I received a certified check from someone who I think is possibly a scam artist. Are certified checks a sure thing or could this come back to hurt me if I deposit it in my account?
Ordinarily, a certified check is a bank customer's check that the bank on which it's drawn has committed to pay when presented for payment, if it is not altered after the time of certification. In simpler terms, the bank guarantees that the check is good.
However, just like cashier's checks, certified checks can be phony or counterfeit. A counterfeit certified check is worthless, and a deposited counterfeit certified check is subject to being charged back to your account if you deposit it. If you are uneasy about the check, you should ask your bank to take the check for collection.
BankingQuestions.com is a free service made possible by the generous support of our advertisers. Advertisers are not responsible for site content. Please help us keep BankingQuestions.com FREE by supporting our advertisers. When you see an ad for a product or service you may have an interest in, click through to learn more.
Accounts
Article
Q&A
Podcast
Video
Blog
Discussions
PDF
Powerpoint
Ordinarily, a certified check is a bank customer's check that the bank on which it's drawn has committed to pay when presented for payment, if it is not altered after the time of certification. In simpler terms, the bank guarantees that the check is good.