Stolen (and paid) cheque from Adsense

It was not delayed, it was stolen. Share advice and take in count this issu

[explorador]

Hi Webmasters, this is not good. One cheque was stolen and actually whoever is behind this was able to get the money from the bank, clearly not using my account. This is not a "hacked Adsense account", it shows that cheques can be used by someone else even that the paper has my name (yours in your case) and according to the "rules" can only be deposited on an account with the same name.

Details:

• I live in Central America and receive payments via cheque, EFT is not available.
  
• The cheques arrive directly to my house via standard delivery every month.
  
• I didn't get any cheque on August 2010
  
• I posted a thread here and received great feedback. I asked Adsense for another cheque after the 60 days period according to their help guide. I sent an email and also filled the form, I received no confirmation on my mail
  
• Today I received an automated message stating they cannot help as the cheque appears as received and paid on their system. I would love to get some human to help me on this (I know I probably won't get any human help).
  
• I would love to receive the details as on what bank account did the cheque go. Adsense must have this kind of data but before doing anything I decided to share this here and see other ideas first.
  
• I guess the mail service is liable on this.

Strange thing:
I receive my cheques like any other mail at my house. After NOT receiving this august cheque I waited to see if it was delayed. Then I got the NEXT cheque but this time it was not ordinary mail delivery, it was "certified", and it requires the mail to be delivered to me and to sign as received. Strange huh?. Then the next cheque came normally as every other cheque I received by mail.

The stolen cheque is one thing, but being able to take the money out is something worse. I have my payments on hold and I plan to give Western Union a try, but I also see this as not secure after this experience. My other plan involves traveling and creating a bank account on a country that allows EFT and then make the switch of pub ids on my sites.

#1. My account appears fine, every code (pub ids) on my websites are fine. I access my account at home only.
#2. No, my account doesn't even allows changing country, for what I read mostly EEUU accounts can change it, not most of us outside EEUU.
#3. The good thing about #2 is that nobody can "hack" and change my details as others have complained.

I never had this kind of problems along this years with Adsense. Please share your ideas and advice.

[explorador]

Update: (ehh not really) I found other users with the same problem on the adsense help forum (dame date). It was mentioned that around that date Adsense made changes on "something" on how cheques sent to Mexico are managed (I'm not there but close) and even as the system reported "cashed cheque" it was not.

I will post my problem there and wait, still any ideas are welcome.

[explorador]

Update: This issue is more common than I thought it was. There are several complains about stolen and cashed cheques. Some were "fake", due to a glitch on the Adsense System reporting cashed cheques the same day they were issued. Other cases are 100% real.

On the other hand, stolen and cashed cheques seem common on certain areas not only on this side of the world, but at many others. Some people with this problem had Adsense to help them by sending a scanned sample of the check for further investigation.

They will send me the scanned sample of the cashed cheque to continue the investigation. This is sad but I'm happy for the kind of response I'm getting by Adsense dept.

PS. There are some horror stories at the forum confirmed by the Adsense staff (and some cases were solved, not all).

[Sgt_Kickaxe]

Start by asking for adsense help. Ask adsense in writing for verification that the cheque was cashed. Explain to them that you remain unpaid and ask for their assistance in remedying that situation before you escalate the matter.

The moment you receive something in writing from adsense that states you have been paid, or if adsense refuses to help/respond, call the police.

Keep records of everything, dates, times, call records etc.

When the police get back to you, if the result of their involvement is not a solution but instead a "sorry, can't help", file a small claims lawsuit against Google where Google can come in and prove they paid you. If they do prove they paid you take that information to the police afterwards as well as to the bank that cashed the check (Google will have that information) for further action.

Be patient but follow through.

I'm no lawyer but that's just the course I'd take. Perhaps a camera on your mailbox too.

[edited by: Sgt_Kickaxe at 9:42 pm (utc) on Oct 7, 2010]

[explorador]

Thanks for the advice Sgt_Kickaxe.

It's being discussed that in this cases (another country) supposedly those cheques can only be cashed by direct deposit on an account with the same name as the cheque (after a period of time). That was also my understanding as explained by the banks themselves to me.

I even asked as I have friends with accounts on the USA and was told I cannot give them my checks to deposit on their accounts, I was told that by the banks, not only one bank.

So I just can't understand how X bank received the cheque on deposit and how the main bank (adsense) cashed it. It might sound as an exaggeration but it really seems like something that has been planed involving a team... I found several cases of stolen and cashed cheques being sent to another place and cashed there.

[explorador]

Keep records of everything, dates, times, call records etc.

When the police get back to you, if the result of their involvement is not a solution but instead a "sorry, can't help", file a small claims lawsuit against Google where Google can come in and prove they paid you. If they do prove they paid you take that information to the police afterwards as well as to the bank that cashed the check (Google will have that information) for further action.

Be patient but follow through.

Thanks, I happen to be friend of some lawyers who perhaps might help me on that if things get complicated. Now that I think about "complicated", one problem of exposure is having my full name and address on those envelopes, but I'm thinking on every possible scenario. Thanks

[Sgt_Kickaxe]

That doesn't change what you need to do. I'd avoid conspiracy theories and work with what you know. If you suspect a team of thieves protect yourself accordingly against identity theft, if your hunch is correct it's possible they have more than just your check.

the police won't want to hear about conspiracy theories, they work on evidence. Start by talking to adsense (in writing, with some sort of mail delivery tracking to prove when you sent mail).

[explorador]

True, I'm already on all that, but as I posted, one must thing of every possible scenario to take the best choices. Right now the scanned check is going to be useful for what's next.

[explorador]

Update: this is wrong, am I wrong for being paranoid?

I reported the missing cheque based on the info that Adsense Payment panel gives me, I provided exact amount and payment number. Support offered to send a scan of the stolen cashed cheque.

Today I receive the scans on my email, but to my surprise, Google sent me the wrong one! the wrong cheque. The amount doesn't match, and also the payment number doesn't match with the originally reported as stolen.

This worries me. A lot.

[netmeg]

Why? They goofed up. If you have the records, they'll make it right. Actually if they were working off the wrong check all along, maybe it's more likely it just got lost in the mail.

[explorador]

You are right, I'll wait, again.