Among the many queries received by the CrossCheck team, “How do I recover an NSF check?” is one of the most frequent. But, before going any further a definition is in order. An NSF check (aka “non-sufficient funds check”) is a term used when the holder of a checking account is overdrawn and there is not enough money in the account to pay the check written against it.

As a merchant, this can pose a problem when accepting checks. Attempting to deposit a check without sufficient funds will result in the bank returning it unpaid. Also, returned checks can come with the additional consequence of added bank fees. Whatever the cause, NSF checks will cost your business money.

NSF checks can happen for many different reasons, but whatever the cause, NSF checks will cost your business money.

Summary

• What is the easiest way to recover an NSF check?
• What do you do when you get an NSF check?
• Can an NSF check be redeposited?
• How does CrossCheck handle NSF checks?

What is the easiest way to recover an NSF check?

The short answer to the question of how to recover an NSF check is, Check Guarantee. Check Guarantee services protect merchants from incurring the financial loss of accepting bad checks, including NSF checks.

Of course, there is still the option of taking matters into your own hands. Handling the process of recovering an NSF check on your own can be “involved” to say the least.

What do you do when you get an NSF check?

A common scenario plays out with NSF checks. You closed the deal with your customer, but the bank returned the check. What are the steps you can follow to recover the payment on your own?

The first thing to do is contact the issuer of the check, keep in mind that some states have laws restricting when you can call so more research may be necessary. After making a few calls, you can try to deposit the check again. If calling and redepositing doesn’t work, it’s time to send a Demand Letter. The final option available (if you aren’t using Check Guarantee services) is to consider legal recourse.

Recovering an NSF check on your own can be arduous, but there are better ways to recover your funds. If you’re using Check Guarantee services, you don’t have to worry about contacting issuers, writing letters or legal issues. You don’t have to worry because NSF checks are typically covered under Check Guarantee policies.

Can an NSF check be redeposited?

After the check is returned, you can try to recover it by attempting another deposit. Trying to deposit a check after it has been returned is a risk because it can be bounced a second time.

The best time to try to redeposit an NSF check is after you’ve contacted the consumer and they assure you the funds are in their account. This means you will have to take this person at their word and potentially assume the risk again.

How does CrossCheck handle NSF checks?

When it comes to NSF checks, CrossCheck has the payment solutions to solve the problem. Merchants that use CrossCheck’s Check Guarantee services combined with Electronic Check Processing are protected you from bad checks. The check is received like any other payment and CrossCheck takes care of the follow-up behind the scenes.

Merchants with Standard Check Guarantee can easily send these checks to CrossCheck via mail and let us handle the rest of the transaction from there.

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