Frustrating Scottish Check
 

My bank won’t cash my check because it’s under $200. I don’t know how to cash it. Can anyone help me? It’s a Scottish check but made out in USD, not pounds.

:(
thank you

Is it drawn on a US bank or a UK bank? You called it a Scottish check, but I've seen foreign checks with a US bank involved. If it's drawn on a foreign bank with no US bank involved, then it is more tricky, but a full service bank should be able to handle it.

I worked in banking for 11 years but that was a long time ago. We handled foreign checks on a regular basis. Back in the day we sent those for collection, but surely there's a better way now. Talk to a manager and if necessary, find another bank to help. You might have open an account, but you don't have to keep it forever.

Scam alert. First post - asking for help cashing a check. Hard pass.

Jury's out. He's not asking you to cash it . . .


Welcome to Fodors. One problem is if it is a small amount, the fees a bank will charge you could make cashing it impractical. I'm curious how you ended up with a £ check. If it's a refund for something you bought, they would normally put it on the card used. Or - are they paying you for goods or services.

Now . . . If it is a personal check/cheque from a friend or relative -- what I would actually do is ask them to cancel the check and send you a e-gift card (preferably in $$)

Can the check be voided and have the money sent with Wise?

https://wise.com/us/

The fees would probably be less than with a bank.

This is very odd, I don't know why a bank would refuse to cash a check because it isn't big enough for their own customers, except for the foreign bank thing. So we don't know what or where this bank is, but maybe it's just too much of a nuisance for a small check although they could just set the fees high and if someone didn't like it, they could just not do it.

It's the idea of a check being written on a currency different than the bank where the account is, I don't think they would ever do that in the US (I can't write a check in euro on my US bank account). I can cash a check at my bank from a foreign bank in a different currency, but I can't write checks that way.

Maybe Scotland is different and they allow that type of thing.

Try Travelex, not sure if they'll do that or not but you can easily ask. I'm sure they'll have large fees but better than not getting anything. USBank cashes foreign checks for their customers, but I don't know about that type of situation and not sure what their fees are. They are mainly Midwest and West, not East though.

They still send large checks in foreign denominations for collection, P_M. And you still have to go through a real bank, so Fidelity Investment offices for example, can't take it if they are not also a bank branch. Some banks will do small amounts for recent customer but if it's a big check they may want you to be a customer for 6 months. The fees are not necessarily that much for small checks, although you lose on the exchange.

To the OP, ask your bank what you should do. There should be some kind of branch manager that knows.

BTW it was US Bank that cashed my small check (made out in Canadian currency). You may want to call around and ask other banks.

Maybe try to deposit the check in your account rather than cash it. You wouldn't have access to the funds immediately... but you would after the check clears.

My mother receives small royalty checks in Pounds Sterling from a publisher a few times a year and has no trouble depositing them in her checking account. I don't think she's charged a fee, but I doubt the exchange rate is the best.

The foreign bank may have an allied US bank that could help. Inquire with the foreign bank.

Or did I get this wrong? Are you trying to cash your own check drawn on your bank located in Scotland? Without an account here, I don't see any financial institution cashing your check. They don't know you from Adam, and they don't know if the check is "good."

It isn't clear at all what the OP's situation is. I am also confused by the Scottish Bank and the $200 thing. Is the check made out in USD or is it worth $200? How long have you been with that bank?

There are a number of reasons why they may have refused the deposit and/or cash. What reason did they give? Or do you think someone here is going to cash it for you? LOL...

I don't understand how a Scottish cheque could be made out for anything other than pounds sterling. Could you make out a check from a US bank in another currency?

We'll probably never know because the OP likely won't be back -- but I just assumed the check is 'worth' less than $200 (approx. £160) - not that it was drawn in US$.

I agree it is unlikely that this "one post wonder" will ever return. The original post specifies "it is made out in USD, not pounds" which may be why no one wanted to cash it.

I'm starting to think nylily was right to issue the scam alert.

Oops - you're right, it does say made out in $.

My experience with 'inter-currency' checks/cheques in the UK is from years ago when I lived there and I'm sure the procedures ave changed -- but back then our UK bank could issue a US$ check but it took sometimes weeks to clear and there were added fees at both ends - meaning smaller checks were seldom worth cashing.

I recall about 40 years ago I also received a check from a UK friend made out in USD. (I had paid his speeding ticket and he reimbursed me). Who knows? There are so many other ways to get paid electronically it makes little sense to get paid by check but some places still insist on it.

"... some places still insist on it."

Maybe the hope is you'll never cash the check...