accidentally wrote a check for 60 dollars that bounced?

Question

accidentally wrote a check for 60 dollars that bounced and my father told me it was a federal crime to do that cuz it is like stealing from a bank and that i would end up going to jail. is that true? will i go to jail?

Answer 1

Repeated "bad" check writers can go to jail, (I actually knew a woman who would write checks for big ticket items like cars!) but you won't.



Make good on the check to whomever you wrote it to, to the bank, and be aware that you will more than likely have extra fees to both the check holder and the bank.



And be careful in the future! :)

Answer 2

No you wont go to jail unless you do it over and over. All you need to do is rewrite a GOOD check (put money in your checking account) OR go to the place that you owe the money to and pay the bill in cash. Or put it on a credit card.



When you bounce a check your bank charges you an extra fee (maybe something like 25 dollars more) and the place that you gave the check to will charge you a returned check fee (probably 25 dollars). So because of this you will owe 60 dollars plus an extra 50 dollars or so. So 110 dollars instead of 60 dollars if it had been a good check.



Just call the bank and ask them how to fix your mistake. You need to deposit 60 dollars in the bank plus the extra check bouncing fee amount to repay the bank. Then pay the company you owe the money to plus their bounced check fee.



You wont go to jail as long as you pay what you owe plus the extra fees to the BANK and to the company that is owed the money. If you made a mistake once or twice you dont go to jail.



The people that bounce checks and go to jail are the people who keep writing bad checks (no money in the account) and then they never pay the money back. For example a person would get arrested if they went on a shopping spree writing bad checks and then never paid the stores real money or paid the bank back. And the bank and stores are out thousands of dollars.



So relax. Just call your bank and the company and pay them back asap. Use a credit card if you have to to pay the company back asap.

Answer 3

As close back as in the 80's and 90's, it was a huge deal to write a bad check. Not only were you in trouble with your bank and the person you wrote it to and had to pay them both the bounced check fee's but it was also a crime that you could go to jail for. It has lightened up considerably though now as the banks have figured out if they go ahead and pay the check for you and just charge you the bounced check fee they keep a happy customer and get to make literally billions each year from fee's. For what ever reason though, your bank did not honor this check so you will need to contact the place you wrote it to and offer to come pay the amount of the check plus any fee's that their bank charged them. They can press charges on you for this and you can go to jail or, at the very least, get a summons to court for this. Just come clean and pay the fee's and the original amount and I am sure the merchant will be mollified and won't press charges on you. That merchant may never take a check from you again but that is the price you pay. It is not a federal crime, it is a crime of the state you are in. You did not steal from the bank, you stole from that merchant that had to pay for the things you "bought" and the banking fee's to process and return your check. Take a lesson from this and go on with life.

Answer 4

Th bank will charge you with some sort of "insufficient funds fee" Maybe $30, thats what my bank charges, and whoever received the check can try and get the money and a fee from you. Essentially, you will have to pay the $60 back and any fees. You won't go to jail for one $60 check, but if you keep doing it, and you are not making an attempt to re compensate the bank, the will involve the authorities

Answer 5

A bank will usually try and deposit it up to 3 times. The problem is that you will keep getting hit with bank charges. Put the money in the bank and contact who you wrote the check to. You won't go to jail as long as you correct the issue, if you don't correct the issue they can take you to small claims court and make you pay it, and it will end up costing you a lot more than $60.

Again, you will not go to prison for a $60 mistake, don't listen to the ones here that are teasing you. Just get it taken care of right away.

Answer 6

No, you don't go to jail. I know that for sure. Your dad is pulling your leg. You should call your bank and ask about that particular check and what happens when you bounce a check. I think what happens is the bank charges money for a bounced check. Like ten or twelve bucks. Then if your payment to whomever is late, the person you were supposed to pay might put a finance charge on your next bill or something.

Answer 7

You won't go to jail. Most banks pay the money out to who you wrote the check to. Your account is then negative until you put more money in. If you wrote the check to a business then they may charge you a $30 fee or whatever the higest fee allowed by law is in your state. No jail time.

Answer 8

A $60 check that is not honored for insuffiencient funds is generally a misdemeanor crime. Pay it immediately plus any bounced check fees and you have nothing to worry about. But DON'T do it again!!! You can not only lose your checking account, but get arrested the next time.

Answer 9

It is not a crime at all!!!! People bounce checks all the time!! Just go to the store that you wrote the check to and clear it up with them and that will be the end of it.

Answer 10

Check to see if your bank has Overdraft protection. Or, call the person you wrote the check to and ask if they'll hold it a couple days. Also, don't listen to these two jerks. I've bounced checks and haven't been to jail yet. Chill Out.

Answer 11

No, you won't go to jail. Just don't write anymore bad checks.

If the bank covers the check you'll owe them the check amount plus an overdraft fee. If it was returned to the store you'll owe the store the amount of the check and a returned check fee.

Call the bank to see if they covered or returned the check and then make arrangements to pay for it ASAP.

Answer 12

it is NOT a federal crime but you can be arrested for it. CALL the place you wrote the check to and ask if you can come by and make good on it. there will be about an additional 30 dollar fee. do not go in person because they might have sworn out a warrant for you in which case you will need to turn yourself in and make bond.



good luck.

Answer 13

Nobody "accidentally" writes a bad check. Writing bad checks is a Federal crime. If the bank presses charges you could wind up in jail.

Answer 14

Wrote A Bad Check

Answer 15

yeah. you better pack your bags and go find a safe house and lay low, they are probably already on their way to your house



wait a minute, how did you "accidentally" write the check? did your hand slip and it just happened to scribble out your signature and a date and dollar amount?

Answer 16

Yes, you better say goodbye to your family before the feds show up.