Individuals on Accepting Checks
Following the procedures outlined below may help to keep you or your business from accepting a check that may never get paid.
The following is a list of problematic situations that make prosecution difficult. Our office cannot prosecute checks passed outside of McLennan County.
Following the procedures outlined below may help to keep you or your business from accepting a check that may never get paid.
- Always ask to see an ID.
- Write ID info on the check. If possible, include an ID number (i.e. a Texas driver’s license number), Date of Birth, and contact info.
- Be sure identification info matches information on the check. If not, write down correct info.
- Do not agree to hold a check or accept a post-dated check.
- Take checks to the bank within 30 days of the date it is written.
- Have clerks initial checks they accept.
- Turn checks over to our office promptly. The sooner we get them, the less likely the writer’s information will have changed.
- When accepting business checks, print the check signer’s name legibly on the check.
The following is a list of problematic situations that make prosecution difficult. Our office cannot prosecute checks passed outside of McLennan County.
- Rent or lease agreement payments
- Out of state checks
- Third party checks
- Stop payments
- Business Checks with no name recorded
- Temporary Checks
- Payments on Account or on a previously existing debt
- Post-dated checks