DISHONOURED CHEQUES

Taranaki Daily News, 27 July 1931, Page 6

DISHONOURED CHEQUES

MANY THIEVES AT WORK.

BUSINESS men CONCERNED.

The number rf dishonoured cheques returned by the banks has given con--rable concern to the Auckland business community lately, and lt WOuld appear, states the New Zealand Setuid, that’ fraudulent u§e of Cheques is more common than it has been for many years. The Batik of New Zealand, the cheque forms of which have beeli Ui-ed in this way with disconcerting frequency lately, advises its clients td keep their cheque books tinder lock nfld key and wards the business Community not to cash cheques for strangers. An official of the batik stated Ofi Friday that a amber of cases had occurred of thieves tearing out blank form* from cheque books which they had found lying about, and passing them with forged signatured over shop counters. By tearing out the lust few form# in a book such persons counted upon the act not being discovered by the owner for days, perhaps weeks,. and then only w'hcii the dishonoured cheques were returned from the bank. Cases had also come to hand in which elitir® books had been stolen and fraudulently USOd. ' . As long as business people continued to accept cheques from persona with whom they were not acquainted the opportunities for imposition were unlimited, said the official. Undoubtedly the present depression was having the effect of driving certain pedplfe to adopt criminal practices Who would not b« tempted in better times. All the'itiOiw care, therefore, should be taken to prevent imposition. Users, of cheques who are accustomed to travel are advised to take particular care to date their cheques from their .5 place Of residence, act the banks are pht to considerable trouble through filling in the name of the town they happen to be