Check fraud is an $8 billion a year problem in the United
States, and the passing of bad checks is a very serious problem in Pima
County. Even careful merchants get a bad check once in a
while. If you can't collect on a check, the County
Attorney’s Office stands ready to help. The Pima County
Attorney's Office Bad Check Program is ranked first in the
nation. Since its inception in 1996, the program has
returned more than $12 million to victims.
The Pima County Attorney’s Office joined with local law
enforcement agencies and many local business people in 1996
to establish Pima County’s Bad Check Program. The program is
designed to help reimburse individuals or merchants for the
losses they incur from accepting bad checks. If you are a
Pima County merchant and would like the support of the Bad
Check Program, please view the
Bad Check Guidebook. You may
also request a FREE Bad Check sign to place in your
business by calling our office.
This program is available FREE of charge to any individual
or merchant in Pima County. We will collect from the
offender the face value of the check plus a $25 victim fee for
each check submitted. By working
together, we can make a difference for Pima County.
A few helpful tips when accepting a check:
- Look at the check, be suspicious of checks that have low numbers.
- The check must be dated the day you receive it.
- DO NOT accept pre-signed checks.
- Look for changes or additions to the name of the payee.
- Always demand identification.
- Make sure the check writer DOES NOT write his or her driver's license number or other information on the check.
You should write this information.
- If you have doubts about a check, don't accept it. You are not required by law to accept checks.
