Abusing Similac cheques

[tmlskk01]

I was at walmart today and I overheard two younger (maybe 16-18) year old girls with children talking about how they order all the similac cheques and samples they can and ask for them on kijiji and deposit them into their banks to keep the money!! Isn't this illegal? I often see the ads on kijiji asking for these cheques because they need help buying formula, I hope those ads are honest and not these two!

[c_mcarthur]

uhhh the similac cheques say right on them that are a coupon and not an actual cheque.
Im really surprised the banks havent caught on that

[salady]

I don't understand why Similac makes their coupons "cheque style"...when I saw one for the first time, I thought it was a cheque too but it clearly says on it that it's a coupon. Banks process so many cheques a day and perhaps just let this one pass through without notice. This should be brought to the attention of Similac cos people are clearly abusing them.

[BuggaBugga]

That is really dumb of them. They probably think they are so smart doing this. They could be charged with fraud, but at the very least they will have to repay the amounts if they withdrawed them, and pay a dishonoured cheque deposit fee I would imagine. That could be pricy if they have done it many times.

[newbiesaver]

While this is really stupid to do, it's also really stupid of a bank to cash a check that isn't really a check....how does that even work. I would think it would need the digits at the bottom with the transit number, account number, branch #, etc. And if they were doing it via the ATM, I can't see how the bank wouldn't deduct it bank from their account once determined the check was fake.

I'm not saying what these girls were doing is right BUT....the bank needs to do their due diligence. And Similac needs to stop making coupons that look like checks.

[RebeccaRYoung]

I doubt that the bank will cash these cheques. I'm unclear about whether or not this was a private conversation that was eavesdropped or not. If it was, sometimes it's best not to get too concerned about it as you can never be quite certain what the people were talking about.

[Minou]

Maybe Abbott Laboratories traditionally uses cheques to avoid problems/costs associated with the handling of lots of coupons?

[Poirot]

I was at walmart today and I overheard two younger (maybe 16-18) year old girls with children talking about how they order all the similac cheques and samples they can and ask for them on kijiji and deposit them into their banks to keep the money!! Isn't this illegal? I often see the ads on kijiji asking for these cheques because they need help buying formula, I hope those ads are honest and not these two!

Maybe you could email Similac about what you overheard.They should be interested in fixing this problem.

[Chantel]

I don't have a baby, but I've signed up for the club. I pass off the formula coupons to people who need them, and send the samples to the food bank.

I personally love similac mom so I keep those cheques, it's basically the same thing as ensure and it's yummy when I'm too tired or busy for real food.

But I agree, this is stupid and sad. Similac will probably cut down the program because of this.

[missxhillary]

i like that similac does the coupons as a cheque, because i buy the similac advance which is expensive. I can use a similac coupon & a cheque at one time, saving me 10$ to 15$ a can of my daughters formula.

However i dont agree with these girls, and they probably were just talking to show off because a bank would be stupid to actually cash a cheque that states expiry dates and limitations right on it.

its people like those girls who ruin it for mothers like me who actually use the similac coupons and cheques for the formula to help make it more affordable.

[missxhillary]

Maybe you could email Similac about what you overheard.They should be interested in fixing this problem.

i hope not, theyll probably just stop sending cheques, and only send out the 5$ coupons... which means i'd be spending more money because of some stupid little girls who cant follow rules like the rest of us

[atashi]

i doubt it's true because the bank won't deposit it.

I signed up for similac club for coupons for my niece (2 years old) but after half a year, I've never received anything from similac

[BuggaBugga]

i doubt it's true because the bank won't deposit it.

An actual bank teller would not likely accept it but an ATM would and the bank wouldn't find out until they process the cheques and by then the funds have been already withdrawn.

[PurpleBunny89]

Last time I was at SDM they had a massive sign by both cash registers instructing cashiers that they were NOT coupons and not to be entered as coupons but to be entered as cheques ... or something to that affect. I can't remember exactly what it said but I do remember the bit about them not being coupons and that they were actual cheques to be deposited to a bank. What do i know, I never use the things, I trade them.

I signed up for it and I only ever got a one time "cheque" for $5. I traded it. Now I get them from another girl who lives local and I re-trade them.

[***Kimura***]

They are obviously lying or they JUST did it that day and haven't been caught yet. If you deposit a cheque into your account through an ATM, they will go through every cheque. Otherwise you could deposit a blank cheque and punch in that it's worth $500. Yes your account may say that there is an extra $500 at the moment but within the week (probably even a day or 2) they will figure out that you are trying to rip them off. They will contact you and charge you with fraud. Banks are not stupid, they go through every cheque. It's stupid girls talking out their a$$es.