I was written a bad check, and need some help

[riskadverse]

It's in his wife's name!

Get the lien anyway. Nothing like a pi$$ed off wife to make sure he pays the bill.

 

[haha]

There was a fat unpopular kid in my high school. One bully in particular took great pleasure in tormenting him. Fast forward 30 years or so and the fat kid is superintendent of a state prison. Guess who should show up one day but his former tormentor.

Didn't work out very well for the bully, who found out big time what it was like to be bullied by someone with all the power.

Cops wouldn't become cops if they didn't have a strong desire to make things the way they think things should be.

Don't want to go much further, but IMO this is not a very bright idea on your part. If all that ever happened were that you suddenly got clocked every time you drove down your street, wouldn't you wish you had avoided that?

The world is an unfair place and to risk payback or even scrutiny over $100 is almost an IQ test.

Be a smart boy and let it be.

Ha

 

[loosechickens]

Now, I wouldn't do such a thing, but if you're smart......and lucky.......you won't do a thing. you'll roll over and play dead. Said cop will think he's a really big cheese......and then he'll overreach. Since you were such a patsy, he'll probably call you again when his ducts need cleaning, like next year, when he's almost forgotten he stiffed you.....

That will get you in the house......clean his ducts.....do a great job......

While working, take your screwdriver and pop the shields off a few light switches and wall plugs (not the ducts.....don't do anything to the ducts but cleaning them..), wear thin work gloves.......drop the chicken bones from your Kentucky Fried Chicken lunch that you stored in your workbox temporarily.......some of last nights shrimp might be nice, too, down into the wall (you could save up a few dead mice, too) ......put everything back nicely......

Go home.......enjoy yourself for months thinking about that guy......WAY more than a hundred bucks of fun........


I don't have a criminal mind......I read this in a book somewhere........ this information for informational purposes only, and not recommended by the poster. ;-)

Have fun thinking about it, though.....

LooseChickens

 

[thefed]

There was a fat unpopular kid in my high school. One bully in particular took great pleasure in tormenting him. Fast forward 30 years or so and the fat kid is superintendent of a state prison. Guess who should show up one day but his former tormentor.

Didn't work out very well for the bully, who found out big time what it was like to be bullied by someone with all the power.

Cops wouldn't become cops if they didn't have a strong desire to make things the way they think things should be.

Don't want to go much further, but IMO this is not a very bright idea on your part. If all that ever happened were that you suddenly got clocked every time you drove down your street, wouldn't you wish you had avoided that?

The world is an unfair place and to risk payback or even scrutiny over $100 is almost an IQ test.

Be a smart boy and let it be.

Ha

The fat kid story is not relevant. I understand your point, but come-on...am I the fat kid here...or the bully? either way, how does it relate other than the fact that revenge is a b$#%#

Laying down and taking it from someone because and ONLY because he's a cop is beyond my scope of rationality. FYI, he doesnt police anywhere near my home...if that matters any.

You compare it to an IQ test? Come on. I respect your opinion, and suspect you are the type to avoid confrontation and ruffling of feathers. BUT, where do you draw the line (you specifically, I'm just asking to gain a better understanding of your viewpoint...which others im sure share as well) If it was $200, would you pursue? What about $1000? what if he was a firefighter? Or perhaps the mayor's secretary? Then would you pursue? What if he was a local MCdonalds manager (hey...he could spit in your food ya know!)?? What if he had taken a club to your van window before I left? since he's a cop, would you just let it be to avoid further conflict?

I am not asking this to be fecicious...but really to understand a concept I JUST DONT GET


jason

 

[haha]

Jason, that is cool to me. This is America, and anyone can do anything he wants. Very likely everything will be fine.

Re my story, you are not the fat kid or the bully, but the cop is very powerful relative to you. I don’t believe in the religious sense of karma, but I sure believe in avoiding making enemies if I can. Some people can be amazingly tenacious in the area of revenge, and amazing unfair about what they feel is justification for it.

Again, whatever you feel best about just do.

I know you are young; my only motivation was to point out possible albeit unlikely downsides to the ideas that you are entertaining.

I have a temper, but you are right that I try to avoid confrontation. My threshold for deliberately running open ended risks is high.

Could be age I guess.

Ha

 

[youbet]

Laying down and taking it from someone because and ONLY because he's a cop is beyond my scope of rationality.

Jason,

I'm confused regarding what advise you're asking for. Are you looking for professional/business advise on handling bad debt as you grow your business? Or are you looking for gossipy interchanges regarding how you get even with some guy you don't like?

 

[kathyet]

I would never roll over by rolling over your letting things like this go on...I think Donzo has it right but I would bring it to the bank and find out if and when the account was closed see if they will state it on their letter head , give the "Jerk" one more chance tell him what your going to do if nothing, then call his Sargent..a bad check is a bad check and it can be procecuted by the law.

I agree that the cop is counting on you to back down because of his potential payback. But, I would procede and at least talk to his sarg or Lt. and explain the situation and your concern about making his department look bad by going to the local paper w/ your situation. My guess is your "measly" $100 will be paid quickly w/ no repercusions. Frankly - if this guy pulled you over for a solid traffic stop after your discussion w/ his superior - it would look like harrassment. Or -
Leave the guy one more message and tell him you are going to contact his boss(use the name of his boss). Just like you say - it's only $100 - if the cop sees a potentail storm...so will he.
When you let these guys get away w/ this.....it just gets worse.

 

[Sandy]

What is your time worth on an hourly rate? How much time have you spent pursuing this $100? Have you spent more than it's worth?

Yea, PO'd and the principal of the thing, but you have a lot of irons in the fire between your two businesses, and lots more efficient ways to earn $100.

As has been said, figure a percentage for bad debt, track all scofflaws and accept only cash if you choose to accept them as customers at all.

 

[Joss]

Just cut to the chase and make an appointment with this guy's Chief.

Explain the situation to him. Let him know that you were planning to start with the City Manager's office, but out of professional courtesy, you wanted to give the Chief the first shot at solving this problem. In most local governments the chief works for the City Manager.

I've been in local govt for 20 years and I know without a doubt that this would cure that officer's payment problems, instantly, in my community. It would also innoculate the situation against ANY retaliation by this officer.

If this doesn't totally and rapidly solve your problem, you are dealing with a "sick department" and might as well chalk it up to "lessons learned" and move on.

 

[tryan]

thefed,

There's a cost of doing business. Losses like this are in the cost of doing business. Suck it up and move on; otherwise you'll be spending all your time and energy chasing EVERYONE who stiffs you and not attending to your business.

Can't take this stuff personally ... else, it'll completely consume you.

As a side note, I walk away from 3-5k in rents every year. Simply can't get blood from a stone.

 

[FinanceDude]

Bad karma can come from annoying a cop. Consider carefully before you continue.
Ha

Smart, smart advice..........I'd eat the money and move on........a cop can "mess with you" in ways you don't know about.............

 

[tryan]

Best to learn from the experiance: don't start the work until the check clears; offer a 10 or 15% discount for CASH customers ....

 

[Zathras]

I love the 1099 form route
I also like the idea of contacting the cops supervisor and just asking him when the cop gets back from vacation? What, he isn't? Are you sure? He must be otherwise I am SURE he would have taken care of this bad check he wrote me

Ok ok, seriously, neither may be good ideas. Part of doing business is taking a loss on bad checks, chargebacks, etc. However, you also can't roll over and play dead everytime or word will spread and the loss will increase.

 

[HFWR]

Probably best to develop a procedure for all bad checks; i.e kinder, gentler "notice", then a more matter-of-fact "this is a bad debt for which you will be charged a "bad check fee" and which is subject to collection, and finally file in small-claims. After that, write it off...

Don't get personal, especially with LEOs...

 

[thefed]

Jason,

I'm confused regarding what advise you're asking for. Are you looking for professional/business advise on handling bad debt as you grow your business? Or are you looking for gossipy interchanges regarding how you get even with some guy you don't like?

I prefer gossipy interchanges.

 

[thefed]

Jason, that is cool to me. This is America, and anyone can do anything he wants. Very likely everything will be fine.

Re my story, you are not the fat kid or the bully, but the cop is very powerful relative to you. I don’t believe in the religious sense of karma, but I sure believe in avoiding making enemies if I can. Some people can be amazingly tenacious in the area of revenge, and amazing unfair about what they feel is justification for it.

Again, whatever you feel best about just do.

I know you are young; my only motivation was to point out possible albeit unlikely downsides to the ideas that you are entertaining.

I have a temper, but you are right that I try to avoid confrontation. My threshold for deliberately running open ended risks is high.

Could be age I guess.

Ha

gotcha. Thanks for elaborating. Dont get me wrong... I see where you are coming from, but I guess youre right.... it might be an age thing I do see my self thinking things through much more thoroughly as the years pass by, considering all the consequences of my actions. That's why I posted here for some advice from those who have probably been there/done that.

thanks

 

[thefed]

thefed,

There's a cost of doing business. Losses like this are in the cost of doing business. Suck it up and move on; otherwise you'll be spending all your time and energy chasing EVERYONE who stiffs you and not attending to your business.

Can't take this stuff personally ... else, it'll completely consume you.

As a side note, I walk away from 3-5k in rents every year. Simply can't get blood from a stone.

You're very right. I think the 'sticking point' for me is the fact that this is my FIRST EVER bad check from a customer who wont make it right. I know i cant pursue EVERYONE or take it personally

 

[kaudrey]

I'm sorry, but this is a real pet peeve of mine:

principal = 1) primary, most important, or 2) a leader or head of something.

principle = tenet, dogma, rule, code, whatever you want to call it, that should be used when saying "principle of the thing".

Thank you.

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

I'm sorry, but this is a real pet peeve of mine:

principal = 1) primary, most important, or 2) a leader or head of something.

principle = tenet, dogma, rule, code, whatever you want to call it, that should be used when saying "principle of the thing".

Astro, is that you??

 

[Nords]

I'm sorry, but this is a real pet peeve of mine:
principal = 1) primary, most important, or 2) a leader or head of something.
principle = tenet, dogma, rule, code, whatever you want to call it, that should be used when saying "principle of the thing".
Thank you.

Comments like this (and situations that make people feel forced to comment) make me believe that the English language needs fewer spelling variations. Is there any other language that has so many puns derived from homonyms, or so many spellcheckers?

A word's meaning is usually pretty clear in context. Considering that no one really gave a damn how things were spelled until Samuel Johnson, maybe we could consider spelling a passing fad and let l33tspeek drive our lexicography back to its lowest common denominator!

 

[tryan]

my FIRST EVER bad check

I remember my first eviction ... hired a lawyer since I didn't know the ropes. $800 later the tenant was out. Sooo I offered the lawyer half of the judgement IF he would garnish the kids wages. Would have been about $1500 for him ... he said it wasn't worth pursueing from his end or mine.

Then I knew I had to move-on. No sense getting wrapped around the axel ... principal or not.

 

[REWahoo]

I'm sorry, but this is a real pet peeve of mine:

principal = 1) primary, most important, or 2) a leader or head of something.

principle = tenet, dogma, rule, code, whatever you want to call it, that should be used when saying "principle of the thing".

Thank you.

I think either spelling is correct when using the following phrase:

"It's not the school that I mind, it's the principle of the thing."

 

[TromboneAl]

principal = 1) primary, most important, or 2) a leader or head of something.
principle = tenet, dogma, rule, code, whatever you want to call it, that should be used when saying "principle of the thing".

Or just remember that the school principal is "your pal."

What a lot of time is wasted teaching spelling. If we just had an alphabet in which there were one letter for each phoneme, spelling would be a thing of the past.

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

I think either spelling is correct when using the following phrase:

"It's not the school that I mind, it's the principle of the thing."

 

[calmloki]

or same spelling different meanings: Well. Live well below your means.