Vendor Cheats Me Out of $170: My CRAFT SHOW Nightmare!

[ChefJWarren]

I did a craft show in November. The vendor (handmade tutu skirts) next to me chatted all day and had a good time. She ended up placing a $170 order with me at the end of the day! The packaged was delivered 11/21; I called and left her a message saying I hope she was enjoying her merchandise and to call me if she needs anything. Well, about 2 weeks later I receive notice that her check bounced!!! I call her 3 more times about this, leaving her nice messages regarding her check. I know people make mistakes and maybe it was a small mix up. One of those times I talked to a live person who said she was her sister and would give her the message about the check. Well, never heard from her so sent a certified letter (12-6) trying to collect my money. The letter was finally returned to me 12-30, unclaimed. I called her once more and left her a message saying that I was going to file an affidavit with the criminal district attorney if I did not hear from her within the next couple of days. I figured I would give her one more chance. Then, I called the church where they had the craft show and let them know that a fellow vendor had written me a bad check and was ignoring me! They called me back and gave me more info on her including her business partners number. It turns out I was not the only one she wrote a bad check to that day! Can you believe it!!! I called her business partner and told her my problem. By then, she was tired of hearing from all the people her friend cheated that day! She said she would call her for me.

Well, she called me today to say that she never received the merchandise and that she had called me and told me back in November!!!! What the &^$$&*&*!!!!!! I want to go to her house and beat her up. What a liar! She said she never got any of my 4 messages - only the first one, which is why she says she called to say that she never got the stuff. I told her that I didn't believe her and that she could fight with the constable when they come to her house for writing bad checks.

I'm going to call home office in the morning, but what are they going to do?? Its too late now, even if she really didn't get the stuff. Fedex says they left it at her door, but there is really no guarantee. I still really don't believe her though.

I want to scream!!!!!!

 

[JAE]

EEWW! That stinks. Hoping this never happens to you again. Keep doing what you're doing. File the report. Call HO. Sorry this happened to you.

 

[dannyzmom]

Yikes!!!
I never put an order through unril a check clears - I am paranoid that way after having TWO checks bounce on a show last November.

 

[tabnat80]

Oh, that totally sucks! Good luck getting your money back.

 

[JAE]

My bank said it takes a few weeks before they really know if a check totally clears. I wouldn't be able to wait that long.
Carolyn, how long do you wait?

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I just had a check come back Friday that I deposited on Dec 12th. For $91.00:grumpy: :grumpy: You can't wait that long for a check to clear!

 

[JAE]

Yes, that's what I was thinking. We are really taking a chance with checks.

 

[dianevill]

Someone was saying they take each of the checks to the banks from which they were issued. She cashes them and then deposits the money into her account. The she submits the show.

I don't have time (or gas money) for that - I do the deposit into my account, say a quick prayer, and hope the dreaded NSF letter doesn't appear in my mail box.

 

[JAE]

I don't have time for that either. I mostly only take checks from the host, so I could go to that bank if there is one in my town. so far I've known the hosts well enough to not even think of finding the hosts' banks. I'll start checking though.

 

[DebbieJ]

most banks around here charge a fee for you to cash a check if you don't hold an account with them.

 

[katie0128]

most banks around here charge a fee for you to cash a check if you don't hold an account with them.

Even if the check is drawn on that bank?

 

[janetupnorth]

Jessica - you need to contact HO right away. Do you REALLY believe the items weren't delivered? I'm sure tracking shows they were left there...just another piece in her web of lies, I'm sure.

As for the check, you need to go after her for that...file a police report if you need to.

 

[Shawnna]

If the check is drawn on the bank they won't charge you a fee. They will tell you if there is no money in the account to cash the check. Did you try the bank? It might be worth it to go there and ask them. Otherwise I would just give it to the DA and let him/her sort it out.

 

[GeorgiaPeach]

Well, she called me today to say that she never received the merchandise and that she had called me and told me back in November!!!! What the &^$$&*&*!!!!!! I want to go to her house and beat her up. What a liar! She said she never got any of my 4 messages - only the first one, which is why she says she called to say that she never got the stuff. I told her that I didn't believe her and that she could fight with the constable when they come to her house for writing bad checks.

What about not picking up the certified letter? Guess she "never received" that notice either!

It's one thing to bounce a check, realize your mistake, and rectify it. It's another to ignore all attempts. I'd send her another certified letter with all the details.....date and time package was delivered, dates and times you've attempted to reach her..and then give her a date that you expect to receive a cashier's check, money order, or CASH. Then follow up with the constable if she doesn't follow through.

If you have to go that far, I'd hook up with the other vendors that were stiffed also and see if you can file something together...might have more "uumph".

I'm sorry you are having to deal with this. Just be glad it's the exception and not the rule

 

[ChefJWarren]

Part of it was my fault. The check was from out of state. I was too trusting. I just didn't figure that a fellow vendor at a church event that I talked with all day would cheat me! I did contact the bank and they said there was no money.

And I REALLY DON"T believe her claims that she never received the items!

 

[amy07]

If the check is drawn on the bank they won't charge you a fee. They will tell you if there is no money in the account to cash the check. Did you try the bank? It might be worth it to go there and ask them. Otherwise I would just give it to the DA and let him/her sort it out.

I had a check once for a set of cookware that I took to the lady's bank & they would NOT cash it without a FEE ($25) because I did not have an acct at the bank. I asked them if they could cash it (enough funds), once they said yes I then deposited into my acct. I think it varies from bank to bank and state to state.

 

[BethCooks4U]

I had a check once for a set of cookware that I took to the lady's bank & they would NOT cash it without a FEE ($25) because I did not have an acct at the bank. I asked them if they could cash it (enough funds), once they said yes I then deposited into my acct. I think it varies from bank to bank and state to state.

Some banks here charge a fee if you don't have an account even though it is their check. Others allow it. It really depends on the bank.

 

[vwpamperedchef]

So frustrating!! I try to get credit card orders at events, this way, if it declines, I am not so much out of luck. Sorry that happened, and I agree she is lying.

 

[pamperedlinda]

Some banks here charge a fee if you don't have an account even though it is their check. Others allow it. It really depends on the bank.

That just doesn't sound right to me. If the check is drawn on them don't they have to cash it for you regardless? I worked in banking for @ 20 years and that was the policy at the banks I worked for.

 

[lkprescott]

I would contact HO immediately. They'll have record of what was sent where and received by whom. Hold onto all your documentation including the returned certified letter, phone logs, get all the info you can from HO and see what'll take to file a claim in court. If nothing else, pushing it that far will send the message that what she did was illegal and wrong and just plain rude.

 

[finley1991]

That just doesn't sound right to me. If the check is drawn on them don't they have to cash it for you regardless? I worked in banking for @ 20 years and that was the policy at the banks I worked for.

My father banks at Comerica... he wrote me a check and I went there to cash it and they wouldn't let me because I didn't have an account there. Of course, if I wanted to open an account that day, no problem! I lived out of state at the the time and wasn't about to do that! Every bank can have their own policy. My mom's bank won't let me cash a check drawn from there either unless I pay the $5 processing fee. I guess everyone needs to make money somehow...

 

[baychef]

Regardless if she didn't get the merchandise (liar, liar, pant on fire). She still bounced a check. Call your DA and file a bounced check. There is all the proof in the world that her merchandise was delivered in good faith. If you call HO, they MAY send her new merchandise, but she will never make good on this check. That is where the problem is.

I just finished chasing a person down for $22.61 from a May party. Her CC didn't go through, the host said she'd get the check, etc. LUCKILY, this woman's husband happened to go through her e-mails and found my e-mails to her. My last was....going to call the DA on Dec. 26th if she hadn't resolved this. He just sent a money order to me certified mail. Had her not intercepted, I would have been screwed. I have been stiffed by a host for $216. Her guests paid her, but she fell upon "hard times" and strung me along for a year. Now, I can not longer reacher her...she is a thief and her husband is in the military. VERY SAD.
GO AFTER THIS THIEF!!

 

[ChefNic]

I know she says she never got the products...((Oh Come On!))
but maybe if you let her know that she can return all the products for a refund, this may work?

you don't loose your commission on it if she does this.

How do people have ZERO in the moral department???????

AHHH!
Sorry you are going through this!

 

[pamperedlinda]

My father banks at Comerica... he wrote me a check and I went there to cash it and they wouldn't let me because I didn't have an account there. Of course, if I wanted to open an account that day, no problem! I lived out of state at the the time and wasn't about to do that! Every bank can have their own policy. My mom's bank won't let me cash a check drawn from there either unless I pay the $5 processing fee. I guess everyone needs to make money somehow...

That should be illegal!

 

[finley1991]

That should be illegal!

UGH! Don't get me started! I agree... but what can we do?

Another bummer was once when I went to pay my credit card bill online (like I do each month and have been for about 6 years and always on time, mind you) and the website was down for maintenance. So I called to pay it over the phone so I wouldn't be late and they wanted to charge me a fee of $19.99 to process my virtual check. I said, "No.... it's not my fault that your website is down. That's the way I pay each month and I've never been late so I don't think that since YOUR website is down, I should have to pay $20." Then he told me, it's not $20, it's $19.99. Whatever! And that he would have to charge me because that's what it costs them to process the virtual check. I asked to speak with a supervisor and was put on hold for no more than 10 seconds and he came back and said they would waive the fee ONE TIME ONLY. What a guy! Yes, things like that SHOULD be illegal, but they aren't. What can we do?

 

[PCJenni]

I know Bank of America has a voice check verification service on their customer service automated phone system.

Sometimes getting the check from the hostess doesn't work either... I have a catalog show for Nov that I am still waiting for a check for the whole show from the hostess. She told me she used the $$$ from the guests to buy her son a tricycle for Christmas! I hope she thinks of me every time she sees him get on the bike!!!

 

[pamperedlinda]

I know Bank of America has a voice check verification service on their customer service automated phone system.

Sometimes getting the check from the hostess doesn't work either... I have a catalog show for Nov that I am still waiting for a check for the whole show from the hostess. She told me she used the $$$ from the guests to buy her son a tricycle for Christmas! I hope she thinks of me every time she sees him get on the bike!!!

The entire show $$ - must be a really nice trycicle!

 

[heather223]

I don't know about all banks, but many will let you call either their 800 number or the branch and ask if the funds are available. You can do this before you cash/ deposit the check. With the new check laws where the check can clear the same day, hopefully having NSF checks will not happen so much! :chef:

 

[DebbieJ]

Even if the check is drawn on that bank?

Yes, even if it is drawn on that bank.

 

[chefann]

Sometimes getting the check from the hostess doesn't work either... I have a catalog show for Nov that I am still waiting for a check for the whole show from the hostess. She told me she used the $$$ from the guests to buy her son a tricycle for Christmas! I hope she thinks of me every time she sees him get on the bike!!!

I was involved in a similar situation about 5 years ago. My TW lady used the checks from my party (I was the host) to pay her rent. And lied to me about why we hadn't received our products 3 months after the party. I had to take her to small claims court. We settled, and the check she sent me to cover the second half of the funds (she gave me cash as the first payment) was bad. I went to her bank every day until I could cash it. Needless to say, I no longer do business with her. :grumpy:

 

[ConnieR]

My advise is to contact your local District Attorney. This is the type of business that he is used to. I am sure he will give you the proper advise on how to go forward on this situation. Good luck.

FYI: I had over a $700 check from a host go bad and it took almost a year to get it! So I do feel for you!

 

[bsaxman]

Bummer!

For this reason I always push credit card orders. If someone wants to write a check, I ask them if it would be more convenient to use their debitcard instead, and i've noticed that most people forget we accept plastic!

Sorry about your bad customer... :-(

 

[chefann]

<snip> and i've noticed that most people forget we accept plastic!

I think that's because many home-party consultants don't encourage use of plastic because they pay fees to take them. We're spoiled, in that HO covers that for us, since the cards are processed by them and they don't charge us for that convenience.

 

[pamperedcheermom]

I did a craft show in November. The vendor (handmade tutu skirts) next to me chatted all day and had a good time. She ended up placing a $170 order with me at the end of the day! The packaged was delivered 11/21; I called and left her a message saying I hope she was enjoying her merchandise and to call me if she needs anything. Well, about 2 weeks later I receive notice that her check bounced!!! I call her 3 more times about this, leaving her nice messages regarding her check. I know people make mistakes and maybe it was a small mix up. One of those times I talked to a live person who said she was her sister and would give her the message about the check. Well, never heard from her so sent a certified letter (12-6) trying to collect my money. The letter was finally returned to me 12-30, unclaimed. I called her once more and left her a message saying that I was going to file an affidavit with the criminal district attorney if I did not hear from her within the next couple of days. I figured I would give her one more chance. Then, I called the church where they had the craft show and let them know that a fellow vendor had written me a bad check and was ignoring me! They called me back and gave me more info on her including her business partners number. It turns out I was not the only one she wrote a bad check to that day! Can you believe it!!! I called her business partner and told her my problem. By then, she was tired of hearing from all the people her friend cheated that day! She said she would call her for me.

Well, she called me today to say that she never received the merchandise and that she had called me and told me back in November!!!! What the &^$$&*&*!!!!!! I want to go to her house and beat her up. What a liar! She said she never got any of my 4 messages - only the first one, which is why she says she called to say that she never got the stuff. I told her that I didn't believe her and that she could fight with the constable when they come to her house for writing bad checks.

I'm going to call home office in the morning, but what are they going to do?? Its too late now, even if she really didn't get the stuff. Fedex says they left it at her door, but there is really no guarantee. I still really don't believe her though.

I want to scream!!!!!!

My partner and I had sorta the same thing happen to us at a Church booth. We took orders, placed the order the next day, but the HO was having some kind of problem delivering (this was back in September) and the order was held up for a over a week. It finally came in and we started delivering. One girl told us we could leave her order at her shop with her employee if she wasn't in. That's what we did and a few weeks ago I got an e-mail from the chairperson for the booth saying we never delivered the products and the girl wanted a refund. My partner called the shop and told the employee to look under the counter to see if the bag was still there and THERE IT WAS. Been there from the 2nd week of October to a few weeks ago and nobody saw it???
Another lady complained saying it took to long to get her products. Deliveries were made as soon as possible and sometimes we couldn't get in touch with the customers and didn't want to leave products on their doorsteps.
Seemed like no matter what we did, they weren't happy. Not sure why because we had a great time at the booth and everybody was so friendly. Then they turned on us!
No bad checks though so that's a good thing!

 

[chefann]

That's why I usually do direct shipping in a booth situation.

 

[RebelChef]

That just doesn't sound right to me. If the check is drawn on them don't they have to cash it for you regardless?

It doesn't, does it? Personally, I think it's a pretty shoddy way of conducting business.

When I moved, before I opened a local account (my credit union was 2 hours away), hubby would take his payroll check to be cashed at the bank it was drawn on. (Bank One which is Chase now.) They'd charge him every time for cashing it because he didn't have an account there. You'd better believe that made me open a local account in a hurry. NOT with Chase! lol It's also aggravating that customers are the only ones who can use the drive thru. If you have a check from a customer, to cash at their bank, you have to go inside. What's the difference? Your ID is going to look the same inside or out. Some rules are just too ridiculous.

 

[RebelChef]

Colleen, I'm glad to see my credit card company isn't the only one that tries to rip off its customers. My bill was due on the 2nd and I went online to pay it a little after midnight on the 1st. It wouldn't accept payment that day without a $15 rush processing fee. If I paid it without the fee, it would have been 1-2 days late because of processing time, incurring late fees. Why make the due date that date if it's not going to process? And why should it take 1-2 days for an online payment? I pay lots of things online and they credit immediately. I'm seriously considering closing that account. I can't stand dealing with companies that have deceptive trade practices. Charging a rush fee to accept payment on the due date is just that, in my opinion.

 

[DebbieJ]

That's why I usually do direct shipping in a booth situation.

Me too, even if I have to pay the difference. It's SOOOO worth my time, gas, and energy.

 

[Chef Kearns]

I hope you will ask for plastic in the future! I'm sooooo sorry this happened to you. It is such a pain in the butt dealing with dishonest people. She probably has a long list of tricks to use to not pay.

 

[Jennyskitchencorner]

My bank will gladly call the bank that the check is wrote on to assure there are funds available. Knock on wood this doesn't happen to me, my condolences.

 

[Smiley3]

Taking a check is always a scary event!! All we can do is hope for the best...I have (so far):angel: not had a returned check...and I have taken quite a few.: .Good luck with trying to retrieve your funds...just remember: what goes around will eventually come around and that TUTU woman will get hers...I am going to state at the end of my speil that Credit cards and Debit cards Perferred!!!

 

[ChefNic]

ChefJWarren ~
What ever happened with this?
Did it get taken care of?

 

[Rebeccascabinet]

I am sooo sorry. I had that happen once for a pretty signifcant amount and I just kept taking it to her bank (about every 2 weeks) until she had enough money to clear it. It finally cleared about 2 months later - right before Christmas. I am sure that was her christmas money, but she never returned my calls or letters. She left me no choice, but to keep trying her bank till I could get my money.

 

[Chef Endora]

I wonder if she has always been a toad, or is this a recent development?:yuck:

I thought there is a law that a bank has to cash a check that is drawn on them with ID of the payee as long as there are sufficient funds. At least it was that way before I changed careers. I did 10 years in banking and never heard of charging a fee to cash a check drawn on them providing there a sufficient funds in the account.

 

[ChefJWarren]

I did try to resubmit it to the bank, but she no longer had an account there. Also, (TOTALLY MY FAULT, I SHOULD'VE KNOWN BETTER) it was an out of state check. She just moved here. I'm too trusting.

I turned it over to the district attorney. They have a special department just for going after hot check writers. It costs me nothing, they just fine the heck out of the bad check person! Ha Ha. I have talked with them and they needed more info because they couldn't find her. They finally did and she told them that I never "gave" her the merchandise. I told them that it was direct shipped and that I had Fedex confirmation. I faxed that over. I asked if it would be a problem that she didn't sign and they said no, as long as I have confirmation it was dropped at her house. Still waiting.

 

[dannyzmom]

I did try to resubmit it to the bank, but she no longer had an account there. Also, (TOTALLY MY FAULT, I SHOULD'VE KNOWN BETTER) it was an out of state check. She just moved here. I'm too trusting.

I turned it over to the district attorney. They have a special department just for going after hot check writers. It costs me nothing, they just fine the heck out of the bad check person! Ha Ha. I have talked with them and they needed more info because they couldn't find her. They finally did and she told them that I never "gave" her the merchandise. I told them that it was direct shipped and that I had Fedex confirmation. I faxed that over. I asked if it would be a problem that she didn't sign and they said no, as long as I have confirmation it was dropped at her house. Still waiting.

I'm glad to hear you're going after her. I hate crooks

 

[pamperedlinda]

Good for you Jessica! I'd like to see her wrangle her way out of this one. That is just low! Keep us posted.

 

[KellyTheChef]

Jessica...I hope they get this resolved for you! What a cheat!