# Asked to sign back of cheque



## vector (27 Feb 2009)

A co-worker gave me his wages cheque of about e400 to lodge to his AIB a/c as I go to the bank everyday.

He doesn't trust quicklodge so I went to the counter with the cheque and a completed lodgement slip.

The teller wanted *me* (the mere messenger) to sign the back of the cheque. 
Because I was neither the writer or payee, and therefore had no financial interest in the cheque I said I couldn't sign...

What are your thoughts?


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## Eblanoid (27 Feb 2009)

I've been dropping cash and cheques in Quicklodge envelopes into my bank's street-level postbox for 5 years.  Never had a problem.


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## Padraigb (27 Feb 2009)

If your co-worker had already endorsed the cheque and handed it to you, then you are presumed to be the "holder in due course", with a legal right to the cheque. By signing it and giving it to the bank you are passing the rights to the cheque onwards to the bank.

In other words, the bank was right, and you should have signed the cheque.


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## vector (27 Feb 2009)

interesting train of thought, however (I didnt mention in OP) he has not signed the back of the cheque, it was completely blank


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## demoivre (27 Feb 2009)

I'd say the teller was wrong in this instance. I regularly lodge cheques payable to my mother in to her account and neither of us signs the back of the cheque.


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## Celtwytch (27 Feb 2009)

It seems to be a bit hit and miss, in my experience.  I occasionally lodge cheques made out to my mother into a joint account that we share.  Usually, her signature on the back of the cheque is sufficient.  But on one occasion I was asked to sign the back too.  The teller told me that it was because of the joint account, but maybe it has something to do with keeping some sort of record of the person who actually lodges the cheque, as in the OP's case?


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## Welfarite (27 Feb 2009)

I remember back in the days when I used cheques (!), a teller asking me to sign the back of a cheque that I had written myself! The only reason I could think of for doing this was to prove that I was who I was and not an imposter! But why not ask for ID?


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## Joe1234 (27 Feb 2009)

I was always of the opinion that a cheque did not need to be signed (on the back) if it was being lodged into the account of the payee.


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## Bank Manager (27 Feb 2009)

Joe1234 said:


> I was always of the opinion that a cheque did not need to be signed (on the back) if it was being lodged into the account of the payee.




Joe 1234 - you are spot on.......

Regards,


BM


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## Vanilla (28 Feb 2009)

Bank Manager said:


> Joe 1234 - you are spot on.......
> 
> Regards,
> 
> ...


 
You would think...I had a recurring lodgement of a cheque, drawn on one of my accounts to be lodged in another of my accounts. One day met teller Herr Snell who asked me to sign the back of my own cheque, queried it bemusedly and was told adamantly that I must sign. For the sake of peace, I did, and EVERY time I met this particular teller was asked the same thing. Made her ask, every time though.


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## allthedoyles (28 Feb 2009)

vector said:


> The teller wanted *me* (the mere messenger) to sign the back of the cheque.
> ?


 
Could this be a sign of the times ?

Are the Banking Sector finally implementing all those security measures and following the correct protocol ?


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## z103 (28 Feb 2009)

> I remember back in the days when I used cheques (!), a teller asking me to sign the back of a cheque that I had written myself! The only reason I could think of for doing this was to prove that I was who I was and not an imposter! But why not ask for ID?


When I used to work in a shop, we had to witness the customer signing the cheque. If they came in with pre-signed cheques, we had to ask them to sign the back.
This was to stop people forging signatures at their leisure.

I can't wait for the day that Ireland does away with this antiquated means of payment. Cheques are such a nuisance.


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