I don't know what to do. I had a huge order I did for a lady back on December 16th, for $100. I just got a notice on Tuesday that her check bounced. I messaged her, very nicely, and let her Know. She said she would bring me cash the next day. The next day, I messaged at 1:30 asking when she'd be here. She said soon. At 6 pm, she messaged saying, "my day slipped away. I'll be there tomorrow." At 3 today, I messaged her asking when and she is ignoring my message now. What do I do?!?
Send her by certified mail an invoice for the amount, plus the fees associated with the check bouncing...
Set a date and time it is due by...
If it isn't promptly paid, you can send her to "collections" (usually a friend or husband can call and say they are collecting on a past due bill, politely and firmly)...
Then you can say you attempted to collect the debt properly if you need to take her to small claims court...
learn the law for your state -- used to be here in tennessee -- you could call her bank and give her information to them over the phone -- and they would advise if the funds were available and you high tailed it down there & collected -- just a wonderfully fulfilling event :) sweet justice and fortunately or unfortunately she's possibly gonna bounce something else -- all things considered -- since she figures she's got you screwed and all she has to do is ignore you --
i had this one nasty little number -- the check was <$20 -- all this mess was going on and on and on and on -- so finally she sends me a check without a full signature -- if i had filled that in her check would have been voided -- but i persevered -- finally her bank called her at work and bam! i got my money -- oh what a b she was --
but every area is different and maybe that changed here too -- idk because i haven't had to collect on anything in a long time -- thank goodness --
aatkt -- it is already past due, no?
Just one hint.......small claims court is almost useless :( I still have an outstanding 'win' from some 25 yrs ago that I have never been able to collect :( There is NO help from the court once you have a judgement -- it is totally up to you to collect it :(
What K8 said about going to her bank is true here in CA also. But rather than call the bank - just go there and present the check. There can be others who are also trying to get their money and even if the bank said it was there by the time you get to the bank it can be gone again :(
But don't keep messaging her. She is stalling. That's hwy when I had my bakeries I always made sure payment was made at least 2 weeks in advance so the ck had time to clear the bank.
AAtK said: Send her by certified mail an invoice for the amount, plus the fees associated with the check bouncing...Set a date and time it is due by......"
Oh, and as to sending a certified letter........that's after having gone to her bank several times w/no luck. I also like the idea of getting a male relative or friend to call her. That sometimes will shake them up enough to cough up the cash.
OH, and DO NOT take another check!!
yes and i was a credit/collection supervisor and i knew the law and when i got a cake order, i chatted up my brides and learned where the principals worked -- her, the fiance, the mob -- and because i carefully followed the law at the time -- i had no problem calling their random work places to collect if necessary -- aka 'leaving a message' :) it's devilish but it works like crazy --
this also freed me up from the tortuous decision of whether to bake for them if they blew a payment 'cause i knew how to collect and collection is easy compared to the agony of not making a cake -- been there done that --
:)
States do vary...here in Idaho, at least in my county, you can give the check to the prosecutor's office and they'll send the sheriff out to collect. If you don't have the money, they just take to to jail for fraud. In our county, it's a felony, no matter the amount.
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