Legal Question in Credit and Debt Law in California
I gave an independent contractor a check for $300.
He reported that the check was lost or stolen.
I subtracted a stop payment fee of $25 and some cash I'd given him, and gave him a replacement check for $200.
Several days later a check cashing store contacted me and told me that the independent contractor had cashed the $300 check. They are expecting me to make the check good as well as pay a bad check fee
2 Answers from Attorneys
No, they are responsible for the transaction with the independent contractor.
You have no obligation to the check store. Tell them in writing to pound salt (in better language of course) and that if you hear from them again you will file an action against them under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Acts, state and federal. Then call the police on the contractor.