On Tue, 19 Aug 2014 22:31:50 -0600, Mayo > wrote:

>On 8/19/2014 8:13 PM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
>> On 8/19/2014 3:24 PM, Mayo wrote:
>>
>>>>>> Bank of America wanted to charge my granddaughter $5 to cash a $35
>>>>>> check
>>>>>> drawn on their bank. No, she did not have an account there.
>>>>>
>>>>> Hedging their bets. If you don't have an account and the check
>>>>> bounces, they have no recourse. If you do have an account, they
>>>>> just take it back plus a fee.
>>>>
>>>> But they know right then and there if the check is good.
>>>
>>> Oh?
>>>
>>> How?
>>
>> The check was drawn on their bank. Punch in the account number and look
>> at the balance. Takes about 10 seconds.
>
>But that does not mean it will clear.
>
>> Some years ago I knew a guy that had a hard time collecting from a
>> customer. He was given a check for about $1000 but there was not enough
>> in the account to cash it. Although the teller would not tell him the
>> balance, he asked if $100 was deposited, would the check clear? She
>> nodded yes. He made the deposit and and she gave him the cash. Losing a
>> little was better than losing it all.
>
>Interesting!

Banks will give out balances in how many figures... in the case above
a teller would say the balance is in three figures, so wouldn't be
difficult to query a hundred dollars more at a time. Was probably
worth ceding the hundred dollars same a business giving a 10% discount
not to lose a sale.