Checking

I lost another checkbook. I shouldn't say that so 'matter of fact-ly'...so resigned to acknowledge that me and checkbooks have a long history of mishaps. I really blame it on technology - how we so rarely write checks these days. Most bills are paid automatically electronically. Money zips out and in via the stratosphere and I rarely have to sign the document anymore. I sort of miss those 'old' days since I love writing checks. Don't ask me why. I rarely carry the checkbook in my purse, but I did - and my current theory is that someone grabbed it out of my purse while I was out and about last week. Not sure...but that's my theory.

Anyway, we realized about this time yesterday morning that someone had our checkbook. The clue was a check that cleared for $108. A check that I had written for $108 and left in the checkbook. Unsigned. No payee. No date. In hindsight, I don't even remember what I was writing that check for - and I didn't complete it and left it in the checkbook. J. recalls it being there because he wrote a check and entered the sequential number in the register and then realized 'oh, wait - she's used that check and here it is'. I don't know what I was thinking.

The check cleared our account over the weekend - $108. There's a signature and an account number on the back - so we'll see if they can actually find the person who used the check. In the mean time, we had to go to the bank last night to open a new account pronto. There are bills to pay. Direct deposits coming in. Etc, etc.

The banker at the office was very nice and helpful - and only slightly irritating. She said 'why do you think it was fraud'. I said 'um, because the check isn't signed'. She said 'who was the payee?'
I said 'there was no payee - that's the point. No payee, no signature. Look at the check online'. Which resulted in a 'oh'. I said 'I should be asking you how your bank let that check hit our account'. She had no reply for that one.

She also tried to 'follow the procedure' and update all our personal information. Now, we've banked with this institution for over two decades. My husband has worked for this institution for over three decades. When she started asking me (not J. - because he's an employee and they won't pry into an employees business) things like our mortgage balance, our equity line balance, etc. I said 'no, I'm not going to answer those things. I don't need to be sold products from this bank 'cuz he works for the bank and we know all about what's available. No, I'm not giving you all that information. I just want to open a new checking account'. She said 'it's just procedure. I need to do my job'. I said 'you are doing a great job and I decline to answer those questions'. End of discussion.

Over an hour later, we left with a new account.

I now have two full boxes of really pretty checks that I will have to shred. We get free checks - and I typically just use the free checks. But every once in awhile, I like to splurge on 'pretty' checks, which I did. Just before I lost the checkbook (again). Damn. It seems like splurging on pretty checks is the nail in the checkbook coffin. I'm pretty sure this happened last time I bought pretty checks. Damn flowers. I'm sticking with boring 'blue safety' from now on. They're free. They're not inspiring or uplifting - but their functional and free. Free is good.