Saturday, November 27, 2004

Don't Hate Me for Hating You

Good Lord. I have just returned home from a night of work that went fine until the last 25 minutes. Then I talked to a woman who may or may not have been the village idiot in her hometown. Oooh, I'm going to call her Vi.

Here's the deal, Vi is the victim of either fraud or horrible bookkeeping/memory loss. We're not sure which. She had an item returned against her account. It was an item someone else wrote, it's not drawn on her account. That's about all the pretense needed here.

Vi is transferred to me and the call begins:

B: Thanks for holding Vi, my name is Beth a-
Vi: What is this item? Where's my money?
B: I'd be happy to help you. The item on your account appears to be a check either cashed or deposited against your account that was denied payment by the issuing bank.
Vi: But I didn't write any checks.
B: I understand that. This item is not a check you wrote.
Vi: What is it then?
B: It's a check someone else wrote and it was returned because the other bank said they wouldn't honor it.
Vi: Why not?
B: Whoever wrote it placed a stop payment on it.
Vi: Who wrote it?
B: Unfortunately, I don't know. I can tell you which bank it's drawn on, the dollar amount, and the serial number of the item, but I don't have the maker name. The check is being mailed to you.
Vi: But who wrote it?
B: I don't know.
Vi: I didn't write a check for that amount.
B: I know that.
Vi: But I didn't write it. Who did?
B: Well, if you didn't write it, I know I didn't write it, I guess that just leaves about 6 billion others to check with. Or wait 3 days until the mailman delivers it to you.
Vi: I don't get it. I didn't write any checks.
B: Did anyone you know give you a check for this amount?
Vi: No.
B: Then it may be fraud.
Vi: But I didn't write any checks.
B: This is the point where I started banging my head against my desk. I KNOW that. You've told me that. I've told you that I know that. So we're clear on the fact you didn't write the check. Someone else did.
Vi: But who?
B: Again, I don't have their name at 11 PM on a Saturday evening.
Vi: I just don't get it. I didn't write a check.

The call continues like this for 25 minutes. Can I just say, "AAAAAHHHHH"?

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