Tuesday, January 11, 2011

I Just Won The Lottery!!! Part Two

So... yes, Mike Glaser was right... I immediately called the issuing bank and advised them that I believed the certified check that I received was a forgery.  My call was quickly dispatched to the security division of the bank and they asked me to fax over a copy of the check.  We faxed it over and quickly got a phone call confirming that the check was in fact a forgery.

Armed with this new information, I called my client and told them the bad news.  The client was shocked that the check was fake and insisted that I try to deposit it again.  I explained that while I nice thought, I would not even consider that option.  I told the client that we should immediately file suit against the deadbeat and collect our money the right way.  The client agreed and when I told them I would need about $1,000 to cover the "out-of-pocket" costs, they asked if they could try to get the other side to issue a new check.  I wasn't thrilled with the idea but agreed to give them the opportunity to "collect" their own money.

Within 24 hours I received an email from the deadbeat asking about the old check and why I thought it was a forgery.  After explaining why, I told them to issue a new check payable to me and Tom Corbett, the Pennsylvania Attorney General under the pretext that all checks of that size are to be run through the Attorney General's Office as a means to protect clients from money hungry attorney who might consider ripping off their clients. 

The deadbeats agreed and the next day I got a certified check from Bank of America again for nearly $500,000.  And yes, you are right, I was suspicious that this check, although written to Tom Corbett was also a fake. 

So I again contacted the issuing bank, Bank of America.  I faxed them a copy of the certified check.  Bank of America said the check was REAL....  I could deposit it without concern.  I insisted the check was fake.  Explained what happened with the earlier check and said there was no way this was real.  Bank of America insisted the check was real and I should honor it. 

As I was on the phone with Bank of America, the client was on another line leaving me a message that they heard I received payment and that they wanted their portion ASAP or else they would report me to the attorney disciplinary board. 

I asked Bank of America to send me something in writing - email or fax - saying the check was real and the funds were available.  Shortly thereafter I received a fax saying there was plenty of money in the account cover the check therefore I was again asked to honor the check.  I still had an uneasy feeling but I now had a real check made payable to the Attorney General of Pennsylvania with no way to deposit it and an angry "client" wanting their money....

Part III is next!!!

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