Bank wouldn't cash Google Check - Anyone Else?

What can happen when banks don't understand our business.

[dentedmind]

Ok, what gives... Citi-bank tells my bank that they cannot cash my check as the account has been closed. My Google check is coming back to me in the mail with an ACCOUNT CLOSED stamped on it. Has this happened to anyone else?

(of course I wrote checks on the money, I have a dented mind)

Overdrafts should amount to waaayy more than my adsense earnings. :)

Sweet beans and rice! Why-oh-Why didn't I switch to EFT!

Dentedmind

[LifeinAsia]

If it's the same problem with the same teller repeatedly, I think it's definitely time to bring the branch manager into the conversation. Explain your concerns and that you now feel forced to go to a different teller. And despite your long-term relationship with the credit union, that inconvenience is only one step short of being forced to use a different credit union or bank. You're not trying to get the teller fired or reprimanded, just to get the person to make the person/check connection to avoid the hassle in the future.

As you said, that's why you chose the CU in the first place- personal service.

I had a similar problem at my bank of 16 years. They kept putting 2-week holds on large checks. Most of the time a quick call to the branh manager removed the hold. But then he left and it took almost a week of going back and forth between the new manager and corporate before they finally removed the hold. I closed the account a week later.

[edited by: LifeinAsia at 4:43 pm (utc) on Nov. 8, 2007]

[incrediBILL]

I have been using this credit union for seven years and everyone except for this teller (who was new to the branch we use) knew me and my wife by name.

That situation works both ways - do you know her name and greet her personally each time?

I've avoided the tellers for years now and do all my deposits via ATM as it's less hassle when the tellers aren't scrutinizing every little thing and the checks just clear.

[King_Fisher]

IB, I agree. It takes about a day longer to get posted , but no hassle,

normally no line and you dont have to make idle chatter with a 20

year old teller you have nothing in common with. ( Gee I sound like

a cranky old curmudgeon!)...KF

[tiori]

Wow, National City Bank. Same bank I use.
My Google checks are EFT; so I haven't had any problem with them.

However, the last three times I have deposited regular checks I have had a hold placed on the funds. Have had to talk with the branch manager each time to get it removed.

Perhaps National City Bank has instituted a new way to get more "float" on the funds that are deposited. If they can place a hold on millions of dollars of deposits each day at all of their branches, they can make quite a bit of cash.

[AdSenseAdvisor]

dentedmind, KenB, and others, I'm glad to hear you were able to resolve the issues you had with your checks and banks.

Since our publishers around the world use a huge variety of banks, it's hard for us to know the exact cause of every check problem. However, here are some things everyone should know:

* First of all, our accounts are not closed and we do have sufficient funds to pay all publishers every month. We use a non-traditional check format that some bank tellers seem to have trouble handling. We chose this system because it's designed to ensure timely and accurate payments even in large monthly volumes. Our payments team is investigating the specific difficulties banks are encountering so that we can figure out how to make things easier for all of you.

* AdSense checks are for deposit only. We've heard that some banks will tell clients who try to cash these checks that there is a problem with the check, but in fact it's a problem with the cashing.

* Ask your bank about their check-clearing times. As I'm sure you know, these will vary from bank to bank, and some banks may take a considerably longer time than others.

I strongly encourage you to sign up for EFT [google.com] or Western Union [google.com] if you live in a country that offers one of these forms of payment. This will reduce check mailing delays and mishaps, clearing times, bank miscommunications, and many other errors.

[edited by: AdSenseAdvisor at 8:02 pm (utc) on Nov. 9, 2007]

[YesMom]

I had the same sort of experience as KenB just ONCE -- and that was enough to get me to switch to EFT!

The teller took the check to her manager who came out and questioned me about why I'd be getting a check from Google. I just told her it was a commission check for hosting advertising. That was good enough -- but I just think they are suspicious because they can't understand why a company like Google would be paying "employees" in Michigan, etc.

To them, Google is a search engine. I might have just as well have walked in with a check from eBay directly.

My checks aren't over $2 K anymore (not over $1 K anymore with "smart" pricing... waaah!) but I don't think that amount should have alerted them. I think they just don't GET why Google would be sending ME a check. LOL

Anyway... happily on EFT now.

YM

[dollarshort]

Visit Thailand:
Agree, major oversite.

[Essex_boy]

I have had this happen to me, not with adsense but with American cheques, Ive had cheques returned as unpayable when the funds have been in the account.

On this occassion in was a Mega Multi Million $ firm I was working and the cheque swas for a tiny amount but having it reurned unpaid caused a hell of a lot of problems for me.

Cant undestand why the US system is so backward.

[BigDave]

Cant undestand why the US system is so backward.

Why are you so sure it's "the US system" that is the problem? In the case that started the thread. it was the local bank that was the problem, not Citibank.

Many years ago I had trouble cashing Canadian and UK checks at my local bank because they didn't know the process. I switched to a different bank and never had any problems again. It wasn't the UK or Canadian system that was to blame, it was my local bank. I suspect that if your bank is having problems cashing an American check, then it is almost certainly your local bank that is "backward", especially if the problem has happened multiple times.

[td22]

Look up the phrase "know your customer" as regarding bank tellers, it might shed some light on the issue for those of you not aware of what has happened to our country.

[IanCP]

Fortunately the branch manager came out, straighten everything up and removed the hold from my checks. I then explained to the teller how AdSense works.

I have since switched over to EFT with Google...

Way to go Ken.

The teller still gives me troubles about one of the other checks I get every month and the easiest way to deal with this is to just go to a different teller

Lemee guess. Amazon?

Ken if it were me personally I'd be having a quiet word with the manager. I had a similar drama with the Toukley branch of WitchBank even after years of depositing Amazon, CJ and AdSense cheques there. I simply went across to an equally nearer branch of WitchBank at LakeHaven and never had a drama since.

[For all others] You have to be an Australian to understand what WitchBank means.

I'm glad the teller is trying to be diligent, but she needs to lighten up a little

I don't agree. If you have a satisfactory personal history with these transactions then that should be final.

I'd expect far better from a Credit Onion [another Australianism] though. After all YOU ARE a part owner.

[ashii]

Some banks behave strange because their front desk staff is either very new or have no idea of International practices.
Recently a small bank in CO return my International Wire transfer instructions given to them because they think the corresponding bank SWIFT code CHASUS33 X X X (JP Morgan) is wrong. (The problem was only last X X X which many bank uses to complete the blank digits)

Until then I was assuming every one working in USA bank industry will be knowing JP morgan code on tips as its the most common bank used for international wires.

You just need to speak with some else in the bank to solve the issue.

[dazzlindonna]

Would it be so inconvenient for Google to include a little note with the check letting check-receivers know that the check is for deposit only? Or what about an email to the check-receivers? C-o-m-m-u-n-i-c-a-t-i-o-n.

[mrSEman]

Look up the phrase "know your customer" as regarding bank tellers

WOW! That's messed up. I wonder if any other countries have introduced similar regulations?

[graeme_p]

It would help if both EFT and Western Union were avialable in more countries.

My bank (like many banks here) handles Western Union payments. If Google would use it here, I could collect the payment and desposit it straight into my account.

Also, consider that the UK has EFT. About 10% of British people live abroad, but most have (and the rest can easily open) accounts in the UK. Why not allow us to use the UK EFT system?

[tim222]

Why not allow us to use the UK EFT system?

As I understand it, EFT requests are routed through the Federal Reserve. So it's not as simple as adding other countries to a drop-down list. Instead, Google would need to sign up for ACH in the UK. I don't know the requirements for doing that, but I doubt if it's simply a matter of filling out a few forms.

For more info on this, try:
[google.com...]

[MikeNoLastName]

Every bank seems to be different with their policies. With all the competition, if one bank won't cash a perfectly good check it's time to move on to another. About 6 months ago I received a large check (6 figures) from closing out an account I had held jointly with my mother for many years. The bank on the East Coast USA issued her a BANK CASHIERS check for the amount. It had BOTH our names on it with NO "AND". Normally this means either party may sign it only one signature required. Both are not required. Unwisely she signed it and mailed it to me on the West Coast USA (yes, anyone could theorectically have stolen it countersigned it and cashed it as I later admonished her). When I got it I signed it too and took it to my local WaMu (located ALL over the West Coast) of many years, to deposit and they refused to accept it unless my mother was there physically since she was not on my account there and did not have an account with their bank. I even talked with the branch manager. So I promptly asked for a cashiers check for the majority of what was in my acct there currently, nearly as much as the check I was trying to deposit. Went down the street to the Credit Union where my wife has had an account for years. Opened a brand new account (I had never even set foot in the place before) it was near closing time, handed them both checks to open the account and all they said was there would be a 1 day hold on the local check and a 2 day hold on the out of town check and I said "no problem, do I get a toaster?" BTW, One side note many banks don't want you to know - Most credit unions can insure your acct for much higher balances than FDIC banks can. With all the subprime mtg issues, bank stock prices dropping, and finance co. bankruptcies coming the big banks better start treating their customers better or their going to be the ones begging for a bail-out, oh wait, they already are!

[edited by: MikeNoLastName at 1:14 am (utc) on Dec. 15, 2007]