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I recieved a call from this phone # , thought it was a telemarketer or sumthing , so obviously i ignored it ,....2days later i was served to appear in court on some ****** bad checks i wrote like 3 years ago ! *** i thought u couldnt be sued after 12 months on bad checks ???  please give me any insight u have on bad check laws , i have to go to court on Monday and im not sure if i should get an attorney or not ?ellen swanson19 May 2011Bad Check laws are governed by the state in which you live. Each state has different laws and penalties****ociated with writing a bad check. Checks bounce, it happens to everyone at some point in time. The thing to remember is how you handle the bad check. If you have been notified that a check bounced and you quickly rectify the situation by paying for the check and any****ociate fees, you will be okay in the eyes of the law. Purposefully writing bad checks and failing to make them good cons***utes fraud and you will be prosecuted by the state.Micheal Mcelroy19 May 2011I hope some of this helps , Bad check no***ays are serious offenses due to everything with fraud and scams gooing on !BAD CHECK UNIT(BCU)Section 97-19-55 of the Mississippi Code, commonly known as the "Mississippi Bad Check Law", authorizes District Attorney's Offices throughout the state to****ist victims of bad check writers in recovering res***ution.Our office was one the first in the state to implement this program, even though no funding was allocated by the legislature to fund the program. The Bad Check Unit is self-sustaining and is funded exclusively by service charges recovered from defendants when payment of res***ution is made through our office.We look forward to working with you as we****ist you in obtaining the res***ution which you are owed as a result of being victimized by those who write bad checks.Thank you,The Bad Check UnitInstructions for Bad Check ComplaintsYou will need to pick up a Bad Check Complaint Packet from our office. This contains instructions and the forms that you will need.The check must have been received within the 17th Judicial District which is composed of DeSoto, Tate, Panola, Tallahatchie, and Yalobusha Counites.All bad checks must be stamped by the bank.Do not file a complaint if the check is a t****arty check.If the check is stamped "NSF" (insufficient funds), then you must send a Statutory Notice by mail. The check writer must be given fifteen (15) days to make the check good. After fifteen (15) days have passed and you have not received res***ution, you may then file a complaint with our BCU. If the letter is returned unclaimed or undeliverable, you may file the complaint immediately. The letter must be sent to the address on the check or the address given by the check writer at the time the check was passed.If the check is stamped "Account Closed", then you do not need to send a letter.When you turn in a complaint, you must turn in the original check. You must also fill out a complaint form for each check that is turned i****** a bad check complaint is filed with our office, you should not accept any payment toward the check. We do not charge merchants for handling their bad checks, however, if you accept payment on the check after you have turned in to our office, then you will be responsible for withdrawing the check. Mississippi law requires that a business or individual withdrawing a complaint pay a $30 service charge for each check that is withdrawn.What Happens After We Receive A Bad Check Complaint?We receive a very high number of checks. Each check is entered in the order that it is received.A $40 state fee and a $30 victim fee is added on to each check.We do not immediately issue an arrest warrant for the offender. State law requires that we send a series of letters giving them a chance to pay on the check through our office.What Happens if They Still Fail to Pay On the Check?If the check writer does not respond to our efforts to collect on the check, then the case is presented to the Grand Jury for an indictment. If the individual is indicted, a felony warrant is issued for their arrest.In order for us to present the case to the Grand Jury for indictment and prosecution, we must have the check writer's correct Driver's License Number or Social Security Number.It may take some time for the warrant to be served depending on how quickly the subject can be located, or the ability of law enforcement to serve the warrant.mattie mcelroy22 h 39 min agoPASSING BAD CHECKSA compilation of resources on check kiting, NSF issues & fraudHas your credit history with Chexsystems been ruined because of bounced checks? Whether you are the perpetrator or a victim, the resources on this page can help point you in the right direction.Passing bad checks is a way that people get what they need now and hope to pay later. Trouble is, their timing is off or they have no intention to pay later and the check bounces. The merchant is left with a bad check. Whether you pass bad checks because you're dishonest or it's a simple accident, stiff penalties can apply. Criminal charges can be brought a***nst you if the DA can prove all criminal elements especially fraud and intent. Merchants lose ***dreds of thousands every year in bad checks and the consumer who pays by legitimate means ends up picking up the tab. You cannot however, escape risk free.There are a number of unpleasant consequences for writing bad checks:-You could be charged fees-Your bank or credit union could charge you an overdraft fee, which is typically around $25.00 per check-The place you wrote the check could also charge you a fee-The place you wrote the check could refuse to take any more checks from you-You could receive calls and letters asking you to repay the money-Your name and account information could be reported to an agency, like SCAN, Te****eck, Equifax Check Solutions, or others where it would be placed on a bad check list-Then, other places could refuse to take your checks-Your bank could close your checking account-You would not be able to write checks-Your bank could report your closed account to ChexSystems. As a result other banks could refuse to open a checking account for you for some time.-You can ruin your debit historyCivil & Criminal PenaltiesBad checks, also known as NSF checks, bounced checks, rubber checks, etc., can be a big problem for any credit department. There are both civil and criminal penalties for this unlawful act, although it is much more costly and difficult to prove a criminal case.-Civil Penalties by State-Criminal Penalties by State-ID Theft State Laws- Forgeries, Forged Endor*****t, Alterations,and other Check Problems- Who can Sue?-UCC codes by State to look up SOL and other "negotiable instrument" laws by state-Is a check considered a written contract, what is the SOL for checks?A check is not considered a "contract" although some may argue that it is (because it's a signed promise to "pay"). A contract requires consideration by both parties (an offer and acceptance) and consists of nothing more than an (enforceable) promise to pay by one party but no contract was drawn up by the other party. What it is, is a negotiable instrument and therefore subject to governing UCC (uniform commercial code) if there is one for the state in question. UCC is where you usually find the time limitations on checks. Many states have their own specific (SOL) statute of limitations dealing with checks. Those would trump any general statute of limitations and even the UCC limitations. The UCC is not a federal statute but rather a system set up to structure commercial transactions. Since it isn't a federal rule there would be no supremacy clause (as in who rules state or federal) but rather the state could choose to adopt it or not. Most states have adopted it. According to FindLaw, a more specific statute rules over (trumps) a more general statute. Therefore if a certain state has a more specific statute it will often trump (rule over) the UCC entirely. Bottom line: read the UCC but read the state rule as well and see which one applies--, is more specific or offers more protection. You will usually find the SOL for collecting the check in the state code.The following two links provide information about checks returned by banks and other financial ins***utions.-SCAN-Te****eckCheck fraud describes a number of activities including:Check Kiting - this involves opening multiple checking accounts so that checks from one account are written to cover checks from another account. Recent legislation has required banks to make funds available sooner and this has resulted in even more occurrences of check kiting.Counterfeiting - the ease of desktop processing and the high quality of readily available printing and copying have made counterfeiting a significant factor in check fraud. These ****ods are used to create or duplicate checks. In addition, counterfeiting can involve chemical alteration to remove some or all of the information on a check so that it can be replaced with other information.Forgery - two common types of forgery exist. Stolen checks can be endorsed and presented for payment at stores or banks. This often also involves the use of false identification do***ents. The other common type of forgery involves employees issuing checks without authorization.Paper****ing - this term describes purposefully writing checks on closed accounts or reordering checks for closed accounts.Frequently, check fraud s****s with the theft of a check. A blank check might be stolen from your home or car. An old or canceled check could be stolen from your garbage. A check you have written to pay a bill could be stolen from the mailbox.What can I do to prevent check fraud?Since most check fraud s****s with the theft of a check, you should keep your checks as safe as possible.Always reconcile your bank statements as soon as you receive them.If you use automated teller ma****es, do not write your PIN number on your card or anywhere in your wallet or checkbook for a thief to find.Don't use checks or deposit slips as scratch paper.Shred old checks and bank statements before you throw them away.Fill in the payee line and amount line completely on any checks you write. Don't leave blank ****e that someone can al*****on't provide your bank information over the telephone.Don't place outgoing mail in an unlocked box.Install a lock on your mailbox. You can cut a slit in the mailbox large enough to slide mail through but not large enough to fit a hand through.What if I am a victim of check fraud?If you are a victim of check fraud, it is in your best interest to call these ins***utions:

they always call and when we pick up no one is ever there.